WATER TEST RESULTS

Here are my test results,  any comments or advice would be appreciated.  This is for a 55 gal FOWLR tank with about 50lbs of LR.

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 0

Phosphate: 0

KH/Alk: 8.5 dkh

Calcium: 500

PH: 8.0

Temp: 77

I recently had a little bit of a phosphate problem.  My water was reading .25 and i noticed a few dark purple areas on my live sand which i removed.  I also put some phos zorb in my filter and in only 24 hours my phoshate dropped to zero!  I think it was due to  feeding frozen foods.  Now I am rinsing the food in distilled water before feeding and may even switch to my own food recipe.  I cut back my feeding to every other day and now feed a little more pellet/dried food and less frozen.

Im new at this but based on the forum discussions it seems that my AK is a little low and CA a little high.  My PH is low too.  Is this something to worry about? I had been dosing low amounts of Kent Purple Tech to grow coraline but stopped. Should I add PH buffer or just wait it out?  I have been doing 20% WC every 10 days or so.

I also have about 25 lbs of LR which has been curing in a rubbermaid bin with a heater and powerhead.  The water test for this show:

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 0

PH: 8.2

Im assuming Im safe to add it to my tank or should i wait until my PH/ ALK/ CA levels are more stable?

OK thanks, Im thinking about putting half the LR in and the other half next week.  What do you think about my ALK/CA levels?

Anyone else?

Yes like i said:

"I also have about 25 lbs of LR which has been curing in a rubbermaid bin with a heater and powerhead.  The water test for this show:

Ammonia: 0

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 0

PH: 8.2

Im assuming Im safe to add it to my tank or should i wait until my PH/ ALK/ CA levels are more stable?"

The other question I had is whether I should siphon the sandbed.  I do not have a DSB.  My sand bed is only about 1" deep.  The LFS told me I needed to clean the sand since I have triggers and cant keep a clean up crew.  I have heard mixed things.  Will siphoning the SB release toxins? or is it good to get the waste out of the sand?  

anyone?

Yes, I put some smaller snails and hermits in there which didnt last long... they got eaten.  Then it tried put 6 large Turbo which have survived the past month.  I also have a sponge crab who does NOT get picked on but he doesnt do much cleaning.  Should i add more Turbos? 

I dont think a star, goby, or blenny would make it right?

Also, I have had trouble keeping my PH level up. 

My PH has stayed aroung 8.0, but today I tested anf it was around 7.6

ok 

My ALK is 8.5 dkh and CA is 500

I heard that if you dont have any windows open in the house it could affect the PH is this true?

I should have plenty surface agitaion.  I have 3 powerheads including an Aqueon 990 pointed at the surface. My Pengiun Biowheel should add surface agitation and the output from my Rena xp3 canister filter is pointed toward the surface.  I think dont think it is the surface agitation, but would adding an air pump help? I do not currently have an air pump.  I had one and it just caused salt creep and air to get into my filter.  

Any other ideas? Should i add an air pump? 

Also I have a full hood on my tank, so there is really isnt much open area for fresh air, can this be the problem?