Initial set-up test of water results?

[mlovelace]

Hello, I have my tank set up and I am beginning the cycle process. The only things I have added to the tank is the saltwater, 16 lbs of liverock, 80 lbs of aragonite substrate, and 50 lbs of base rock. My salinity is holding at 1.022 and temperature at 78 degrees.

I just tested the ph, amonia, nitrite, and nitrate with the results below after 48 ours of initial set-up.

PH=8.0
Amonia=.5
Nitrite=0
Nitrate-0

I am trying to cycle this slow, should I be adding anything else to the tank right now? I am running the skimmer (?). I believe in reading the sticky information, it said I should let it run for two weeks before adding a little food or raw shrimp?

I believe I have read that the PH should be between 8.2 and 8.4? Should I be worried about this during the cycle stage and try to increase the PH level?

Thank you, Mike

[Parrothead]

your doing fine Mike, just let mother nature do her thing

[leebca]

Mike,

You should be following this procedure: Setting Up a FOWLR Aquarium That post/guidelines has everything you need to know and do.

[mlovelace]

Thanks Lee...that is the one I am following. I just don't recall seeing certain levels for the ones I tested. I will go back and read again. I think I have read it 100 times, sometimes all this new stuff runs together;)

I have it bookmarked as a favorite.

[mlovelace]

Mike,

You should be following this procedure: Setting Up a FOWLR Aquarium That post/guidelines has everything you need to know and do.

Lee, I still can't find your opinion on the ideal salinity for a FOWLR tank? I know it may determine on the fish I plan on putting in, but is there a general rule? I tested mine yesterday and it was 1.022 and today it has risen to 1.023. I had read on other sites to keep it around 1.020 for FOWLR?

Thank you in advance for your help and being the moderator of this forum! I have learned a tremendous amount of info prior to setting up my tank!

[leebca]

I didn't see in your first post that you were asking any question about the salinity.

Most hobbyists like to keep a slightly 'thin' salt water mixture. That is, about 1.022 to 1.024. Much depends on the life forms. If you are choosing to stock a marine system with life forms from a specific ocean or area, then matching those parameters is a fair goal (although remember we keep certain water ingredients at elevated levels). Personally I keep mine at about 1.023

As given in the linked post, the pH comes more into play later in the aging of the tank. For now, make no adjustments until the directions tell you to.

[mlovelace]

Hello, I figured I would post my test results during this cycle phase to maybe help myself and others that are following Lee's post on cycling. Here are my day 7 results, you can see my day 3 results above.

The only thing I have added to this tank is some about 15-16 lbs of live rock on the initial day of adding water.

Day 7
salinity 1.023 Temp. 77.7

PH 8.0
Amonia 1
Nitrite 1
Nitrate 10

I noticed a huge change in the last four days compared to my day three results. I also was looking close at the rock and noticed a little critter crawling around the rock.

Lee, do you have a chart on the normal levels of these starting out at day one through the cycle or is there too many variables?

Thank you all for the input, you have helped my sanity tremendously!

[leebca]

You guessed correctly. There are many variables, including but not limited to the kind of rock, how the rock was treated, temperatures, etc. Bacteria are a bit more sensitive then we (the general public) thinks. They have their own nutritional and environmental needs and until they are met, they are not very active, let alone very prolific.

And. . .You are welcome!

[mlovelace]

Day 15 test results

Salinity 1.022 Temp 77.9

PH 7.8
Amonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 15

I still haven't seen a huge spike, unless it went up and down inbetween days of checking levels with my test kit?

Protein skimmer seems to be very active though with a lot of brown sludge

[mlovelace]

Day 21 test results

Things seem to be stable:

salinity 1.023
Temp 79
PH 7.8 (maybe need to start to think about raising?)
Ammonia.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5

I still haven't made a water change. I am thinking about changing about 7 gallons (equal to about 10 percent)

[Parrothead]

I think you may have a slight problem, you should not have a reading of .25 of amm. at this point, but we'll wait for Lee to check in later today...

[mlovelace]

I have started adding food to try and feed the pods. Also the color chart they gave me with the kit is kind of hard to tell sometimes. I was leaning towards zero, but the color didn't look quite like true zero, that is why I wrote down .25. Do you think it should be higher or at zero?

Thank you, Mike

[Parrothead]

Mike,

Amm. should be at zero, it is actually the first part of the nitrogen cycle, do you have any uneaten food laying around in the tank? are all inhabitants accounted for? And have you added any new live rock recently?

[leebca]

The ammonia should take care of itself, providing you have circulation high enough. You increase the feeding of the 'live rock' then begin to introduce the clean up crew. You should be making water changes per the guidelines.

How much circulation does your system have? Have you read this post regarding some other water quality measurements and issues, along with how to size a skimmer? ==> What is Water Quality

You're giving what the system needs most -- time and patience.

[Parrothead]

Thanks Lee,


I was just a bit concerned because about 3 weeks ago he had zero amm. and last week he had zero amm. and nitrates were reading at 15, I thought that was kinda odd.

[leebca]

Parrothead,

If he was following the setup guidelines, then he began adding food to the tank. This would catch the live rock bacteria 'off guard' and the bacteria will have to start catching up. What Mike is doing by being patient and going step-by-step is building a strong foundation of microbial life that will provide a solid and stable water quality when it comes time to add immobile inverts and fishes.

It is the problem with hobbyists being told by some (and LFSs) that all they need is live rock and they can start immediately. But that isn't always true. The live rock they get and put into their aquarium has not had to deal with large quantities of wastes (ammonia and nitrites) so even they need time to adjust. This is why it is basically bad advice to give someone that they can start up immediately and 'add fish in a couple of days.' Big mistake. Kills a lot of fish, which means the LFS sells more fish.

That is most likely what is going on in Mike's aquarium, assuming there is sufficient circulation to get the wastes to the bacteria. Now that he's adding food, there is additional waste. This is seasoning the aquarium or 'getting it used to' the constant inflow of organics and the resultant creation of wastes, both of which there must be enough bacteria to process.

[mlovelace]

The ammonia should take care of itself, providing you have circulation high enough. You increase the feeding of the 'live rock' then begin to introduce the clean up crew. You should be making water changes per the guidelines.

How much circulation does your system have? Have you read this post regarding some other water quality measurements and issues, along with how to size a skimmer? ==> What is Water Quality

You're giving what the system needs most -- time and patience.

Thanks Parrothead and Lee, I did start seeing the pods and started the feeding that is in the guidelines of the starting a fo tank that lee posted sometime ago. I have two Koralia 3's in my tank along with a mag 7 return pump, this is all for a 75g tank. I believe my flow is pretty good I have the K's pointed directly on the live rock with constant water movement. I did have some filter floss in the sump, but have removed it since posting yesterday. Maybe this was causing the issues as well? I would have thought it would increase the nitrates, rather than the ammonia? Thank you both for staying on top of these post! It really helps a newbie like myself! Now if I could only find someone with a BRS RO/DI unit, to help me with where the booster is suppose to go?

Thank you, Mike

[leebca]

I'm not familiar with those particular pieces of equipment, so you'll have to do the math. Add up each piece gallons/hour flow and see if it exceeds 700 gallons per hour. It sounds good, though. There should be no 'dead spots' in the display.

Removing the filter floss is okay, but you still must have a mechanical filter. What is removing solid wastes from the water? Don't forget, you also need a chemical filter -- like activated carbon.

;)

[mlovelace]

Besides the filter floss, I also have a filter the water travels through once it comes into the sump. I also have a bubble diffuser sponge the water travels through and the sponge filter that is on the return pump. The K'3 has a flow rate of 850 GPH each, so that is 1700 for the two of them. The mag 7 should be around 500 GPH (if I figured it up correct).

I have not added an activated carbon? How much activated carbon would you suggest and how do you install it? Years ago I use to have a freshwater tank and I placed some in a panty hose and left in the back of the filter. Could I do the same thing by placing in the sump somewhere? I have a total of about 55-65 gallons of water if you take out the live rock/sand and include the sump area.

Thank you guys, Mike

[leebca]

Putting carbon in a filter bag is a good idea for a sump. Place the bag 'in the flow' of the water and pack it snug, but not tightly. For the 55 and a total of about 55 gallons or so, a half-pound of activated carbon is good. Thinking a 'normal' biological load, change the carbon (put in new carbon) every 3-4 weeks. Wash all dust from the carbon before using it. Don't buy cheap here. You want carbon that doesn't release phosphates. Read the label closely and get product information.