OMG! another newbie "has my tank cycled already" q

[Shultz]

Sorry it seems very easy to worry you ain't doing something right with this hobby, I feel more so as I've never kept a fish tank before.

Right, below (hopefully) is my readings from my tank over the past 7 days, it seems afwully quick for a cycle, but my LR to water ratio is 1½lb per gallon which most people on here seems to think is good?

Date..........13.07....14.07....15.07....16.07....17.07....18.07....19.07....20.07

Salt.............NT......1.025....1.026....1.025....1.025....1.025....1.025....1.026

PH...............NT.........8.........7.85......7.85.....7.88......7.87......7.94........8.03

Ammonia.....NT........0.5.........1.........0.5.......0.5.......0.25........0.............0

Nitrites........NT........0.5.........NT.........5..........5...........5.........0.25.........0

Nitrates.......NT.........10.........NT........NT.........NT.........NT.........20........20



NT= Not Tested



So by rights I /seem/ to think my tank has cycled? The LFS I trust (no pushy selling, lots of advice & no:1 rule of take it slowly) is closed tomorrow so I'm gonna see him thursday & ask him to test a water sample to be sure. I added 3 raw tiger prawns on 13th as well as the LR, sine then not touched the tank apart from changing to a hana tester for PH

I'm using the Aquarium Pharamaceuticals saltwater master liquid kit for my testing & the AM test goes straight from 0 to 0.25 on the scale, which seems a big jump? is there a better company or kit for Am/nitrite/nitrates?

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Overstocker]

You got Nitrates......It has cycled.

The Salt is a bit high IMHO.

 

[crage34]

just add alil fresh water and bring your salt down a bit 1.024 is what most will recommend...im keeping mine at about 1.023 right now

wait a couple of days and test then add a clean up crew if your parameters are still good

 

[Shultz]

OK, I have a freshwater bucket with an air pipe in it atm, I'll add that lunchtime to cover the evap I'll see what that makes my salt level.

In a couple of days time when I'm sure am I better adding 1 fish first so I have a source of ammonia & then adding the cleanup crew a few days later?

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Overstocker]

I would agree with you on fish first. The clean up folks need something to clean up I suppose. I didn't add any clean up folks for several weeks, not until I was getting some algae and had a couple fish in the tank for a couple weeks. Don't know if it is correct but it what I did.

 

[Atari]

Normally the cycle takes a lot longer, and by the time it's done the tank looks like a jungle. So that's why you usually hear of cleanup crews going in first. But if there's no algae then obviously no point in putting them in.

BTW, adding the freshwater to cover evaporation won't alter the normal salinity. You have to remove the saltwater and replace it with freshwater.

 

[Shultz]

Normally the cycle takes a lot longer, and by the time it's done the tank looks like a jungle. So that's why you usually hear of cleanup crews going in first. But if there's no algae then obviously no point in putting them in.

BTW, adding the freshwater to cover evaporation won't alter the normal salinity. You have to remove the saltwater and replace it with freshwater.

Cheers to all for the info!!

Hehehehe, thanks Atari, I thought about that afterwards... I'm going to the LFS today so I'll see what he has to say & I've been making a salt mix up overnight for the "big" first water change (8gal from a 30 gal tank?) & I've made it a lower salt level to bring it down

Cheers Shelton.

 

[jackdp]

FWIW...I keep my tank at a specific gravity of about 1.025. NSW is around 1.026 and most corals and inverts seem to do better there.

 

[Atari]

According to my book NSW is around 1.023.. I guess it depends where in the world the water is.

Having said that I also keep mine around 1.025 for no other reason than that's what my LFS has their tanks at.

 

[Shultz]

Right, did the big water change (25%) this afternoon after cycling has finished & when I've tested tonight amm= 0% Nitri= 0% but Nitra = 10-15% does it take a while to settle, or do I need to do another water change, if so how much?

Cheers Shelton.

 

[steve-s]

10-15 ppm nitrates are not that large an issue for a new tank. NNR can take a fair bit of time to develope depending on the means your employing. Just be sure you keep an eye on things as you slowly add animals to make sure it doesn't creep up on you. Water changes for the time being at least will be your main recourse.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Shultz]

Lovely, I'll go see the LFS today with a view to getting something saturday

Soooooooo exciting now to think a couple weeks ago it was a tank full of water only

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Vegas Marine]

Well, I guess I should have read this thread before I posted a very simular one. Dang Newbies

It appears that we are both in the same boat. I did a 25% water change yesterday, and am going to let it cycle one more week before I add a clownfish and a cleaner shrimp.

Thanks
Dan

 

[crage34]

that is actually an exceptable reading for a fo tank....it will probably come down a little...i would do a small water change in a couple of days to bring it down some more...mine has stayed at a constant 8% since the tank has been cycled ( about 2 weeks now) and just came up to 10 today...but my only source of filtration is my rock right now and i dont have need enough live rock

 

[Shultz]

I'm going to change my testing kits this week, I bought a complete starter kit when I didn't know any better, it readings jump in to big a steps for my liking (0.25) so I'll go to a not-so-local fish shop whilst on holiday this week that I know has the salifert ones

As a side note according to the current kit my nitrates have dropped from approx 15 to 5 since adding the fish/shrimp?????

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Atari]

Ah yes, it would appear you have been fortunate enough to have acquired the rather rare species known as Lysmata nitrareductus.

 

[Shultz]

Hehehehehe, you know you shouldn't tease newbies like that

I think I fed abit too much food to the tank this morning, still not sure whether its better with the PH's on (which makes the fish chase the food) or off which allowed a lump to reach the bottom which the peppermint quickly grabbed & dived back under his favorite rock with!! 8O

Cheers Shelton.

 

[limitup]

I've found that a slightly "high"salinity around 1.025 to 1.027 helps to keep fish healthy because it really draws all the ammonia and other stuff out of their bodies. They really on the salt in the water for this. Of course the main thing is to try to avoid big swings one way or another...

 

[Shultz]

Mines 1.023 atm, gonna up that to .24 or .025 via water changes over the next few weeks..

I am waiting for a refractometer to come from Canada as I don't really trust the hydrometer I have atm.

Cheers Shelton.