Curing Rock? Are these Numbers Right ?

[Beausoleiljacob]

Hey Everyone!
About 24 Hours ago I started curing my Pukani Rock from BRS. Anyways, despite my house smelling like raw sewage and my girlfriend wanting to kill me, everything seems to be going good since the smells means there is ammonia! Nonetheless, I just took some tests for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate & Phosphate and the results are all crazy high! Ammonia - 8 PPM Nitrite - 5ppm + Nitrate 40-80 Phosphate 2. My Saltwater test kit hasn't come in yet so I used my API freshwater test kit. I heard they were exactly the same just the color cards are different. How can my number possibly be so high! All I did was add my water mixed with salt. Add some biospira & waited 24 hours after adding the rock to test! I should definitely do a water change because won't the cycle be prolonged due to the high levels? Thanks just looking for some advice!

Also. I have a sump that is 24 inches long. My stand length size, is 23 inches long x 24.5. Would it be a problem to place the sump vertically?

Thanks!

 

[mcozad829]

I would wait and test again when your saltwater test kit comes in, Did you add something to the tank other than the biospira? It would be odd for dry rock with new saltwater to smell like sewage and have readings that high after only a day. Hold off on a water change until you can test the water again with the SW reference cards.

When you say place the sump vertically I am assuming that you mean with the long side running front to back, no that is not an issue you will just have to run your plumbing accordingly.

 

[Beausoleiljacob]

I would wait and test again when your saltwater test kit comes in, Did you add something to the tank other than the biospira? It would be odd for dry rock with new saltwater to smell like sewage and have readings that high after only a day. Hold off on a water change until you can test the water again with the SW reference cards.

When you say place the sump vertically I am assuming that you mean with the long side running front to back, no that is not an issue you will just have to run your plumbing accordingly.

I won't be able to get the test kit for over a week. Is there anything else you would reccomend?

 

[DSREEFER]

Is your water circulating at all? It sounds like you don't have your sump set up yet. im currently cycling brs dry rock in my 75 gallon tank. I ran into some plumbing issues when I first filled it with water and rock so it sat stagnant for two days and it started to smell. Once I got it circulating the smell went away. My ammonia and was pretty high and my nitrites and nitrates went off the charts but now 2 weeks later my ammonia and nitrate are at zero so the cycle is progressing, The nitrites are off the chart so now I'm considering a water change this weekend. So get the water circulating and wait it out would be my advice. Good luck!

 

[thegrun]

8ppm for ammonia is right about the level where the cycle can start to slow down. It's hard to be sure where the levels are really at with the API test kit, but I don't see any harm in making a 25% water change to bring the ammonia down a little. The other numbers all look good to me.