I hate my tank!

[Myka]

You already have some great advice here. Did your LFS test your water for calcium? Did they get the same results? What brand of salt are you using? Are you using any additives at all? You aren't using Purple Up are you? I would also suggest upping your flow to 15-20x turnover. What types of corals are you wanting to keep? Both softies and LPS corals will do well with that type of turnover. Your low turnover combined with using tap water (+1 for getting an RO/DI and a TDS meter) are likely your biggest issues, not the high salinity. The high salinity would be contributing to the high calcium reading. Oh, and for the record, you can continue to use your hydrometer, just remember that your particular hydrometer is out by 0.007, so aim for 1.019 on your hydrometer, and that should put your sg at 1.026. you can always double check by taking some water to your LFS again.

Check out the guides in my signature, I think you would find a lot of the information in them very helpful.

[randallino]

May I be frank:
Priority 1 is your water source. I lived in Calgary I know what the water is like it's hard amongst other things. Don't think about it, buy it ....a good RO/DI filter.Po4 shouldn't be an issue with a new system unless you're using live rock from an older system and the water supply.
I hope this helps patience is the key ingredient
FYI
http://www.calgary.ca/docgallery/bu/...ity_report.pdf

[jslaney]

Message received loud and clear. Stop using Tap Water and Get a RO/DI.

Hi Myka,

I will give you the results to my calcium values when next I go into my LFS. I had to leave but he said he would test it straight away. I am not using any additives, but let me double check that measurement before we go into it further. So purple up is snake oil eh? I kinda figured.

I was planning on trying to do that with my hydrometer but its nice to hear you confirm it. I will definitely double check it regardless.

Lastly, thanks so much for putting up those stickies and the Library. I have read them all.

I have just got a lid for my tank so Hopefully I wont have to do as many water changes and it will therefore make lugging RODI water around a little more manageable. This will work until the summer when it will likely be too hot to use.

Please don’t anyone feel afraid to be frank or blunt. If someone had been from the start then maybe I would have budgeted for a RO/DI unit sooner.

Thanks again guys, I will keep you posted.

Jon.

[Snaz]

Jon it sounds like your well on your way to having a great reef. Read as much as you can.

Buying a lid to reduce water changes is not quite accurate. The lid will help reduce evaporation which in turn will reduce the amount of freshwater top ups certainly but you will always have to do regular 10% weekly water changes to replenish the trace elements that your corals and general reef function consume.

First rule of reefing. Patience. Learn that rule and the rest is gravy. Welcome to Canreef!

[Johnny Reefer]

Originally Posted by jslaney

... This will work until the summer when it will likely be too hot to use. ....

As Snaz said, + ....too hot to use what? RO/DI water? If you're looking for shortcuts (in leiu of saying excuses) you might want to rethink the whole thing. The hobby is time consuming.

Good luck and cheers,

[gbeef]

Yeah id say tap water is your problem cyno will stay if there is too much nutrients in your tank. If you have a sand bed, Photophate has probly soaked into the sand and rock. It will take a coupe months for it to clear up. Using consititant RO-DI water changes.

-you need to manage your cal and alk level for coraline to grow.
-Snails you need to slow drip accumlated them.

-POD's really only reproduce if you have a fuge. I wouldnt worry too much about this because once you add fish there toast anyways.

[Snaz]

Originally Posted by gbeef

-you need to manage your cal and alk level for coraline to grow.

I don't agree with this. If your adding 10% new water every week the tank will have plenty of goodies for coraline. I use Instant Ocean and I am good about my water changes and my tank is a coraline factory.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by gbeef

-you need to manage your cal and alk level for coraline to grow.

Doing waterchange essentially is managing your calcium and alkalinity levels provided your waterchange water is sufficiently balanced which may mean dosing your waterchange water to make up for what your salt is lacking.

Originally Posted by jslaney

Message received loud and clear. Stop using Tap Water and Get a RO/DI.

Hi Myka,

I will give you the results to my calcium values when next I go into my LFS. I had to leave but he said he would test it straight away. I am not using any additives, but let me double check that measurement before we go into it further. So purple up is snake oil eh? I kinda figured.

I was planning on trying to do that with my hydrometer but its nice to hear you confirm it. I will definitely double check it regardless.

Lastly, thanks so much for putting up those stickies and the Library. I have read them all.

I have just got a lid for my tank so Hopefully I wont have to do as many water changes and it will therefore make lugging RODI water around a little more manageable. This will work until the summer when it will likely be too hot to use.

Please don’t anyone feel afraid to be frank or blunt. If someone had been from the start then maybe I would have budgeted for a RO/DI unit sooner.

Thanks again guys, I will keep you posted.

Jon.

You are very welcome, I am glad you read all the Guides. That should have given you a bunch of useful information. The lid will only prevent some evaporation, but it won't lower the number of waterchanges you will need to do. You are right though, it will likely get too hot to use the lid in summer. Purple Up is definately snake oil imo. Looks like you're headed in the right direction now!