Mr. Saltwater Tank TV Friday AM Quick Tip #10: You’ve Been Fed a Lie
I get asked this all the time and it’s time it gets put to rest. If the video below doesn’t show up, follow this link
Browse the Store! Questions?
I get asked this all the time and it’s time it gets put to rest. If the video below doesn’t show up, follow this link
Browse the Store! Questions?
Thank you for that information! I have been wondering about that myself the last couple of days. I just purchased a RKL with a ph probe and it has been reading between 7.9 and 8.09. I was worried about the ph but now i’m not. Thanks!
Chris…you are welcome. Make sure you keep an eye on how your tank goes with the “low” pH. If everything looks good – awesome! If you see issues, get curious on what’s up. It might not be the pH so don’t jump there first.
Mark, Found your site about a week ago. Do you have a write up on your tank, lights, fish, corals. I’m setting up a 90 gal after my 21 year old 55 split a seam. I’ve always had algae problems but I’ve also had coral problems (too much growth) My two largest corals – not a junkie enough to know their names one had branches the other was a plate – both dies from the lack of water each one was the diameter of a Home Depot 5 gal bucket and about 2 to 3 years old in my tank…
Thanks
Brad
Brad, I don’t have a write up, but these vids should answer your questions. If not, feel free to ask!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vt9VqDzDes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQfjmannefw
Thanks for the tip! My tank is always in the range 7.7-8.0 too!
Your site is looking great!)
Hi Mark
Having just getting started on marines I have to say your videos and write ups have truely been helpful and informative.So a very big thank you and will be a regular visiter on this site from now on!
Regards
John
THANK YOU MARK!!! My tank seems to consistently stay around 7.8 to 8.0 and it was driving me crazy. Everyone would always tell me it was too low but like you haven’t lost anything in my tank in a loooong time. It seems to be thriving.
I’ve never tested a parameter in my tank other than salinity and temperature.
I’ve only had “easy” corals, star polyps, leather, zooanthids. And they grow lioe crazy!
I just wanted to compliment you on your website. Thank you for it. You do a terrific job! My husband & I are big fans. We are beginner reefers and have learned a lot of very helpful information from you.
Thanks April! I’m glad you enjoy the site and I’m glad the site is helping you with your tank
I just want to say ,your videos are very helpful,Thankyou
Thanks so much. I have tank. Cycle is going and little amonia is high. I go pet store. He check water and told me that oh is low it should b 8.3 and mine is 8.he told me to buy buffer. And cleaner crew. Can u tell me whear to buy cleaner crews online or store?thanks
Every tank is different just like the people who own them.
Hi I was wondering if could answer a minor problem for me I have a brand new 265 with dual overflows I’m stuck between sumps I like the trigger ruby elite, custom length because bigger is better as you say, but I also like the MRC high flow 48″ sump not sure if you no the better one, i cant seem to find any reviews on the MRC so if you could help it would be great. money is no option
Joe…check your email!
You made my life easier, 😀
Dailbor…that’s what I like to hear!
Mark: How important is water flow. I have a 120 gallon Corner tank and the supply line used to come out a single nozzel pointed in the middle of the tank. This created a strong flow of water directly in the middle of the tank. I changed it recently to a dual nozzel that now directs and splits the flow to both side of the tank. The flow is a lot milder and no longer creates a strong current in the middleof the tank. I’m using a Quiet One 3000 series pump and have been thinking of changing it to a Quiteone 5000 series pump to get te water current back. I’ve noticed my two Bubletip Rose anemonies have changed color from a bright orangeish/red color to a pink tip and white color. This has also caused extream water condtion changes in my 2-year old tank, higher nitrates and alkalinity. Any thoughts or suggestions ? Was this a case of (the enemy of perfection is Better).
Buddy…I wouldn’t replace the return pump. i’d go for increased in-tank flow instead.
Thank you Mark! You must have esp, or just really good timing. My husband and I are beginner reefers. So far, for every problem we have encountered, I get a clear answer through your tip videos that is sitting in ly inbox. I never have to look far for great advice and guidance!
Thank you Mark! You must have esp, or just really good timing. My husband and I are beginner reefers. So far, for every problem we have encountered, I get a clear answer through your tip videos that is sitting in my inbox. I never have to look far for great advice and guidance!
Thanks, first I like to say that I enjoy watching your shows. I have now a 100 gallon fresh water. I’m moving over to the saltwater tank. So I just get a 500 liters (132 gallons) tank. I’m looking at get LED radion-xr30w,vortech-mp40w, 100lbs of real reef, and about 20 kg of live rock.protein skimmer, and trying to make a sump. Now my thing is I live in Italy I have a US mailbox so I trying to get much as I can from the States. So I need to know will they work over here? Do they have a input of 100-240v. Â Thanks
All ecotech gear can handle inputs up to 240v.
Hey Mark!
Thanks for all the great info! I just bought a 150gl established reef tank. It has coral, and some fish in it already. I haven’t picked it up yet, but will be soon. Hopefully I don’t loose anything in tear down or transport. Any tips for when I do this would be great! The tank also comes with a really nice light that the owner says was $2500 new, its an LED Solaris. Is this a good light? After i get this to the house and rebuild and set back up, is there anything that I should look out for concerning the coral and fish?
Thanks again!
Lol. I was just going to test. My Ph also runs between these parameters.Good to knowand now i wont get all bent out of shape with a 7.8.thx
Hi mark. Im finding you and your web site very handy and I’m learning all the time. Your quick tips are fantastic. 🙂
Thanks from across the pond, Jason.
hi mark have been watching alot of your stuff on utube.has helped alot. new to reef systems and have a couple of questions i have a 29gal. bio-cube do i need a skimmer and if so what size. my plane was to put a tunze 9002 in chamber 2 along with a media rack, or set up a sump. next i think i have cyanobacteria,how do i handle this. thanks so much.
Thank u for ur help. Now i can relax and not worry about my ph. Love ur videos and tips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEP0qWUuFMk
Thanks for all the tips you are sending me, they really help. I have a 55 gallon marine tank for a year and a half now with 4 t5 32 watt lights and 3 t5 32 watt acinic lights. My water temp. Is 79 F and specific gravity of 1, 026. Calcium is 450 ppm ph is 8,4 nitrate is 0 and ammonia is 0 nitrate is 0,1 phosphates is 0,3 magnesium and iodine is normal. Alkaline is normal. All my corals are flourishing and growing by numbers, hard and soft corals except for my 3 different green button polyps that just doesn’t want to open up. They were in excellent condition when I bought them from 3 different shops, I dripped them in for an hour and a half in total darkness every 5 min. They do not have any pests or any tank occupant bothering them. All my star polyps and zoanthids are open and multiplying and for 7 months now that I have these green button polyps they have never opened up but is half open. They also don’t die off. I have moved then several times higher up and in shade and down at the bottom of the tank but still they don’t fully open up. I’ve tried everything possible, maybe you have some advice for me in this regard please. Is there also a way of buying some of your colorful zoanthids in South Africa Pretoria. We do get a lot of species but not those beautiful colors you display on your site. Regards B jorn van Rooyen.
6 minutes ago
Hey Mark….love the videos and tips…tons of great info. I’ve been dabbling, I guess, with fish only salt tanks for approx 12 yrs. I’ve tried several sumps and skimmers over the years but feel I short changed the tank each time. I currently have a 75g with corner flow looking to go to a 125g since the “boys” are growing. My question is can you recommend a skimmer to handle 125 but is still good for the 75. Right now, I’m torn between the Super Reef Octopus XP2000 or the AquaC EV180. Any thoughts? Finally, nitrate reactors…do they work?
Thanks,
HC
Henry…I’d get the Reef Octopus or the SWC 160 Xtreme Cone skimmer.
Forget the nitrate reactor…waste of money if you set your tank up correctly
Great info. Mine is always around 8.0 so this gives me relief. Thanks.
ok my ph is 8.4 how do i lower it? or is it ok there?
but you said in this video that i needed to keep it higher…I enjoy your videos but, not i have spent money on getting a kalkwasser rig set up, and now ur saying below 8.0 is ok.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPiPZlMGzlA
Yes, you are right I found out the hard way. I like what you say that every tank has his own personality. I try to raise my PH level using buffers and I found out that you can affect other elements that they can increase or decrease, and not to say the stress that your eco system, fish and invertebrates suffer.
Cheers Mark. My tank is about 8.0 PH and Ive never a problem.
My advice would be to ignore 90% of the people who use forums as they havent a clue and just repeat what other people say with no experience.
chris…glad to hear you haven’t been trapped in the lie!
Hi Mark,
What A great job you are doing giving all of us the benefit of your experience, Thank you Mark.
It so happens that I checked my PH today and it read 7.9, and I was wondering whether to purchase a buffer or what other options were available to me, but lo and behold “Mr saltwater tank” came to my rescue. So thanks again.
One question I have for you mark, is would you recommend a refugium on a 128l tank, I propose setting it up in my garage with the necessary pipework coming through the wall at the back of my tank.
Thanks, keep the vids coming.
Laurie (from across the pond)
Hello Mark Callahan Mr. Saltwater tank.
You are awesome. Need your advise regard (old sand).
Cause I can’t this info very much.
Can I reuse my 3 years old sand stored in 5g bucket?
Planning to reuse it for my 65g mixed reef.
I have 120g mixed reef 4 years ago and keeping about 1 year then I quit.
Now I’m back to this fasinating hobby. Please advise.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday.
alan…if the sand is dry and it was cleaned well before you stored it in the bucket, you could reuse. If it is still wet then I’d replace it with fresh
Hey Mark
Just to let you know I tried following the link above puts your template and the text “I get asked this all the time and it’s time it gets put to rest.” but nothing else. I imagine a video should show up but it does not. Tried it on my laptop and my smart phone with same results. I followed the link from your “bad advice” Tuesday 2/25/14
I was hoping you would speak to the PH reading at night when the lights down – is dipping below 7.7 still bad?
okay i,ve been beating myself up for months now on my tanks nitrates!consistently show no nitrite,no ammonia,great ph-8.0,salinity 1.022,calcium and alkalinity well within there bounderies!but can never get below 20ppm in nitrates!fish look great!corals (12)doing great.have tank setup with reefkeeper 2 (which i love).but is it just my tanks nature or should i be concerned about nitrates always showing up at 20 ppm.i do a 15% water change every week without fail.
Hey Mark,
I had similar issues. Are you using RO/DI water? Theres something in your tank thats causing your nitrates to be that high. I siphon my sand every week when i do a water change. I only do a 7% change on my 55g (~4gallons) and I mix to a salinity of 1.026 @ 77F. I use to mix up at 1.023 back in the days, but I do it 1.026 that way there are more elements in the water, particularly the Mg, alk and Ca. You have an accumulation of debris, nutrients/organic matter/dying organism somewhere in your system.Check your sand bed, make sure the pores on your live rock are not clogged, i usually take the dirty rock and rinse it in the old water i pull out while i do a water change. Usually the worms, snails and other organisms eat and poo in the sand which you would need to export from your system. Good luck Mark! Let us know what you did!
Thanks for mark for this tip as I was wondering why my tank ph maintains 7.9 even after all other parameters normal .I have setup as per ur tip .now I am not worried but I will keep a check
took your advice on nitrates,constantly reading 20-40 ppm.no matter the water changes but tks to your recommendation i took all my rocks and swished them around really good in the water i took out for a water change.and vaccummed my sand bed and cut back on feeding.nitrates are finnaly down to 5 ppm.yahoo!!!onlt took a couple of weeks but now i think my corals that look good will really take off.tks again
Mark,
Great job with the videos! I’m learning quite a bit from you! Fantastic information delivered in a lively manner that captivates your audience. Keep up the good work,
Best regards,
Craig
Thanks Craig!