New tank question

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by jason604

Yes u don't really understand either... A few days after I put a dead shrimp in my ammonia nitrite an nitrate spiked pretty high. Now it all drop.but still 0.25 ammonia. I'm using the API test kits from JL. The amonnia is very light yellowish tiny bit light green. From what the kit says it should be bright yellow for 0ppm. And I don't know why my nitrate is 0.. I'm pretty confused On what to do..

Not sure what you think I don't understand.... I am trying to help. Based on the info you gave, I would not assume the tank is fully cycled. Like I said, I would like to see your nitrates show up, and be brought down by water changes, not a subsequent test. Sounds more like a bad test.

With testing, be sure to read the instructions carefully. With the API nitrate test, you need to really shake the solutions well for the specified times after each step, and wait the 5 min at the end, or again you will get false readings.

[jason604]

Yes my test kits are brand. I do shake it for more than 5 secs. About 10 or more because I thought that would make it mix better. Mybe that's y my readings are weird. Ill try again later when I get home. I added 3 bags of carribe pink sand in mybe that's y my nitrate is low? Also my rocks are pretty white and not many diatoms on it. I read that rocks should be pretty covered in diatoms before it finishes cycling. I Havnt seen that yet.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by jason604

Yes my test kits are brand. I do shake it for more than 5 secs. About 10 or more because I thought that would make it mix better. Mybe that's y my readings are weird. Ill try again later when I get home. I added 3 bags of carribe pink sand in mybe that's y my nitrate is low? Also my rocks are pretty white and not many diatoms on it. I read that rocks should be pretty covered in diatoms before it finishes cycling. I Havnt seen that yet.

your nitrates are low because you added the rock to a new tank with mostly new water , nitrates are removable simply by removing water and waste.

if theres amonia now its going through a mini cycle and nitrates will show again shortly.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by jason604

Yes my test kits are brand. I do shake it for more than 5 secs. About 10 or more because I thought that would make it mix better. Mybe that's y my readings are weird. Ill try again later when I get home. I added 3 bags of carribe pink sand in mybe that's y my nitrate is low? Also my rocks are pretty white and not many diatoms on it. I read that rocks should be pretty covered in diatoms before it finishes cycling. I Havnt seen that yet.

Like I said, go back and read those instructions again. They need to be shaken hard 1st time for 30 seconds, both the solution and bottle 2, then 1 full min for the solution after adding drops from bottle 2. Then you need to wait 5 min before testing. 5 or 10 sec won't cut it.

And Denny, I do understand about his moving the rocks and water from the container to the tank, although he didn't make that clear in his 1st post.

I am just trying to get him to err on the cautious and be sure the tank, not just the old container with the live rocks is fully cycled. Even in the container, doesn't make sense to me that he had nitrates, and then they disappeared with another test. He said this happened before transferring to the tank. That's why I suspect the testing procedure.

And yes, he could have another mini cycle, but a cycle is a cycle to me..... Until I see nitrates in the final tank after putting organic matter through the cycle, I wouldn't assume anything. And to prevent further "mini-cycles" I would get the rest of that live rock, and put it through the cycle, long before buying any fish.

Hate to say it, but I see a lot more trouble down the road, with ich and other diseases, if this thread is any indication of things to come...