First tank and parameters

[zelie_dad]

I started my first reef tank last week. I received my Red Sea test kit, and started testing my water parameters. I pretty sure that my cycle hasn't started because my ammonia is undetectable. They are:

• PH : 8.2
• dKH: 6.5
• NH3/NH4: undetectable

My alk is low based on the research I've done, I'm looking for a alk of 8.5 dKH.
I don't have any anything in my tank other than "dead" LR and non live sand. So should I be attempting to adjust my parameters now, and get them to where I want them, or just wait until my tank cycles?

I've also read that temperature can have an effect on the parameters as well. My temperature is 74, which is to low. I have a an additional heater inbound.

 

[GimpyFin]

How are you wanting to cycle the tank? Are you wanting to start with a hardy fish like a damsel, or add fish food or pure ammonia as your source to build bacteria?

 

[homer1475]

How are you wanting to cycle the tank? Are you wanting to start with a hardy fish like a damsel

No, just plain old NO. Not only is it inhumane, but with the knowledge there is out there on fishless cycle, this should never be done, ever!

You will not see an ammonia spike if you don't add anything to the tank. IE fish food, pure ammonia, raw table shrimp, etc. You have to add an ammonia source for it to be present.

Have a read up on the setting up sticky at the top of this forum. Plenty of good info in there on how to properly do a fishless cycle.

 

[zelie_dad]

No, just plain old NO. Not only is it inhumane, but with the knowledge there is out there on fishless cycle, this should never be done, ever!

You will not see an ammonia spike if you don't add anything to the tank. IE fish food, pure ammonia, raw table shrimp, etc. You have to add an ammonia source for it to be present.

Have a read up on the setting up sticky at the top of this forum. Plenty of good info in there on how to properly do a fishless cycle.

I was going to throw in a raw shrimp tonight when I get home from work.

I guess I was more concerned about the dKH, because it is low and I'm not sure if I should be testing for it now, or wait until the cycle "completes".

 

[GimpyFin]

No, just plain old NO. Not only is it inhumane, but with the knowledge there is out there on fishless cycle, this should never be done, ever!

You will not see an ammonia spike if you don't add anything to the tank. IE fish food, pure ammonia, raw table shrimp, etc. You have to add an ammonia source for it to be present.

Have a read up on the setting up sticky at the top of this forum. Plenty of good info in there on how to properly do a fishless cycle.

I don't recall suggesting or recommending cycling with a fish when I posted my question.

 

[homer1475]

Other then ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, don't even bother with any other test until your cycle is complete.

 

[homer1475]

I don't recall suggesting or recommending cycling with a fish when I posted my question.

Not to start an argument, but I quoted your post in my reply. It clearly asks how hes going to go about the cycle and one of your questions asked about a hardy damsel. I simply wanted to point out that using a hardy fish to cycle is wrong.

 

[kyle.nagel13]

[/QUOTE]So should I be attempting to adjust my parameters now, and get them to where I want them, or just wait until my tank cycles?

I've also read that temperature can have an effect on the parameters as well. My temperature is 74, which is to low. I have a an additional heater inbound.[/QUOTE]

Don't worry about playing with your other parameters until your cycle is complete or at least nearing completion. You're more than likely going to do a large water change at the end of your cycle to remove nitrates, so anything you add to raise your PH will be lost. Your temperature won't hurt the tank cycling process besides making it happen a bit slower. Try to raise your tank to 78-80 degrees, I've read that bacteria will populate faster in higher temps.

 

[zelie_dad]

Don't worry about playing with your other parameters until your cycle is complete or at least nearing completion. You're more than likely going to do a large water change at the end of your cycle to remove nitrates, so anything you add to raise your PH will be lost. Your temperature won't hurt the tank cycling process besides making it happen a bit slower. Try to raise your tank to 78-80 degrees, I've read that bacteria will populate faster in higher temps.

I purchased 2 125w heaters, but I wanted 2 150w heaters, but I was to lazy and/or to impatient to send them back and wait for the 150w. I don't know if the addtional 50 watts of heating power would have made any difference, but I ordered an additional 200 watt heater, and I figured the combination of the three heaters with 450 watts of heating power would be enough to get my tank to where I need it.

Other then ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, don't even bother with any other test until your cycle is complete.

Thanks. I won't worry about pH, dKH, etc until the cycle completes.

 

[anthonys51]

what salt mix are you using. 6.5 dkh is low. don't want to say, but might that be a testing error. most salt mixes have a dkh higher than 6.5

 

[anthonys51]

what size is your tank, you never stated unless i missed it.

can i give you advice witch worked for me (not saying its the only way). but dont add fish for a few months. reason behind this is they add the most waste/nutrients to the tank. buy a few pieces of live rock to seed the tank. add a few snails and few easier to keep corals. don't even feed yours tank in the first few months. i never had a problem with gha, bubble algae or cyano.

 

[frey]

+1 Anthonys51. also I sent you FR as I am in NE Pa. May have some things to help you on your way

 

[zelie_dad]

what salt mix are you using. 6.5 dkh is low. don't want to say, but might that be a testing error. most salt mixes have a dkh higher than 6.5

Reef crystals

what size is your tank, you never stated unless i missed it.

can i give you advice witch worked for me (not saying its the only way). but dont add fish for a few months. reason behind this is they add the most waste/nutrients to the tank. buy a few pieces of live rock to seed the tank. add a few snails and few easier to keep corals. don't even feed yours tank in the first few months. i never had a problem with gha, bubble algae or cyano.

40B DT/40B sump

 

[anthonys51]

Reef crystals



40B DT/40B sump

io reef crystal has a dkh around 13. not sure sure about your 6.5 even at 74 degrees.

also watts pre gallon should be 2-4 watts pre gallon, so unless your house is super cold you should be ok with 250watts for 80 gallons. also make sure you buy a good heater cheap ones can kill a tank fast

 

[zelie_dad]

io reef crystal has a dkh around 13. not sure sure about your 6.5 even at 74 degrees.

also watts pre gallon should be 2-4 watts pre gallon, so unless your house is super cold you should be ok with 250watts for 80 gallons. also make sure you buy a good heater cheap ones can kill a tank fast

I tested the water 3 times and came up with that number, I don't know. As other's have said, I'm not going to worry about my alk until my cycle is complete.

I do keep my house pretty cold, just ask my wife, amirite :facepalm:, but my sump is in my basement. I also have 16' run to my sump, so I'm guessing the distance along with the placement require me to run more heater wattage than I normally would have too.

 

[anthonys51]

ok goodluck with tank. also i have 2 thermometers for my tank. i never trust one 15 dollar one made in china

 

[zelie_dad]

I am posting an update. I have been dosing 10% ammonia for about a week now. My ammonia after 24 hours is falling off pretty quickly. My nitrites are still high, but I'm assuming that will start to come down fairly soon, and my nitrates are high, but I'm hoping a large water change when the cycle is done will correct that.

The thing that is most concerning is my alkalinity still. I've been testing it every couple of days, and it is testing low, like < 8 dKH. I dosed baking soda to raise it up, and temporarily it was in the range I am looking for, but it is low again. What could be causing my alk to drop like this? The only things that are alive in my tank are two very small snails that came on some filter floss from my LFS.

 

[zelie_dad]

Update 2: I noticed that my salinity was dropping. That's when I realized I had a leak somewhere. I discovered a leak between my outer overflow box and the bulkhead through the glass. I fixed the leak and hopefully it has fixed the alkalinty and burgeoning salinity issue as well.

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