I Hate Chemistry lol

[lastlight]

Try doing some big water changes with some reef crystals. pitifully low in mg and pretty high in alk so it'd go a LONG ways towards getting you there.

[Abe]

- LOL I know what you mean but where can I find them in Edmonton, I looked at different LFS but no one has them. Can you direct me to a store or Online store that carry them. Thanks.

- That is the salt I use, I usualy do 10-15% water change every week.

[fishytime]

yes there is http://www.redcoralaquarium.net/onli...ampaign=banner

[BlueTang<3]

Originally Posted by Abe

- LOL I know what you mean but where can I find them in Edmonton, I looked at different LFS but no one has them. Can you direct me to a store or Online store that carry them. Thanks.

- That is the salt I use, I usualy do 10-15% water change every week.

I take it your talking test kits here. Marine aquaria stocks every elos test kit made.

[PoonTang]

First of all I have to ask, how did your mag get that high in the first place? If you are dosing it then stop, your mag will come down naturally and with your waterchanges. If your not dosing then I would suspect your test kit as you won't get Mag levels that high on water changes alone.

[Abe]

okay, so I took a sample of my water to a LFS and here are the results using ELOS test kits:

PH 8.1
ALK 9.0
mag 1200 I could bump it up a bit
calcium 510 yes a bit high
but the main problem lies on the phosphate which I never use to test before it was at 1.0 yes I am not wrong it is at 1.0 so I bought an ELOS phosphate test kit and some GFO which I added under the drain line in the sump.

I have been testing it everyday since and it dropped a bit but still around 0.9 and 1.0 not a big change. I also bought new salt that I am going to use for my next water change. I am going to go from crystal reef to H2O.

I tested my RO water and my new mixed water with crestal reef and it shows almost zero for phosphate.

I was reading online that I might have to change the DSB and cook my rocks, in wich it will be hard to do right now as I will be deploying soon. so I need some guidance please, what shoud I do to lower my phosphate until I come back from my deployment. should I buy a phosban reactor and keep the GFO in it or should I buy a better skimmer as I have now a HOB Aqua C. or do you suggest some other alternative.thank you.

[Abe]

bump

[BlueTang<3]

We need more info. What do u feed and how often? What fish do you have? How old is your system? What are ur matience procedures? Do u have a sump ?

[Abe]

My system is been up for about 2.5 years, I do 10-15% water change every week with RO water. I have a 30G sump for a 65G tank, my sump has in the first chamber is GFO over filter socks and some ceramic pieces for bactirea, the second chamber has some live rock and cheatoes and carbon ( I am going to go from bulk to a better quality carbon like chemi-pure, as I read on another post that cheap carbon might place phosphate in the tank), the third chamber some live sand. then back into the return pump. All the fish I have listed on my sig. I used to feed frozen mysis twice a day not big amounts tho, but yesterday I went and got fresh shrimp, scallop, clam and squid and blend them with some Kent garlic. I am going to try that. I am thinking if I go with in-sump skimmer I will remove the live rock because i have about 80lbs in the tank and I will place the skimmer in that chamber.

[BlueTang<3]

Well depends on the size of the tangs they could be a big source. I would say i would try to find some bulk rox carbon. How much debris is on the bottom of the rock compartment. I may have missed it but what is you n03 reading. Usually phosphate and n03 go hand in hand. Personally i would remove the ceramic pieces. How much cheato do you have. Do you have a light over it? Has it been thriving or dying off. Hw often are you changing your filter socks? As for feeding a lot of phosphates are introduced from food its a good practice to rinse the food well before unthawing/ feeding. Did they use a chlorometer to check your phosphates or a kit. I don't know if 1 is a huge issue. My friends tank is 1.35 and he has a beautiful tank.