3 weeks into the cycle

[jcerillo70]

Hi guys!

Trying out something alittle smaller this time with a 29 gallon.

30 lbs of dry rock - 40 lbs of "live sand" - bottle of bio-spira. This would be week three - whisper 30 filter and a reef octopus classic 1000 skimmer (hob) 19" refugium (hob) inbound.

PH=8
AMMONIA= 0.50
NITRITE= 0
NITRATE= A LITTLE OVER 0.5
SALINITY = 1.029
TEMP RANGES AROUND 81 DEGREES

Still no algea bloom... since Tuesday i have a chromis in there and a couple hermit crabs creeping around eating pellets ive been dropping in.

With all this live bacteria i put in and the sand i would think by now i should be good to go but the ammonia part confuses me. Any advice on my levels?

thanks guys



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[juanmanuelsanch]

Salinity seems a bit high, specially of you plan a mixed tank (corals and fish) it should be between 1.025 and 1.026.

All the parameters should be at 0.

 

[jcerillo70]

Salinity seems a bit high, specially of you plan a mixed tank (corals and fish) it should be between 1.025 and 1.026.

All the parameters should be at 0.

Sounds like I need a little water change tomorrow then


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[Ou8me2]

Why is the salinity so high? You should be around 1.025 - 1.026 and topping off evaporation with just plain RO/DI water to maintain that salinity.

 

[jcerillo70]

Would the high salinity be a cause for no algea in the tank yet or my levels to be where theyre at

 

[jcerillo70]

did a water change and dropped it down to 1.026

 

[Dr. Reef]

Ammonia reading seems off. If you had ammonia then there should be nitrites too and as result higher nitrates as well. I think ammonia is false. Try a different ammonia kit or test water via local fish store or fellow hobbyist

 

[jcerillo70]

Ammonia reading seems off. If you had ammonia then there should be nitrites too and as result higher nitrates as well. I think ammonia is false. Try a different ammonia kit or test water via local fish store or fellow hobbyist

i never had sky high ammonia though. Thats what made me wonder if the bacteria i put in did its job this quick and cycled it

 

[thomas.torode]

I agree with @bnumair ,
It's likely you don't have a very accurate nitrite kit.

 

[jcerillo70]

Update:

went to lfs yesterday they didn't have any test kits but they do test water. im going to bring a sample sunday to them to get it pro tested.

via my API test tonight

PH: 8.4 (ADDED A LITTLE BOOSTER)
AMMONIA: 0.05
NITIRITE: 0.0
NITRATE: 20 (BIG JUMP FROM 10 YESTERDAY)
SALINITY: 1.026
TEMP : 78.7

ANY INSIGHT?

 

[jcerillo70]

Any nitrite test kits i should say at the lfs

 

[scooter31707]

For one, when using API test kits, they are known to give a false reading for ammonia, usually a 0.25ppm reading. Are you sure your cycle is completed. Why did you add livestock to the tank without knowing your cycle was complete?

 

[jlmawp]

For one, when using API test kits, they are known to give a false reading for ammonia, usually a 0.25ppm reading. Are you sure your cycle is completed. Why did you add livestock to the tank without knowing your cycle was complete?

Additionally, doing water changes before your ammonia is at 0 (for sure) is just lengthening your cycle.

 

[jcerillo70]

Little update:

Had the fish store do a real water check for me yesterday

Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-20
Calcium-320
Alk-12.2
Mag-1260

Recently I bought the Kent reef starter kit additive (calcium,strontium&molydenum,iodine) and have dosed it once prior to testing.

Debating whether to get my own test kits for over $100 or just let the fish store check it every month for $9

So what's next



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[jcerillo70]

Also going to do my first water change and changing my salt to Red Sea from instant ocean. Salinity was also at 1.025


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