Dirt-simple chemistry MUST-knows for tank health
- Thread starter Sk8r
- Start date
Hello sk8r! I love all your posts, & appreciate all the efforts you take on this, helping nerds like me. I have a peculiar question:
What should be the Actual ammonia reading for a fully cycled tank? We all say it must be zero, but I think practically it would never be, unless there is nothing in the tank. It's a living system, fish live, swim, eat, poo, critters etc., even bacteria may die just naturally or due to short power outage. It's also a fact that natural seawater also contains ammonia. When we mix fresh sea water that contains as well, heck the mineral water bottled one we get also has ammonia. Now I ve a professional Hanna electronic multi test kit. Coming to the readings, ammonia in my tank varies between 0.4 to 0.9 ppm. All inhabitants healthy, now this is a 4 month tank and never ever has ammonia touched 0.00. If I use API test kit it will show same water 0 ammonia.. Now please help me out with your witty answer. Btw in the same tank nitrate is 9ppm and was 15ppm till I started bio-pellet 1 month ago.
Thanks in advance!
What should be the Actual ammonia reading for a fully cycled tank? We all say it must be zero, but I think practically it would never be, unless there is nothing in the tank. It's a living system, fish live, swim, eat, poo, critters etc., even bacteria may die just naturally or due to short power outage. It's also a fact that natural seawater also contains ammonia. When we mix fresh sea water that contains as well, heck the mineral water bottled one we get also has ammonia. Now I ve a professional Hanna electronic multi test kit. Coming to the readings, ammonia in my tank varies between 0.4 to 0.9 ppm. All inhabitants healthy, now this is a 4 month tank and never ever has ammonia touched 0.00. If I use API test kit it will show same water 0 ammonia.. Now please help me out with your witty answer. Btw in the same tank nitrate is 9ppm and was 15ppm till I started bio-pellet 1 month ago.
Thanks in advance!
Great thread, it helped me a lot in set up.
Question: I'm at:
Salinity 1.024; alkalinity 9.6 on KH scale, calcium 410; magnesium 1400, temp hovering depending on lights and the like between 80 and 81
Acceptable stats?
(If it matters I'm planning on a small smasher mantis shrimp, a damsel, and ricordea/shrooms)
Question: I'm at:
Salinity 1.024; alkalinity 9.6 on KH scale, calcium 410; magnesium 1400, temp hovering depending on lights and the like between 80 and 81
Acceptable stats?
(If it matters I'm planning on a small smasher mantis shrimp, a damsel, and ricordea/shrooms)
wesside
New member
My test results are as follows:
Salinity 1.020, Alkalinity 8.4, Calcium 450, Magnesium 1200, Temp 78
From what I've read my Salinity and Magnesium are too low and the other two are ok. My tank has been cycled for a few weeks now. What course of action would you recommend to correct my water parameters? Top off w/saltwater for Salinity? What about Magnesium? Why is it low if I don't have anything in my tank that should be using it up?
Salinity 1.020, Alkalinity 8.4, Calcium 450, Magnesium 1200, Temp 78
From what I've read my Salinity and Magnesium are too low and the other two are ok. My tank has been cycled for a few weeks now. What course of action would you recommend to correct my water parameters? Top off w/saltwater for Salinity? What about Magnesium? Why is it low if I don't have anything in my tank that should be using it up?
Reef or Die
New member
Great post!!! Thanks for the chemistry for dummies breakdown.
wesside
New member
Just found out I got a bad batch of Ca Reagent B so my test could be up to 75ppm lower. If you use Red Sea tests make sure you didn't get a bad batch too.
101 questions
101 questions
Hello, I am new to the forum and to reefing and what an amazingly helpful read that was. We live in Florida, love fishing and island hopping, my son and husband surf, I pic. We recently adopted a saltwater tank post meltdownx2 from a friend and are learning by the seat of our pants and are totally hooked. We are one month in, test water weekly, have changed 20% weekly and add what we need accordingly. This unmarked bag of salt that came with the tank, I have just determined is not reef salt but "regular" salt. I don't know the acronyms yet...apology...but after reading this thread I see (a lot) that we should be using a more appropriate salt. We have live rock, anemone, fish, soft corals, I think a plate is hard coral? and lots of hermits and snails and little starfish and this prehistoric slug that is 4 inches long in our 45 gal tank...sorry Ill study those acronyms. A lot of studying to do at this stage. The Question: Can I simply buy a good reef salt and start switching or do I need to use a more subtle method for transitioning? We use distilled water when mixing our own and recently got water from the pet shop that is also "regular". He said the brand but I didn't realize I should remember that. I do remember that he said it is not reef salt. Any suggestions will be super appreciated. We have a protein skimmer that hasn't broken yet, a brand new over the side filter, Marineland double wide, to replace the canister deal that literally sucked and a fan. Also a new light, T5 aquaticlife. Thanks!
101 questions
Hello, I am new to the forum and to reefing and what an amazingly helpful read that was. We live in Florida, love fishing and island hopping, my son and husband surf, I pic. We recently adopted a saltwater tank post meltdownx2 from a friend and are learning by the seat of our pants and are totally hooked. We are one month in, test water weekly, have changed 20% weekly and add what we need accordingly. This unmarked bag of salt that came with the tank, I have just determined is not reef salt but "regular" salt. I don't know the acronyms yet...apology...but after reading this thread I see (a lot) that we should be using a more appropriate salt. We have live rock, anemone, fish, soft corals, I think a plate is hard coral? and lots of hermits and snails and little starfish and this prehistoric slug that is 4 inches long in our 45 gal tank...sorry Ill study those acronyms. A lot of studying to do at this stage. The Question: Can I simply buy a good reef salt and start switching or do I need to use a more subtle method for transitioning? We use distilled water when mixing our own and recently got water from the pet shop that is also "regular". He said the brand but I didn't realize I should remember that. I do remember that he said it is not reef salt. Any suggestions will be super appreciated. We have a protein skimmer that hasn't broken yet, a brand new over the side filter, Marineland double wide, to replace the canister deal that literally sucked and a fan. Also a new light, T5 aquaticlife. Thanks!
hessfish125
New member
As a new aquariumist (?) I really appreciate the detail you went through in the original article (2006 and still helping us novices!). I actually immediately went out to Amazon and ordered the Reef Salt.
I have about 15 lbs left of the marine salt left I bought last. Since I am just moving to reef salt, can I mix the two until I use it up?o, what mixture do you recommend?
I have about 15 lbs left of the marine salt left I bought last. Since I am just moving to reef salt, can I mix the two until I use it up?o, what mixture do you recommend?
formula for mixing rodi and salt
formula for mixing rodi and salt
i am new to the hobby and i am trying to start making my on salt water. i purchased Instant Ocean Reef Crystal Sea Salt Marine Mix, 200-Gallon and i dont know how much salt to use per gallon. is there any one that can help me with how much salt to use oper gallon?
formula for mixing rodi and salt
i am new to the hobby and i am trying to start making my on salt water. i purchased Instant Ocean Reef Crystal Sea Salt Marine Mix, 200-Gallon and i dont know how much salt to use per gallon. is there any one that can help me with how much salt to use oper gallon?
scooter120
New member
thanks this is helpful how many fish can i put in a 120 gallon tank
asifiqbal2
New member
Appreciate all the info. thanks!
hi reef central, im new in salwater and going to start with a FOWLR if been reading lots on info about chemistry on reefs but not on FOWLR. so my question is how do i keep my parameters alk ph cal on check i know that for a reef by dosing 2parts or a cal rx, but in a fowlr
thanks for the help
thanks for the help
