Free or Total ammonia test

[GrndHog]

I'm one week into cycling my tank w/ LR. I'm using the seachem test kit and was wondering which test I should be doing, free ammonia test or total ammonia test or both?

 

[Dewey]

You want to test for free ammonia. I use the same kit .

hth Dewey

 

[GrndHog]

I just got done w/ a test and my free ammonia was 0, my total ammonia was 1.0. I'm thinking that I should be going w/ the 1.0.

Any thoughts?

 

[Dewey]

You want the free ammonia for salt water the other in for fresh water.

If your at 0 its looking really good/.

Good luck dewey

 

[GrndHog]

Thanks Dewey,

I'm seeing a few little crabs that didnt make it, I thought that would start the ammonia cycle, should I retrieve the dead crabs or let them rot away?

I caught the Mantis that was hiding, my wife spotted it and I dove in and got it. Those things are fast and rather smart. I took the rock he was in and took it out of the tank and dunked the whole rock in DI that was sitting next to the tank. It only took 10 sec and he was out.