Quick - Important water reqmts.

saltfin

saltfin

Member
I'm going to check shortly on what my water chemistry actually is reading. I need to know acceptable readings Please. I'm FOWLR but starting to add softies and thats it for now: 206 Watts PC over 75g. Using Culligan RO/DI water
PHALK
Phospates
Calcium
Nitrites
Nitrates
Ammonia
TDS
Floride
What else ??
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member

Originally posted by saltfin
I'm going to check shortly on what my water chemistry actually is reading. I need to know acceptable readings Please. I'm FOWLR but starting to add softies and thats it for now: 206 Watts PC over 75g. Using Culligan RO/DI water
PHALK
Phospates
Calcium
Nitrites
Nitrates
Ammonia
TDS
Floride
What else ??
From what i hear:
PH 8.2-8.4 (right before lights out)
ALK 300-400 ppm calcium carbonate (many different measures mine is something like 3-4 meg/l)
Phospates 0.0
Calcium 400-450ppm or so (above 350)
Nitrites 0.0
Nitrates 0.0 (or as close to 0.0 as possible).
Ammonia 0.0
TDS n/a more of a freshwater measure from what i hear)
Floride unknown
calcium is difficult to maintain if you have a calcium consumption in the system. ph lowering is an indication of carbon dioxide not being removed from the system. nitrItes and ammonia are extremly easy to maintain at 0.0. nitrAtes can be very difficult to get to 0.0 and can be non zero values with fish surviving at relatively high values like 80ppm or higher.
Now the experts can answer :D
 
daisy

daisy

Member
Don't be so self-depreciating, Bob! I happen to think highly of your opinion, even when I don't agree with it.
In general, when you buy the test kits for all these parameters(though I've never seen a test kit for fluoride), the materials in the kit will tell you what the acceptable levels are, and some also troubleshoot how to get the numbers where you need them to be.
Good luck!
 
saltfin

saltfin

Member
Thanks Kip and daisy. I value all opinions - pokem in the brain storage barrel - shake it around and pull the avg. of what I believe.
I learn by experience as well:D Great Board:yes:
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Keep in mind that many levels depend on what works best for you. In general these are the values I try to maintain:
PH - Average between 8.1 & 8.4. You should measure a few times during the day and once at night.
ALK & Calcium should be balanced IMO I maintain 420ppm Calcium & 3.0 Meq/L ALK (150ppm carbonate).
Ammonia & Nitrite need to be zero!
Nitrate - I maintain 0.0 but IMO anything less than 10ppm is OK.
TDS of your fresh water should be close to 0, TDS of your tank water should be around 1000.
Floride should be zero
 
cincyreefer

cincyreefer

Active Member
How are you measuring fluoride? The only way I know for most people to test is to use the SPADNS method with the help of a spectrophotometer.
 
saltfin

saltfin

Member
cincyreefer:
I probably really shouldn't have even mentioned Floride since I use RO/DI I'm sure it doesn't come in there - I'm just trying to get me a check list together prior to ripping my tank apart tomorrow removing UGF and CC to go to aragonite and remodel. Starting softies. Gotta love this stuff
 
cincyreefer

cincyreefer

Active Member
Fluoride isn't necessarily bad to have, just too much of it. Just like everything else in a tank.
According to Craig Bingman
"It is possible that the rate of fluoride loss is simply proportional to the concentration of fluoride in the system. It also may be related to the calcification rates in the tanks, as it is known that reef carbonates contain substantial concentrations of fluoride."
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Craig is the man to listen to but Floride, IMO, should be treated like Ammonia. It's constantly added in trace amounts through food, salt, water, etc, but it's normally immediately sequestered. If you have free Floride in the water then there's an overabundance and IMO that's a bad thing.
 
cincyreefer

cincyreefer

Active Member
I agree with Bang guy about fluoride being sequestered... I kinda think that is why it may be important. But I have no real scientific proof to back it up, and many people have kept extrememly successful reef tanks without worrying about fluoride so there isn't a reason why you should worry about it until more is known.
 
saltfin

saltfin

Member
Crazzy lfs
PH=8.2
Ammonia=0
Nitrite=0
NitrAte=0
I knew that I guess I thought I'd get all the info. Gotta buy the Kits. Ugggg.
 
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