water parameters and questions

[excal]

water parameters

Salinity 1.025
temp 87f
ph 8.3
phosphate 1.0 mg/l
nitrate 15 mg/l
calcium 525 ppm
alkalinity 3 meg/l or 8.4 dkh
magnesium 1400 ppm

in been waiting for my tank to cycle for a good while now and i know i should wait it out and not rush any thing. im using kent reef salt mix.Phosphate levels are high and nitrate as well. calcium levels may be a little high but once things take off and i put corals in the tank it will drop. i have not been running a skimmer and don't have any fish in the tank. when is a good time for a water change and skimming. i have a small diatom bloom going on right now. when is it safe to add fish?

[allan]

I'm assuming that your nitrites and ammonia have come up zero since your nitrates are climbing.

How long have you had this set up?

You can have nitrates and still have ammonia and nitrites if you recently added uncured rock. So I'd be a bit worried adding anything until those two read zero.

If they are zero your ready to start the water changes.

Here's the kicker. and please don't disregard the next comment.

Your water temp is too high! You what to be in the area of 78-82. I start worrying at 82.

Do you have a sump? You can lower water temp by using a home depot fan over the surface of the water to lower water temp through evaporation. You will have to top off due to the water evaporation.

What kind of lights are you running? How is your set up.... Set up? How big is your tank?

[excal]

oh im sorry put the temp in wrong i ment to put 78F

[excal]

tank has been going for two month added live rock three to four weeks ago.

[excal]

i dont have a sump using a red sea max 34. with 3 hids two 10k at 55 watts and one 8k at 35 watt. temp stay at 78 to 80 with lights running at 8 hrs. when i run the t5s water temp gets real hot. so just running the hids now. the system is a closed unit.

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?65446-Red-Sea-Max-34-Gallon

[allan]

Whew, 78 is much better than 87. :)

Where are your nitrites and ammonia?

The diatoms are a natural cycling event of your tank. Think you are ready dude.

Btw, nice, really nice, looking tank.

[excal]

thanks allan i do another test weds and sunday.