Ammonia test reading light blue

[theMaroonClown]

So, I'm fairly new to the saltwater and fish keeping hobby. I've kept small bettas but, that was when I was younger and didn't know what I was doing. I started my tank about half week ago(5 days) and have been testing my water daily as my fish retailer told me. I have a FLUVAL EVO 13.5 with live rock and live sand. I've also added 1 turbo snail and 3 dwarf red tip hermit crabs.(also was told to add these by the fish store after they did my first test.) I have been pouring 1 cap full of Seachem Stability two times a day for 2 days now. ( a fellow friend told me to do this instead of only once a day). The hermit crabs seem to get really active after I pour the seachem in. The last 3 days my tank has read:

0 ammonia
0 nitrite
0 Nitrate(kinda figured nitrite and nitrate levels would be 0 as the tank is new)
0.25 phosphate
360-380 calcium
1.025-1.026 Salinity (hydrometer readings)
and the water temp has been sustained at 78℉
pH 8.0
kH 7
(Started adding aquavitro 8.4 as prescribed by my retailer to raise pH by 0.2)

Today I tested my water and had a very weird reading on my ammonia it came out as a very light blue color it does not match any of the colors on the color card. I have retested and keep getting the same reading. Is this just a very small ammonia reading or am I doing something wrong.

 

[Stolireef]

What test kit

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[theMaroonClown]

API Ammonia NH3/ NH4 test kit the color card only is from yellow to green

 

[Sk8r]

Are you cycled? Has your tank cycled? These are not the same as goldfish: it's not 'buy a tank and add fish.'

 

[theMaroonClown]

No it has not cycled haven't added anything except the snail and hermit crabs as was told by the LFS the tanks been running for 5 days which the LFS also knows. And I know for sure cause there has been no any ammonia reading for the last 4 days but today is the first day its not yellow

 

[theMaroonClown]

Heres a picture of the reading and the tank setup. And I know its not like a gold. the snail and hermit were properly acclimated

 

[Stolireef]

I'm sorry to say this, stop listening to your local LFS. You're not getting good advice.

Take the livestock out, add a piece of shrimp (or janitorial ammonia to bring you up to 2ppm Ammonia), and stop adding anything else but top-off water. Then read all of the stickies at the top of this forum. By the time you are done with that, (I figure a good week to really understand what you read), your tank will likely show some Ammonia (if you added pure ammonia the numbers will likely be higher) and some Nitrites. Don't bother testing more than once every few days. Then search for all of Sk8r's posts in the New to Hobby forum and read them. I figure another week and you'll probably show 0 Ammonia, some nitrites and nitrates. Then, buy a good powerhead or two for the tank, play with them for another week. By then, your nitrites will be at or close to 0 and then, do a big water change or two. At this point, add your cleanup crew and perhaps one small fish.

Sit back and enjoy the patience that is required by reefkeeping.

 

[theMaroonClown]

Okay thank you it did seem weird when he told me to add the hermit crabs right away. But i guess Ill hand over my livestock to my friend for now since he has an established tank already

 

[Stolireef]

No problem. This is a really great place to ask questions and to learn. I specifically pointed out Sk8tr because her advice is spot on and directed towards newbies.

 

[theMaroonClown]

I have I've been on the website a lot in the last 5 months(I was really hesitant to buy) reading up on almost every sticky, finally leading to my purchase last week also I've been reading up a lot on it to, I've purchased a couple of books already too.

And I know patience is key for this hobby but the reward is beautiful

 

[theMaroonClown]

My buddy came by and took the live stock. Gave me his Red Sea ammonia test kit and the reading was 0.50, So i guess my tank is starting its cycle now

 

[Stolireef]

Yup. And that's a good thing. Just give it time. I'm setting up my new build and won't add anything for at least a month. Itching to do so but from experience, way better to wait as long as possible.

Best way to pass the time is to read.