water parameters during cycling

[misskeeter2766]

Im on day 6 since tank setup. 20 pounds of live rock. 18 pounds of live sand. 12 gallon nanocube.

here are my parameters:

Ammonia .25
Nitrate 20
Nitrite 0
Alkalinity 300
pH 7.8
salinity 1.025

................... How is it looking?

 

[neilanh]

Looks like you're on your way. Ammonia is building, just as it should.

What are you using to source your ammonia? Was the rock fully cured already, or are you curing it in your cycle?

 

[misskeeter2766]

actually the ammonia is on the way back down... it got up just past 1.0 about 2 days ago.

My live rock was cured, but spent 2 days in shipping... I also added some live rock from my lfs.. and I started with live sand. Once I added the sand, my ammonia came down fast

 

[misskeeter2766]

is the activated carbon something I need?
the nanocube said to remove bioballs and ceramic rings... but did not say anything about carbon...

 

[neilanh]

Lots of different opinions on AC. IMO it's good for specific uses (removing meds for example) but not for long term use. Unless you change it out every week or two, it doesn't do you any good.

 

[misskeeter2766]

hmm... so should I toss it while cycling or leave it?

 

[neilanh]

It won't hurt, it's just not doing anything of benefit for you right now.

 

[misskeeter2766]

Day 7
Ammonia .25
Nitrate 20
Nitrite .5
Alkalinity 300
pH 7.8
salinity 1.026

 

[misskeeter2766]

Imagine my shock this morning...

Ammonia- 0
Nitrate 20
Nitrite 0
Alkalinity 300
pH 8.4
salinity 1.026

 

[neilanh]

Yay! Congrats!

 

[Zer0]

Good things come to people who wait. As simple as that.

 

[Son of Red]

Nice. Can you say CUC?

 

[misskeeter2766]

I KNOW>

thanks.

 

[misskeeter2766]

I went and got 2 cerith snails and 2 nassa snails.

we will see how that goes. I have some algae starting up.

 

[misskeeter2766]

Im drip acclimating them... so someone tell me how I can start the water drip without sucking the end of it... yuck.

 

[neilanh]

My recommendation to you it to just get used to the taste. haha!

 

[Zer0]

Definitely agree with neilanh lol. You'll be doing a lot of siphoning throughout your SW days, and unless you have an aqualifter pump or something(which is completely unnecessary) you'll be sucking the end of that tubing..

 

[misskeeter2766]

well that was not news I wanted to hear. LOL...

yuck.

it will be worse once there are tank inhabitants... eeew.

what about all the neurotoxin stuff I hear about from certain corals? won't that hurt me? (later I mean.. LOL) I dont think Im gonna be in danger of that from my 4 snails.

 

[Zer0]

Well i mean.. you shouldn't be DRINKING the saltwater lol. Just a quick suck on the end of the tubing and the water should be flowing out. Just suck on the tubing until it gets close to the end. By then you can take your mouth of the tubing and the water will readily begin to drip out of the tubing. I've been drip acclimating my livestock with a small air-line tubing tied in a knot to controll the flow and i've never had a single drop of the saltwater in my mouth. Plus, the toxins from the zoas are only toxic if you DRINK it. Not if a drop gets in your mouth.. You can just rinse you mouth out.. if you feel threatened lol.

 

[misskeeter2766]

lol.
thanks.. I'll try to catch it next time...