What Do These Results Tell You?

[stanleo]

Yes I know. ANOTHER question from this guy about his SW tank.
 
I just did a test on it and these are the results. Used API kits for all tests
 
Ammonia         0ppm
Nitrite               0ppm
Nitrate             10ppm
pH                   8.3
KH                   9dKH
Phosphates     0.25ppm
Calcium           540ppm
SP                   1.025 with a hydrometer
 
What do these results tell you about my tank?
 
If you would like more info on the tank it is all right here http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/417904-my-new-saltwater-tank/
 
Thank you much.
 

 

[stanleo]

The reason I ask is that my Big leather coral hasn't opened for 3 weeks. It shrinks at night and gets bigger in the day and perkier looking but he doesn't extend the feeding filaments (if that's the right terminology). The little one opens up fine. I am home a lot these days so I know I haven't just missed it.
 
What's going on with him?

 

[GAB99]

Take this with a grain of salt but in my opinion the calcium can be higher, kh is on the low end I woukd aim for 12, and the ph try and aim for 8.4.


that being said I think the problem with your leather is nothing, they do have dormant periods and they usually end up shedding (or something along those lines) and come back bigger and better

 

[Crazy fishes]

Those parameters are perfect the Kh is fine as calcium and pH are also spot on. I have run most of my tanks with Kh of 8-10 and frequently can frag both my hammer and frogspawn. I would use a refractometer though as hydrometers have a horrible problem with inaccuracy which gets worse with time. When I started out I used a hydrometer and found that my SG was actually 1.036 when the hydrometer was reading 1.024. If you use a refractometer temperature is not so much an issue either. 
 
Kindest regards and hope this helps
 
Joe

sorry I did just realise that the phosphate is high but can be reduced with serial water changes. Is the leather in strong flow and is it shedding (mucin layer) ?? 
 
Regards

 

[stanleo]

I would say its a medium flow. In the pic at the bottom of this thread there is a powerhead on the right side of the tank, one in the middle lower part of the tank and the outflow tube for the external filter is above the leather and to the left. it has not shed a mucus layer. When my power was out for a day, it did open some and get really tall and fold in so I think it is okay but I am not sure. Since the power came back on it went back to its state of not opening but growing and shrinking with the light periods.
 
I have now added a small airstone with an airpump that is rated for a 20gl tank just to see what the difference would be. The bubbles do get to the coral a little but not much. The fish seemed to really respond to the airstone, they are much more active and feed more eagerly and the clown doesn't hide as much in the top corner now. Now he swims through most of the tank.
 
Thanks for your responses guys. I will look into the refractometer. Been thinking about replacing the other anyway. The needle sometimes gets stuck.