What chemicals do I need for a saltwater aquarium?
9 Most Important Reef Tank Aquarium Water Parameters
- Alkalinity.
- Ammonia.
- Calcium.
- Nitrate.
- Nitrite.
- pH.
- Phosphate.
- Salinity.
Why is water chemistry important when keeping a saltwater tank?
To measure and maintained the temperature of your tank you need a good quality thermometer as well as an aquarium heater. Water chemistry is incredibly important to maintaining the health of the fish, invertebrates and plants in your saltwater aquarium. Getting it wrong can have disastrous consequences.
What are the best water parameters for a reef tank?
Proper Water Parameters for Home Aquariums
Parameter | Suggested Level: Reef Aquarium | Average Level: Coral Reefs |
---|---|---|
Temperature | 72 – 78°F | 82°F |
pH | 8.1 – 8.4 | 8.0 – 8.5 |
Alkalinity | 8 – 12 dKH | 6 – 8 dKH |
Ammonia (NH3) | Undetectable | Near Zero |
What should saltwater KH be?
The ideal KH value for a marine aquarium is between 8 & 12 (3 – 5 meq/l). A low KH can be easily be corrected by adding Seachem Reef Carbonate or Reef Builder. More frequent water changes will help, but most synthetic marine salts only yield a KH of around 8.
What should magnesium be in a reef tank?
between 1250 and 1350 ppm
Magnesium levels in a reef aquarium should be between 1250 and 1350 ppm. Since each aquarium is different, it will use magnesium at its own rate. Typically, aquarists keeping fish-only tanks do not have problems with low levels of magnesium, as the major element is used slowly in this type of set-up.
What is the ideal pH for reef tank?
8.0 to 8.4
The accepted pH level in a basic saltwater system is between 7.6 and 8.4, but reef tanks are more sensitive, and therefore need to be kept at the higher end of the pH scale, 8.0 to 8.4.
What does magnesium do in reef tank?
Magnesium helps maintain calcium and alkalinity levels in a reef tank. If levels are too low, calcium will combine with alkalinity to create calcium carbonate in the water column. This creates a “snow” that can stick to pumps, impellers and heaters instead of being used by corals to build their skeletons.
How do I make my alkalinity stable in my reef tank?
The simplest way to keep most systems stable is by using a saturated lime water solution as your top off water. 2 tsp per gallon is enough to keep the solution saturated for several days. The longer you need to keep it around, the more you add.
What will high magnesium do to reef tank?
There is a lot to learn about the magnesium in your tank, but the most important thing is to try and keep your magnesium levels between 1250 and 1350 ppm. Somewhat higher levels do not tend to cause issues, but low magnesium levels could cause coral bleaching and tissue loss, among other things.
How can I raise my magnesium levels?
People wanting to increase their magnesium levels by improving absorption could try:
- reducing or avoiding calcium-rich foods two hours before or after eating magnesium-rich foods.
- avoiding high-dose zinc supplements.
- treating vitamin D deficiency.
- eating raw vegetables instead of cooking them.
- quitting smoking.
Why does pH drop at night?
During the day light hours. your photosynthetic organisms (including coral and algae) use up CO2 through photosynthesis to make oxygen. At night there is no photosynthesis going on, so the CO2 that your fish exhale (respire) builds up. The increased CO2 will lower your pH.
What pH is salt water?
Typical pH of Salt Water The average pH of the oceans near the surface is around 8.1. This means that the oceans are more alkaline than neutral. The pH of anything is usually a delicate balance.