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HaZRaTTy 01-03-2012 01:00 AM

First Water Qual Test
 
Hey,

So my tank has been up and running for I think about 2 weeks in which I've added about 40lbs of Live cycled Rock and 20lbs of base rock. The last week i've seen brown Diatoms forming on the sand and glass which have decreased and gone pretty much away.

Values as follows

Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - .5
PH - 8.3
Ammonia - 0?
Alk - 6 < Is this too high? WC?

Salinity is 1.024

Correct me if i'm wrong but I believe the tank went through a Small cycle not having good test kits and finally having them I wasn't able to watch for the Swing in Nitrites and Nitrates but Diatoms are clearing up at the end of that cycle as I've read.

Any comments?

e46er 01-03-2012 01:39 AM

More than likely did go thru a cycle
I keep my alk at 8dkh 6 is a little on the low side
I'd also bump your salinity up to 1.026

Cal_stir 01-03-2012 02:37 AM

alk is too low
salinity 1.026
go slowly, everytime you add or change something the tank will need to adjust, i doubt you have completely cycled yet

reefwars 01-03-2012 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e46er (Post 667147)
I'd also bump your salinity up to 1.026

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal_stir (Post 667190)
salinity 1.026


why??? i prefer to be at 1.024 am thinking i may even go lower to 1.023 if theres no auto top off installed its prob best to stay a bit lower so evaporation doesnt effect to high.....not a fan of higher salinity:)

its possible that your tank is finished cycling if you used cured rock and new sand....may just have went through a mini cycle, if you want to be sure just add a cocktail shrimp and see how long it takes for any amonia to show or dissappear:)

HaZRaTTy 01-03-2012 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefwars (Post 667203)
its possible that your tank is finished cycling if you used cured rock and new sand....may just have went through a mini cycle, if you want to be sure just add a cocktail shrimp and see how long it takes for any amonia to show or dissappear:)

Huh? can you explain this a little better.

I have no problems with a 1.024 Salinity as I don't have an Auto Top off. Alk of 6 is too low?

reefwars 01-03-2012 04:12 AM

take a small piece of shrimp and let it decay or use flake food at feed the "ghost tank" theres also other things you can do to start a cycle.

reefwars 01-03-2012 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaZRaTTy (Post 667228)
Huh? can you explain this a little better.

I have no problems with a 1.024 Salinity as I don't have an Auto Top off. Alk of 6 is too low?


alk of 6 is too low between 7-8 is ideal

are you testing for alk and calcium or dosing for either??:)

HaZRaTTy 01-03-2012 04:57 AM

No I'm not dosing anything -.- There is nothing in the tank apart from a clean up crew.

I will Ghost feed and see what happens.

Thanks.

reefwars 01-03-2012 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaZRaTTy (Post 667260)
No I'm not dosing anything -.- There is nothing in the tank apart from a clean up crew.

I will Ghost feed and see what happens.

Thanks.


give it a shot worst case scenario the shrimp will start the cycle for you best case scenario your cycle is completed and whatever amonia the shrimp gives out will be converted quickly enough:):)remove the shrimp as it starts to decay and some amonia appears no need to leave it in there forever;)

HaZRaTTy 01-03-2012 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefwars (Post 667264)
give it a shot worst case scenario the shrimp will start the cycle for you best case scenario your cycle is completed and whatever amonia the shrimp gives out will be converted quickly enough:):)remove the shrimp as it starts to decay and some amonia appears no need to leave it in there forever;)

Sounds good, as for the Alk - I'm going to retest in a few days see if there is any changes. After night shifts Bleh...

reefwars 01-03-2012 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HaZRaTTy (Post 667265)
Sounds good, as for the Alk - I'm going to retest in a few days see if there is any changes. After night shifts Bleh...



what are you using to test your alk?? are you testing for calcium and mg as well??:)

HaZRaTTy 01-03-2012 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefwars (Post 667266)
what are you using to test your alk?? are you testing for calcium and mg as well??:)

It's just a Marine Basic Test kit I had laying around. No I will hae to get the Calc and Mag test kits here soon.

Cal_stir 01-03-2012 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefwars (Post 667203)
why??? i prefer to be at 1.024 am thinking i may even go lower to 1.023 if theres no auto top off installed its prob best to stay a bit lower so evaporation doesnt effect to high.....not a fan of higher salinity:)

its possible that your tank is finished cycling if you used cured rock and new sand....may just have went through a mini cycle, if you want to be sure just add a cocktail shrimp and see how long it takes for any amonia to show or dissappear:)

then it ain't finished cycling!

HaZRaTTy 01-03-2012 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal_stir (Post 667390)
then it ain't finished cycling!

Reasoning behind stating this? Because my Am is 0? or what

reefwars 01-03-2012 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal_stir (Post 667390)
then it ain't finished cycling!


please feel free to elaborate??

Cal_stir 01-03-2012 11:46 PM

whats a mini cycle?, until the tank is completely cycled it will go through a phase of unstability, like a wave, a bloom of this, a bloom of that, whatever can take hold during the ups and downs of the cycle will appear.
once the tank is cycled the wave will subside and the process will stabilize.

reefwars 01-04-2012 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal_stir (Post 667440)
whats a mini cycle?, until the tank is completely cycled it will go through a phase of unstability, like a wave, a bloom of this, a bloom of that, whatever can take hold during the ups and downs of the cycle will appear.
once the tank is cycled the wave will subside and the process will stabilize.



a mini cycle is basically when you have a slight rise in amonia its not as strong as a full cycle starting from scratch but is still noticable, it wont take as long as cycling with alot of dieoff or uncured rock. it can be caused by releasing debris under rocks, not rinsing sand enough or simply adding an unusual or high bio load or amonia source. sometimes even though we keep the rock in water during transit or maybe were only moving across the house to a different room but the upset in the balance can release a small amount of amonia.cured rock should quickly turn the amonia and may not even be noticable or missed all together:)


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