My First SW Tank

Here are some pictures of the Red Sea Max 250 I set up on 12/7. The spaghetti worm survived the initial set up after all. I also appear to have some type of living coral on one of the live rocks that I didn't even know was alive. I will add more pictures once I start adding to the tank. I have a quick question though. My Ca is a little high and my alkalinity is low. I used RO/DI water and RSM Coral Pro salt and I have added no supplements. The tank came with a pH buffer that claims to increase alkalinity to stabilize the pH. Should I add this to bring up my alkalinity and will that lower the Ca level? Here are my parameters:

Temp: 79
pH: 8.4
sg: 1.025
Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Ca: 550
Mg: 1280
Alk: 1.6
Phosphate: No test kit yet

Thanks,
Jim

 

Forgot to click upload.

 

You may have to add some supplemental magnesium and that will stablize your alk and calcium. Some salt mixes have lower levels of magnesium and supplementation is required.

It is not critical right now to get those values optimal, but I would start with some magnesium, you want to be around 1450 ppm.

 

My First SW Tank - Updated after 4+ months

I thought I should probably put up a few pics of the tank since I haven't updated it since the first few days. It's still a work in progress but all my fish are happy and healthy. I've battled bryopsis, GHA, diatoms, cyano and a blenny who eats coral, but I am enjoying the challenge. I no longer have the first four and the blenny is going back to the LFS tomorrow. If anyone can identify the brownish coral with the bubble algae on it, I would appreciate it. It was nothing but a skeleton on my live rock when I set up the tank but it seems to be doing well now. And I have removed the bubble algae now. I didn't see it until after I took the picture.

 

Looking good, congrats on overcoming your problems.

 

that tanks a 60 gallon, right?

 

65 gallon i think!

 

ok good i was getting it mixed up with the 34 gallon red sea max and was about to lecture you about the tang! haha false alarm. its good for quite a while.

 

The second pic look like it could be a Phyllangia species. They are known as hidden cup corals.

 

Quite a while....i think he'll be fine forever...people need to get over themselves with tangs needing HUGE tanks...I know they have affects on water chemistry, but most people don't have room for 120g ...and most people do end up getting tangs in 40-50 gallon tanks.. I know 30 gallons are too small but I'm just saying that too many people focus on a " TANG BEING IN AN 35 g" " omg u need to get that out!!!!now!!!" in my opinion I think a kole tang could be just fine in an 34g if it was just by itself