Water testing questions/concerns

[kevNnic]

the tank currently has a glass top on it with maybe 3 inches of open air access. The room is a little dry but not horribly dry. My main concern is measuring my PH which doesn't seem to display any of the colors listed on the match card. I didn't plan on adding anything to the tank for at least a month or longer until im sure my rock is cured and i have zero issues as i would hate to kill any of my fish. although it does get a little boring looking at a tank with water and rocks in it.


what are the best options for clean up crews? crabs, snails etc? we plan on getting clown fish to start and building from there. most likly starting with two.

thanks again

kevin

[Myka]

Hi Kevin, welcome to the hobby!

You would find most of your answers in some of the articles I have written that are listed in my signature.

pH test kits are usually rather inaccurate, or present colors that do not match the scale. Don't feel discouraged! Personally, I wouldn't bother testing the pH with a kit, a calibrated handheld digital pH meter is much more accurate, but not always necessary. You are unlikely to run into an pH related issues, so I wouldn't worry about testing it. I am assuming you are going to have a FOWLR (fish only w/ live rock) tank?

It looks like your cycle is under way. Read the link in my signature for more details, but once ammonia has spiked, and dropped to 0 along with nitrite your cycle will be over. It may take several weeks.

Your salinity is creeping up due to evaporation. The best bet is to top up at least once a day, but twice a day is better. You can save some time by just filling to the same line everyday, and test the salinity once a week if you would like.

For a clean up crew, hermit crabs are opportunistic snail predators meaning they will usually eventually kill any snails they inhabit space with. For this reason, I prefer to use snails instead of hermit crabs. Start with just a few (once the cycle is over), and slowly add some as needed. Maybe try 3 Astrea snails. Turbo and Trochus snails get quite large, and can be a pain in the butt if you want to have corals. If you don't want corals at all, both Turbo and Trochus are big eaters. I also really like Ring Cowries. In 4-6 months when the sand bed is more established you will probably want a sand sifter. Your tank is too small for a sand sifting starfish, but one of the smaller species of conch or a small sand sifting fish would be a good option.

[kevNnic]

awesome information, thank you, i was really worried about my ph levels not matching the card which was really throwing me for a loop. yesterday was the first day i noticed a spike in anything, Everything has remained rather constant. i do plan on introducing some corals down the line when i am alittle more confident with everything.

I will let the tank take its natural course and when the cycle is completed i will introduce some snails and go from there.

thanks

kevin

[freezetyle]

Originally Posted by kevNnic

the tank currently has a glass top on it with maybe 3 inches of open air access.
kevin

That might also be causing a pH issue. you didn't mention if you had a protein skimmer or anything (I'm assuming one isn't running). so with the limited surface area open to the air oxygen might not be getting to the water.

Maybe one of the Canreef Guru's could give a better opinion.

either way as Myka said. you probably wont run into issues.

[kevNnic]

i can vent the top of the tank more if that is whats needed. I have a protein skimmer but was told not to use it while the tank cycles because it will cause a longer cycle and remove some of the bacteria i need to complete it. Is this true or should i be running the skimmer?

I have a lot of little debris and floaties at the top of the tank rigth now which arent really pretty much thats most likly due to the skimmer not running.

[Madreefer]

Originally Posted by kevNnic

I have a protein skimmer but was told not to use it while the tank cycles because it will cause a longer cycle and remove some of the bacteria i need to complete it. Is this true or should i be running the skimmer?

I have never heard of this or read about it. I would turn the skimmer on.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by kevNnic

I have a protein skimmer but was told not to use it while the tank cycles because it will cause a longer cycle and remove some of the bacteria i need to complete it. Is this true or should i be running the skimmer?

That is untrue. You should use the skimmer as soon as the rock goes in the tank. The nitrifying bacteria primarily inhabit surfaces like the rock and sand. There is very little bacteria in the water column in comparison.

[kevNnic]

well i just put the skimmer back in. I heard from a few sources on other sites not to use it. But its back in the tank now so i will take another reading here soon.

Thanks for the quick feedback.

really appreciate it.

Kevin

[freezetyle]

Originally Posted by kevNnic

well i just put the skimmer back in. I heard from a few sources on other sites not to use it. But its back in the tank now so i will take another reading here soon.

Thanks for the quick feedback.

really appreciate it.

Kevin

That should help oxygenate the water even with the glass cover over top. would probably put you in the pH ranges your looking for. plus if you start running your skimmer now it will be all broken in by the time your ready for fish. keep us posted

[kevNnic]

i will definetly keep you all posted on the updates.

Thanks again

Lol growing slowly impatient, i didn't think waiting would be this hard.