WATER TEST RESULTS

anolan2

anolan2

Member
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?
 
anolan2

anolan2

Member
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?
 
anolan2

anolan2

Member
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?
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
You can siphon without any real ill effects since it's so shallow.
Have you tried any CUC with your triggers?
 
anolan2

anolan2

Member
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?
 
anolan2

anolan2

Member
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?
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Yes, that can effect the pH.
Try getting more surface agitation. Some people add an air pump to their sump in the winter months to help keep the pH up.
 
anolan2

anolan2

Member
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?
 
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