water testing

[gamepoint]

I just moved this tank in and have some water questions. First off, here are the tests I did:
NO2 - 0
NH3 - 0
ph - 8.5ish
no3 - 20 did a 10gal water change and brought this down from 30
kH - 19drops off my chart I think around 330ppm
CA2 - 320

I am using Instant Ocean salt
What is an acceptable range for NO3?
kH seems really high, why and what will this do
I would like to raise the CA2 and picked up some Kalk how do you dose this

Thanks for the Help

[skeety]

I'm a little confused. So I hope you don't mind if we take a step back.

What brand test kits are you using?

I'm asking cause I've never really seen Alk given in ppm. It's usually in meq/L or in dKh.

And I'm not sure what CA2 is.

Also, what critters are you trying to keep? The best answer on acceptable NO3 is...as low as you can get it. Anything under 20ppm is tolerable to most critters. But the you can still run into algae problems if you stay too close to 20 ppm. 0ppm is ideal...and what you should be aiming for though.

[ckusnierek]

Sounds like a API test. I had about the same readings...
How old is the tank? Has it cycled? Did you use tap water or RO/DI?

When I first set up mine I (not knowing any better) used tap water.
my Alk (Dkh) was 19 and Ca was under 300. It took about 4 week for the Alk to come down to 9-10 and about the same to bring the ca up above 350 (by adding 5ml every other day)

Lets hear some history on the tank.
size, filtration, live rock, lighting...

Amonia, nitrites and Nitrates should be 0 Ph 8.2-8.4 Alk 7-12 Ca 350-450
I think nitrates can go as high as 15-20 without problems.

Sounds like this is a new set up and tap water was used?

Invest in a RO/DI (under $150) you'll neest it for topping off for evaporation.

also look into better tests if you have the API they can be bad to read and inaccurate.

Most importantly.. If this is a new tank leave it alone for a month no water changes and add some live rock (if you don't have any)

[skeety]

Good post Chris!

Ditto!

[gamepoint]

The tank is a 120 with three 175watt mg and two 120watt pc lights I have a couple inches of live sand and about 225lb live rock, cpr hange on refugium, and a remora skimmer. I set the tank up a week and a half ago, but I bought it from someone that has had it running for the last two years, so I was expecting some cycling but don't want to just let things go. I used about 50gal of tap when I put in the tank since I didn't have enough water made.
Should I do a large water change or just let this go have some time to stablize?
When using RO water is my IO salt all I need to add?
Someone had written to me that Kalk is for maintaining a tanks ca and Alk, but not to raise it. My ca is low, so what should I do about that?

[ckusnierek]

IMO...
I would let the tank sit for a few weeks. just top off for evaporation. 10% water change after cycle.

After 2-3- weeks add calcium if it's still low

Never add anything you can't test for.

BE PATIENT.. If you put anything in there too soon it will die!

I don't drip kalk. I thin kits more for a heavily stocked SPS tank Just let it cycle You should be seeing a heavy brown alge (diatom) building up...DONT CLEAN IT OFF.. in a small area clean it every few days untill it stops growing them your cycle is complete. do a water change clean diatom (siphon) and add a clean up crew.