Water testing

[dapel]

So then right now I'm testing out the level of ammonia and nitrite. What is the right level for each reading?

Ammonia in ppm? 0 (white) to >2 (Peach-ish color)
Nitrite in ppm? 0 (white) to >2 (Dark pink/light purple)

What readings am I looking for exactly?

TIA.

-Dan

 

[dapel]

It looks like the ammonia is around 0.25 ish. Good or bad?

-Dan

 

[T-T-Trigger]

that is good for your cycle, but bad for living things. When your ammonia and nitrIte hit zero, then you can start stocking slowly. If you add live rock you will probably have a small spike, but a LR cycle is always faster than any other media.

 

[dapel]

Interesting. Right now I have about 2lbs of LR in there. I'm gonna hit up that fish store in Pleasant Hill on Sat and get about 10lbs more and throw it in. Then test it out after another week or so.

-Dan

 

[T-T-Trigger]

In case you are not familiar with the process, ammonia's presence is necessary to give rise to nitrifying bacteria. Their colonies propagate slowly, especially when starting from 0, which most media does. LR, otoh, has nitrifying and presumably even de-nitrifying present on and in the rock. The decay from any dying organisms on the rock (from transport and other reasons) provide the necessary ammonia 'fuel' necessary to feed your colonies of beneficial bacteria. The philosophy of adding fish to produce this waste/decay from their feedings and excretions is cruel to the fish and unnecessary. When the bacteria reach a population level necessary to convert all present ammonia and nitrIte into nitrAte, your 'cycle' is considered to be finished. Though in reality it is a continuous ebb and flow that self-balances constantly.


I always use algae growth as a guideline for the initial cycling period, I must confess I rarely if ever test my water, when you have algae growing it means nitrAte is present, which makes clear the presence of nitrifying, beneficial bacteria.

hth