How are my parameters?

[icedearth15324]

I currently have a heavily stocked 75g with 30g sump, and I just recently started running biopellets. I just wanted to get a good idea on how my parameters are otherwise. I want to keep a mixed reef of LPS, softies, and once the biopellets help, possibly some SPS at the top.

Temperature - 77.5-77.9 F
Salinity - 1.025
PH - 8.27
Alk - 9.912 dKH
Calcium - 480 ppm
Mag - 1120 ppm
Phosphate - 1.15ppm
Nitrates - 35-45ppm (biopellets are running, as well as need to clean out detritus from sump)

Just wanted to get an idea on if these are pretty solid levels for everything and with the exception of the phosphate and nitrates, think I'd be good to handle some SPS?

 

[Sawdonkey]

Your Mag is low. Should be 1350 or above.
Phosphate is REALLY high. I'm not sure what that reading is. Should be .05 or below.
Nitrate is high too. Make sure to skim heavy when running pellets. They take a while to kick in.
Everything else looks good.

 

[Sawdonkey]

By the way, I didn't make this, but I find it very useful. You can see the parameters of some of the most successful tanks in the hobby all in one place.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/193lr9S_tfx0vW-hbD7t_SID7h9iwNhf9bCikRkk47EU/edit#gid=0

 

[strike2867]

Kind of like Saw said. Your Calcium, Alk and Mg need to be all in balance. Mg needs to be 3x Calcium. With Carbon dosing you might want to keep your dKH lower, if I remember correctly. So you'll need to lower dKH, Calcium, and slightly raise Mg. The Phosphates and Nitrates are probably a little high.

 

[Irsug1]

Alk should be around 8.5 or so. If Alk is high the bio pellets create some type of burn on sps.
Maybe Someone else can elaborate on why this happens. .

 

[Sawdonkey]

Alk should be around 8.5 or so. If Alk is high the bio pellets create some type of burn on sps.
Maybe Someone else can elaborate on why this happens. .

This is somewhat true, but it's not the biopellets themselves that create the burn. It's the ultra-low nutrient system environment that they create that causes the burn. The same can happen with vodka, vinegar, etc.

So yeah, once the pellets kick in and you get your nutrients down close to zero, you'll want to keep your all below 8.0.

I swear by biopellets and I've experienced the burn above 8.0.

 

[icedearth15324]

I'm do for a big water change this weekend so after the change I'll post some updates. I'm aware the phosphates and nitrates are high, working on lowering them. There currently are no SPS in the tank, but I want to try and get the tank into a position capable of handling them.

Cal, mag, nitrates were tested using Red Sea. Phosphates and alk were tested using Hanna checkers. Salinity was tested with a refractometer that was recently calibrated, PH and temp are by probes on my RKL.