please help me.

[fishstick4sale]

can someone give me a complete breakdown of ideal test results for a reef tank. like...
ph 8.3
temp 78-80
ammonia 0
nitrates 0
nitrite 0
calcium 450-500
etc..
alk ?
and what r the others...

 

[flower]

According to the back of the test kit, and instruction booklet that came with the master test kit:
Ideal:
Alk. 180-200
PH 8.4
Nitrates under 20
Nitrites 0
Ammonia no higher than 0.25
Calcium 400-450
PO4 (phosphates) 0-1.0, anything over 1.0 shows lack of maintenance.
Temp: ideal is 82 (78 will slow things down so there is time to correct things before they get out of hand...Algae, disease, etc.) This info I got from a beginners aquarium book.
SG: ocean is 1.026
People opt to go just under this number so when salinity gets concentrated by water evaporation, the level won't go beyond 1.026 before topping off.
Hope this helps

 

[tank a holic]

Originally Posted by fishstick4sale
http:///forum/post/2980782
can someone give me a complete breakdown of ideal test results for a reef tank. like...
ph 8.3 - 8.4
temp 78-80 78
ammonia 0 0
nitrates 0 less than 25
nitrite 0 0
calcium 450-500 460
etc..
alk ? dkh = 10 kh = 179
the alk numbers are +/- don't have to be exact but close as you can
and what r the others...
Phosphates = 0
salinity = 1.023 - 1.025

 

[jackri]

Shouldn't be any ammonia after cycling and nitrates as close to 0 as possible in a reef.
alk gets measured a few ways like dkH 8-12 is a good range.
In a reef you d not want 20ppm Nitrates
Ok.. ranges IMO:
ph 8.1-8.5 (The more constant the better which constant is better than right on and flucuating).
temp 76-82 Constant as well
ammonia 0
nitrates 0 - 10 (close to 0 as possible)
nitrite 0
Phosphates - 0
calcium 380-450
salinity 1.022-1.026
alk 8-12 mearsured in dkH
TDS of topoff water of 10ppm or less (ideally 0)

 

[lion_crazz]

Proper water levels (copy and pasted from my 101 tips thread):
pH - 8.2
ammonia/nitrite - always 0
nitrate - under 20-30 for fish only, 10 and under for a reef. Preferably, if possible, 0.
kH - 8-12 dkH, 143-214 ppm, 2.86 - 4.29 meq/l
calcium - 400-460 ppm
magnesium - 1200-1280
salinity 34-36 ppt (refractometer)
specific gravity - 1.025-1.026 (hydrometer)
temperature - 76-82 (stability is more important here)