QBee
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Hello all, first of all I would like to say how happy I am for having access to this community.
I wouldn't know how else to go about my first salt water tank experience.
So here is the story...
Long story short I always wanted a SW tank but I've taken a year to learn about tank keeping with a FW tank first. Now finally after learning the basics, I've done lots of research and I decided that I am ready for my first try with SW.
I have a 1.00 x 0.4 x 0.4 m tank (=160 liters // 42 american gallons) with 14 kg of live rock and an external filter (Tetra ex 700), using RO/DI water currently cycling.
As I was quite anxious to set up the tank ( please don't hate me for that), I asked the fish shop (a GOOD and reliable shop) to give me some of their filter media and I put it directly inside of my filter.
Day 1 - I had all readings zero (I am assuming this - because I have RO/DI water) and I added some fish food to add up ammonia and quick start the process. I also threw two of my old filters from my FW tank (I squeezed them in the water).
Day 2 - I added the filter media from the fish shop and 30 ml of nitfrifying bacteria (Colombo - Marine water)
On day 3 - I received my professional kit test and I tested the water. I was expecting to read some ammonia (as I added some myself) but surprisingly ammonia levels are zero, No2 levels were <0.2 and NO3 levels were about 0.2 (see pics attached).
What does this reading is telling me? I was not expecting to read NO3 that soon, but could that be because I used a good amount of filter media from the fish shop?
I am doing a 20% water change now, but what is the next step?
Does it mean my tank is ready? What would you do?
Your advice is highly (I mean highly) appreciated. Many thanks folks!