My normal maintenance activities:
- change about 5 gallons of salt water every 5 days, this is done by keeping the main pump running, siphoning out the water and pouring back in pH, temp and salinity adjusted replacement water.
- “Top off” water is regulated into the sump by a float switch connected to a small pump in a freshwater reservoir slightly laced with kalk. I find this is a great way to keep pH and calcium up.
- Every water change, I replace or wash the various filters to keep the sump flowing properly and remove waste products.
- Every other day I put in 5 ml of a two part alkalinity/calcium product
- 10 days dose in a few drops of trace elements. These doses maybe unnecessary, but I have always done it, so I continue to!
- Color enhancers
- washing the tank
- lighting bulb changes
- uv
- full breakdown
- vacuum sump
| Parameter | Suggested Level: Reef Aquarium | Suggested Level: FOWLR Aquarium | Average Level: Coral Reefs |
| Specific Gravity | 1.023 – 1.025 | 1.020 – 1.025 | 1.025 |
| Temperature | 72 – 78°F | 72 – 78°F | 82°F |
| pH | 8.1 – 8.4 | 8.1 – 8.4 | 8.0 – 8.5 |
| Alkalinity | 8 – 12 dKH | 8 – 12 dKH | 6 – 8 dKH |
| Ammonia (NH3) | Undetectable | Undetectable | Near Zero |
| Nitrite (NO2) | Undetectable | Undetectable | Near Zero |
| Nitrate – Nitrogen (NO3) | < 1.0 ppm | < 30 ppm | 0.25 ppm |
| Phosphate (PO4) | < 0.2 ppm | < 1.0 ppm | 0.13 ppm |
| Calcium | 350 – 450 ppm | 350 – 450 ppm | 380 – 420 ppm |
| Magnesium | 1250 – 1350 ppm | 1150 – 1350 ppm | 1300 ppm |
| Iodine | 0.06 – 0.10 ppm | 0.04 – 0.10 ppm | 0.06 ppm |
| Strontium | 8 – 14 ppm | 4 – 10 ppm | 8 – 10 ppm |