Tank parameters / Newb

[rockbender]

I have tanks before but they were always fish tank very little coral mostly mushrooms and a few hammers.

NOw I've got a different tank with Zoas, Paly's Star polyps and Branching hammer. I want to keep them healthy and hopefull spread. I've only got 1 small angel in the tank. I allowed the tank to cycle for 3 weeks for putti9ng anything in it. Rocks were completely dried out.

THis is a small 45 G Hexagon tank with no OVerflow box. (looking for a different one)
Equipment I have on it:
Red sea hang on skimmer
Fluval 405
2 VIper 150 Watt lights, 1-10K bulb and 1-14K bulb

It gets a 5 gallon water change every week.
I feed 1 small cube of misis shrimp everyother day (Paly's Grab and eat alot of if this)
approximately 5ml Zooplanktos from brightwell aquatics every other feeding
Approximately 5 ml of Liquid reef every other feeding also.
Am I overdoing it??????

These are my tanks parameter (only test I had)
Magnesium 1200 ppm
Calcium 450 ppm
Phosphate btw .50-1.00
Salinity is 1.021

WHat do I need to adjust and how?
WHich other test should I buy?

ANy suggestions from the pro's would be appreciated.

Thanks
Mario.

 

[djrice69]

Whats your ALK at?

 

[rockbender]

Well I guess I have to go but that test today. I don't have that one. BUt will go get it today. as soon as Vivid Aquarium opens.

 

[djrice69]

raise up ur salinity just a tad corals like higher salinity, also you mention you had an angel in your tank? 0_o wat kind?

 

[rockbender]

It's a lemon peel angel. Really bright BLuish purple around the whole edge of his body and eyes. + he was 10.00 even better he is super bright.

 

[jason142]

Definitely get an alk test kit, bring your mag up to around 1300. Watch your angel, he might start nipping at your hammer.

 

[reef_doug]

I would first raise your salinity to 1.026. Then measure the other paramaters since it will be related.

Definitely need an Alkalinity kit, it's equally important as Calcium followed by Mg for coral calcification/growth. I like Salifert kits myself for these 3 tests.

For adjusting I use Bulk Reef Supply items and follow Randy's Holmes-Farley recipe #1. Use the Jose Dieck's Reef Chemistry calculator for quantities.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html

I shoot for:
1.026 salinity
1400 Mg
420 Ca
8 dkh Alkalinity

 

[rockbender]

doing alk test right now.

 

[rockbender]

wow i know it can't be good.
test kit only goes to 16 KH well doing the math it looks like this
18 KH
7.00 Alk.
DO I need a water change badly.
WHat do I do????????????????????
Everything is open in my tank and my hammers have never been so open??????????:dontknow:

:dontknow::alberteinstein::help::help::help:

 

[jason142]

What test kit are you using?

 

[reef_doug]

Agree, what test kit are you using?

Did you fix the salinity first?

 

[rockbender]

Salifert, I think I have too much light for this small tank all of a sudden I've got brown algae from 1 day to the nxt. DOing water change right now then testing later today.

 

[djrice69]

diatom

 

[rockbender]

diatom?????????

 

[djrice69]

yeh your tank sounds like its cycling

 

[djrice69]

or at least finish cycling so you would get those diatom growth in your tank very normal for a new tank

 

[djrice69]

you get that alk test yet?

 

[JOSE CASAS]

Any updates!

 

[djrice69]

He's probably out looking for his test kit.

 

[JOSE CASAS]

lol!!