bhcaaron

So I'd be paying to do double work on what I'd already have there in the first place?

Gozer_1

What you have in your tap water that would be helpfull to your tank is tiny compared to what you need and with the other things in the water its best to start fresh. You wouldn't be doing extra work. You'd be doing the same work. If you think adding a little buffer is more work than maintaining Mangroves or a Phosban reactor you are sadly mistaken. I have had leaps and bounds of success with my tank since I started using pure water and I use straight pure water and salt mix. Everything you need is in the mix in ample amounts. As I said, better to start pure and know exactly what is in your tank water everytime you change water. Tap water does not have a constant quality. I use pure water for top offs too and my numbers are spectacular.
Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 0 Phosphate 0 Silicate almost 0. My PH tests exactly 8.3 evey time I test and I test once a week for everything. My system is as stable as they get. I have a jar of buffer I never use cause I never need it. I'll say it again and again, better to start pure and add only what you want and only as much as you want. You have to filter the water and you have to add salt so you are not paying for more or doing extra. It's just how pure the water you start with is.

bhcaaron

INTERESTING! How do you keep your nitrate at zero? What filtration do you have?

Gozer_1

I believe it is the entire setup that keeps my numbers down and out. I do see a slight pink in the nitrate test every now and then if I've overfed or something.
Anyway, I'll give you my basic routine and setup because I think you should look at the big picture. OK Here goes

Setup, 55Gal. Tank
2 Rena Filstar Xp2s
1 - Tray 1 SeaChem Matrix 1.5L
Tray 2 Seachem Denitrate 1.5L
2 - Tray 1 Included foam filter pads
Tray 2a SeaChem SeaGel 250ML
2b SeaChem Purigen 250ML
2c Included Microfiltration pad.
1 Aqua C Remora Skimmer
1 ZooMed Powerhead
1 Orbit dual PC light 260W (kinda low)
50Lbs Aragonite substrate
70Lbs Live Rock
2 Blue Green Chromis 1.5in
1 Tomato Clown 2in
1 Purple Pseudochromis 2in
30 Jumbo Cerith Snails
40 Nassarius Snails
2 Atrea Snails
1 Mexican Turbo Snail
1 Patch of Green Star Polyps 3inX4in

Ok thats it. Everything. I dose with Purple Up, SeaChem Reef Trace, and SeaChem Reef Plus every 3 days. I also add some SeaChem Carbonate once in awhile if need be, usually once a month. I also want to start using a Magnesium and a Strontium supplement as they usually run a shy low. Purple Up may be helping those. I've had higher results since starting to use it. I use RO/DI water and SeaChem Reef salt mix in weekly 10-20 percent water changes. I give one half of the substrate a good deep stir with a gravel washer once a month or so then the other half the next. I vaccuum the surface once a week. I also rinse all filter media (Matrix and Denitrate in tank water only) and rinse out the filter housing as part of my water change routine.
I think thats it. What you have to realize is that my tank didn't get to this point in a week or a month. It's been going for almost a year now. The first 6 Months were ****. I didn't study nearly enough and had to do a lot of research and such to solve problems I kept having. I made a lot of mistakes and so learned from them. A lot of things have to get established. Live rock has to recolonize to full potential, same with Biomedia. I use dead sand so that had to get colonized. Having good flow through your live rock is important. Figuring out the best place for in/outputs and power heads in your particular tank. Finding a good media company (you may notice some loyalty to SeaChem) and good supplements (again with the SeaChem). There is just so much to it that to give a definitive answer is impossible. Some one could do this exact setup and have totally different results. Who knows. Hope it means something to ya though.

Gozer_1

By the way I'm planning on trying a couple products. Kent Marine R/O Right and Osmo Prep Marine. I'm gonna put my money where my mouth is and try some supplements for my RO/DI water to see if it makes a difference. I'm curious to see. I don't think it will make much but I can't truly say with out trying. I'll let you know if I'm eating my words about RO/DI water.

bhcaaron

Hahahaha sounds good. That is very interesting to know your routine. I wonder if I can get everyone to cooperate and give me their routine like you did?

Gozer_1

I think routine has as much to do with water quality as your filters and skimmers and blah blah blah. Anyway I'm off to the LFS. I ordered 3 Blue Chromis and they are in. Yippy

bhcaaron

Pics, pics, We want pics pics!!!