Category:Parameters
From ReefPedia
Saltwater Aquarium Water Parameters
Oftentimes, you will hear that a reef or marine aquarium needs "excellent water." But what does that mean?
It certainly can mean the cleanliness of the water- dirty, nutrient-rich water will certainly lead to algae, nitrate and possibly other issues in the tank.
But "excellent water" also means it falls within a very specific range for a number of parameters.
Why are these parameters so important?
Because the creatures in our care evolved on the coral reefs, or at least in the oceans. There are massive amounts of water, constantly flowing around these animals in the wild. Since the volume of the water is so great, it takes a lot to change the water's physical and chemical properties even a tiny bit. So the animals we care for in our reef tanks are not used to change, or dealing with levels other than those near natural sea water.
Here are some of the most important water parameters, with explanations:
- Temperature
- Salinity and Specific Gravity
- PH
- Alkalinity
- Calcium
- Phosphate
- Iodine
- Iodide
- Trace Elements
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