Water Parameters

June 26, 2008 · Filed Under Aquarium Care and Maintenance 

Learn and understand the saltwater aquarium water parameters as these are the most often tested for your saltwater fish to thrive and survive!

    As any high levels of nitrite found in your saltwater aquarium can quickly lead to fish loss. Even small amount of nitrite traced in your saltwater causes stress to your fish.

    See the suggested level for this parameter for your saltwater aquarium on the chart below.

  • Nitrate
  • Nitrate is what maintains an aquarium’s biological filtration system function and stay in balance. Nitrite is converted into nitrate during this cycling process.

    Nitrates are not as toxic as ammonia or nitrites but they are harmful and will stress your fish at high enough levels.

    Constant water changes are ideal to remove nitrates in your water. See the suggested level of this parameter for your saltwater aquarium on the chart below.

Aquarium
Parameters
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

Complete guide to maintenance and care of your saltwater aquarium

Text and Photo Source: Saltwater Aquarium Online Guide

Related Posts

  • Butterfly fish
  • The elegant swimming motion of these fishes has been likened to the flight of butterflies fluttering in the garden. Butterfly
  • Marine Aquarium Water Quality Parameters
  • Marine environments are extremely stable, particularly where corals live. Significant deviations outside the range given for any of the parameters
  • Saltwater Aquarium Water Testing
  • As discussed before the testing of our saltwater in our aquarium is a must for all. When we first set
  • Feeding Saltwater Fish
  • Feeding saltwater fish should be done 2 times a day and feed only what they can consume in 2 to5

    If you found this page useful, consider linking to it.
    Simply copy and paste the code below into your web site (Ctrl+C to copy)
    It will look like this: Water Parameters

    Comments

    7 Responses to “Water Parameters”

    1. three spotted Domino Damselfish | Aquarium Fish Guide on August 19th, 2008 11:34 am

      [...] Water Parameters: Temperature 77-79F (25-26C), alkaline (p.H. 8.1-8.3) with Specific Gravity 1.020-1.024 [...]

    2. three spotted Domino Damselfish | Saltwater Aquarium Guide on August 24th, 2008 12:43 pm

      [...] Water Parameters: Temperature 77-79F (25-26C), alkaline (p.H. 8.1-8.3) with Specific Gravity 1.020-1.024 [...]

    3. Keeping Your Aquarium Fish Healthy | Saltwater Aquarium Guide on August 26th, 2008 9:29 am

      [...] If you do note any odd behaviour of anything, preform a water test to check the aquarium water quality as this can account for many diseases starting. Many odd behaviour can be fixed by imply just adjusting the aquarium water parameters. [...]

    4. Yellow Sailfin Tang | Aquarium Fish Guide on August 26th, 2008 10:07 am

      [...] Water Parameters: Temperature 79-81F (26-28C), alkaline (p.H. 8.1-8.3) with Specific Gravity 1.021-1.024 [...]

    5. Preventing Stress | Saltwater Aquarium Guide on August 27th, 2008 12:10 am

      [...] maintaining a balanced environment which include such things as our aquarium water parameter as this will elimate [...]

    6. Butterfly Fish | Saltwater Aquarium Guide on August 30th, 2008 3:02 pm

      [...] subsist entirely on coral polyps in the wild are difficult to switch to a substitute diets. Good water parameters (quality) is absolutely vital when keeping any butterflyfish, since they will readily show signs of [...]

    7. What is Water Quality? | Saltwater Aquarium Guide on September 5th, 2008 12:13 am

      [...] of species housed in the tank, then your aquarium is said to have appropriate water quality. Target water parameters are based upon knowledge of the habitants and there needs. For coral reef aquariums the water [...]

    Leave a Reply