Advice On My Water Stats Please

[bronzecat]

Hi

My 40g has been running about a week now (with LR). Here are my stats from an hour ago, are they looking ok?

Temp = 26
SG = 1.025
Ammonia = 0
NitrIte = 0
NitrAte = >5
Ph = 8.1
Phosphate = 0.03ppm
Hardness = 8.1
Calcium = 420ppm
Mag = 1280

Thanks for looking

 

[SkiFletch]

What're you tryin to be perfect from the start?

 

[ben1987]

Lol^ they are pretty good. You could do a water change, see how you go and add some CUC there

 

[bronzecat]

Cheers guys

Yep, water change planned for today. Got Ro mixing/heating. Maybe the Mag needs to raise a bit more, but it has raised slightly after it dropped off when adding the LR.

Getting a fair algae growth starting so would like to get CUC in soon.

I'd like True Peppermint shrimps to keep try and keep the Aiptasia at bay (removed a few growths already) What numbers would you recommend? Can I put different types of shrimp with Peppermints?

Also, i have my concerns over what type of Hermits to get. What would make the best reef inhabitants?

Thanks

 

[rabbut]

All bar the Alk (Hardness) reading and Phosphate and Nitrate are on the natural values (give or take 5ppm on the Mg that is likely down to kit accuracy...). All levels are fine for a tank though If you are keeping hard corals, you may want to up the Mg and possibly Alk, but you should be OK letting it be Phosphate and Nitrate is 0 and Alk 7ish in seawater, but most hard coral reefers keep Alk at about 10-11 and phosphate and nitrate as close to zero as possible. I would consider replacing/adding phosphate remover though, as that one is getting to the edge where it caurses issues with problem algea

Peppermint Shrimp solved my Aptasia problem in 48 hours. They are very peacefull and mix fine with other shrimp. Most hermit crabs are reef-safe bar one exception. Blue legs have a habbit of fighting with other hermits and killing snails for shells though, so Scarlet/red leg hermits, and most of the more fancy types, are probibly a better choice

HTH
Rabbut

 

[bronzecat]

Hi Rabbut

The Phosphate was reading 0.5, which was bad Started to run a Phosphate remover and within 24hrs it had brought it down to 0.03 The NiitrAtes have also reduced from 10 to less than 5 (somewhere around 2) during the same period of time. Will replace the remover every 4 days.

I am still slowly but surely increasing the Mg. Would like it around 1350. As the Mg has been increasing, I have noticed a very small increase in Alk too. Only from 7.7 to 8.1. Would like the Alk a bit higher, like you said, so as i have a bit of a buffer there.

So far the Marysis filter system is doing its job The built in protein skimmer is skimmer lots of gunk into the collection cup

Have added 2 Peppermint shrimps, 3 enormous Turbos (gotta be 2" wide), 2 Red Legged hermits and because I hadn't seen Rabbuts reply before I visited Lfs, 2 Blue Legged Hermits. I will keep my eye on them though. Have also added lots of empty shells for the crabs.

The Peppermints are ace Already, one has completely removed a small Aiptasia and another has dragged a Bristleworm out of a rock and ate it!

Now, the guy at the lfs said I could add some corals now. The lfs is a very good one (very highly ranked in the UK) and they have been helping me a lot. He said that corals such as Zoas and Leathers are very hardy and are suitable for new aquariums.

What do you guys think? Are Zoas and Leathers suitable for a new Aquairium?

Thanks for your help

 

[rabbut]

Zoas more so, but yes, both good starters, allong with mushrooms and Xenia

With lots of shells I would hope the crabs will be OK. With limited alternatives, they must look elsewhere to "upgrade" shells, so providing plenty of options reduces the risk of trouble

All the best
Rabbut