Skipped last weekends 50% water change because my nitrates and phosphates bottomed out after adding a fleece roller, feeding less, removing a clownfish, and adding a bag of copepods
My nitrates and phosphates are still bottomed out.
Over the week, I've done the following since I last posted the issue.
- Skipped Water Change
- Slightly increased feedings
- Lowered Speed of Fleece roller
- Reintroduced Clownfish from QT
- Stopped cleaning rear wall algae
I also tested Calcium and Magnesium, and those have dropped to critically low levels which I assume is due to skipping the water change. Ammonia and Nitrite 0.
Should I go ahead with my normal 50% water change to at least bring the calcium and magnesium back up a bit?
Hi. I have an issue with high calcium in my nano tank. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations on how to reduce it? Or should I just leave it alone?
How much score do u guys give for my reef tank in a 100 score?
Equipment:
BOYU WG-310 (impeller modified for better airflow) (protein skimmer)
Aquael FZN PRO 700
Yee submersible pump (1000L/H) (used as wave maker)
18w reef light + 5.2w yikeda reef light
Some random desk fan modified as cooler
2in1 thermometer+salinity meter
Fish and coral inside:
Favia
Mushroom
Damselfish
Ocellaris clownfish ×2
Thickness of the sand
1~5cm
Salt used: Vastocean basic ocean sea salt
Salt parameter:
CA~ 400-450MG/L
MG~ 1250-1350MG/L
KH~ 7-9 d°KH
(The rest.. Idk)
Little high on calcium but I think the Hanna is off some
The atoll grows. Had an eel escape to the sump and stir up the mulm. Been vacuuming the sump over two weeks. Finally caught the eel. The escape took my levels from 20 no3 and .2 po4 to 50 no3 and 1-.5 po4. Mag dropped to 1100. Had to dose 1800 ml mag to bring it back to 1365. Phosguard to reduce po4 from there to .50-.25. Added white vinegar to kalk for bacteria and take no3 to covert it into more of a meal for coral and clams. Somehow the cal dropped from 420 to 390 over night after the phosguard kicked in. Likely coralline growth but clams and sps could also be culprits as po4 inhibition levels are reduced. Making a batch of calcium chloride to dose over 2 days and bring it back up. Only use chemistry and nature here.
Hi there, let me introduce myself to this new world I'm entering.
This is my first saltwater tank that someone I know started on May 15, 2025, but unfortunately, he has no time to continue with the hobby, so he searched for someone who wanted to take over, and I did! I know it isn't easy if you're new to this world, but I did a lot of research to start well.
For now, I'm testing daily, and we had some issues with transporting the water. There was one Jerrycan with a leak, so I had to make some new water. But now my calcium and magnesium are a little bit high.
Anyone have some tips to maintain calcium? I’m having some trouble with it averaging between 399 and 540…other levels have been good. I was dosing weekly Nano part A and B, but quit to kind of monitor things and didn’t see much of a change. I’m great with my water changes, do 15-20% every weekend.
Over the last month and a half I have lowered my phosphates from .78ppm to .28ppm
These are my parameters. Corals are doing overall better now that I lowered phosphates, but I’m struggling to keep calcium lower, and nitrates maybe just a little higher. Any recommendations?
I’ve been doing about 12-14% water changes weekly. Should I hold back and not do a water change???
8-4-25
Salinity: 1.026/ 35.3
Ph: 8.13
Magnesium: 1410 ppm
Calcium Hanna: 525
Nitrate: 2.3 ppm
Phosphate: .28 ppm
Alkalinity: 9.5
Skipped last weekends 50% water change because my nitrates and phosphates bottomed out after adding a fleece roller, feeding less, removing a clownfish, and adding a bag of copepods
My nitrates and phosphates are still bottomed out.
Over the week, I've done the following since I last posted the issue.
- Skipped Water Change
- Slightly increased feedings
- Lowered Speed of Fleece roller
- Reintroduced Clownfish from QT
- Stopped cleaning rear wall algae
I also tested Calcium and Magnesium, and those have dropped to critically low levels which I assume is due to skipping the water change. Ammonia and Nitrite 0.
Should I go ahead with my normal 50% water change to at least bring the calcium and magnesium back up a bit?
I'm setting a goal to stay consistent with weekly testing and dialing in my dosing routine. After stepping away from the hobby for a while, my tank suffered—losing everything to an anemone disaster. But now, I’m fully committed to keeping everything on point.
This week, I’m focusing on calcium, testing regularly, and fine-tuning my dosing. Next week, I’ll start dosing Seachem Trace Elements and Reef Plus, following some great advice from TRS Aquatics. I've seen firsthand how well Seachem’s elements work, especially on SPS and LPS. Time to build the best reef possible! Go check them out I'm not sponsored just sharing the love!
Some questions I came up with last night taking notes and doing research.
-How do I raise my pH, phosphates, calcium and alkalinity?
-Best affordable test kit for magnesium and potassium?
Suggestions welcomed 😊
Would someone be able to to give me some perameter advice? I am still waiting on my Hanna testers for calcium, nitrate and phosphate. I did use my new Salifert magnesium, PH and alkalinity tests, so I'm fairly sure they're accurate. I used API for nitrate and phosphate (I don't think it's at all accurate).
I have a 75 gallon reef tank with fish, inverts, a BTA, and zoas. I'm trying to get my levels stabilized and within the normal range. I did two large water changes last week that definitely helped, but stressed my tank out. I'm frustrated.