Water parameters for a newb

[carey]

Yep, you got it!

Good luck, let us know how it works out tonight.

 

[Lowsdime]

Oo and good luck with that big tank u started I was reading your thread the other night when I first joined the forum! I'm leaving work at noon to go change the water and I'm going to bring my ro di unit to the fish store with me so they can show me how to use it correctly, cuz buyin pre mixed from the store is expensive!

 

[carey]

Ro/di is the way to go. Its quite easy once you get the hang of it. Reminds me, lol, I need to start making water myself!

 

[Lowsdime]

Ok so I just did a 15 g pwc and I'm goin to let the water settle a little bit then test and see what we have, while I was in there I found this pink mossy looking stuff wondering if it is good or bad for the tank or the LR it's growing on lemme kno what u think

 

[bavass]

are you using RO/DI water? if you are using tap water you could be adding nitrates to the tank

 

[Lowsdime]

It's ro di

 

[Lowsdime]

Ok so I just didn't my tests and came up with this
Ph: 8.0
Ammonia: .025 ppm little higher than b 4 pwc
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 80 ppm
Spec gravity: 1.025
Salinity just below 34

The nitrate test appears to have dropped slightly from the 160 ppm it was at yesterday but still not enough now what?! Another pwc?

 

[melosu58]

We have an excellent article on SW cycling in our articles section.

 

[bavass]

I would do another one tomorrow, just make sure the new water is as close to whats in the tank as possible.

 

[Lowsdime]

Starting to get some foam out of the protein skimmer not alot but a little is a start right?! Anyone know about that foamy pink looking stuff growing on the live rock on the picture I put up??

 

[J670]

If u got nothing in the tank but live sand and rock. Just do a fwc. Start with perfect water. Just a thought.

 

[yetee]

the growth looks like sponges to me. as your tank matures your nitrate will go down as well, it takes much longer though because of the different environment the bacteria grows in. to give you an idea the nitrogen cycle goes ammonia to nitrite to nitrate to nitrogen gas (this bubbles out of your tank) . Nitrate consuming bacteria does not like to be oxygenated so it lives deep in live rock and sand beds. also algae will consume nitrate as well.

 

[Lowsdime]

Sponges are ok to have tho? It does look cool. Do you think I should do another water change today ?

 

[Lowsdime]

I think I'll test and see where im at before Doin another change also

 

[Lowsdime]

Nitrates are still to high! Another pwc?? Help

 

[carey]

Yep, I'd do another pwc. What are your other parameters today? and how high is high? lol

 

[Lowsdime]

Hi Carey today's results are
Ph: 8.0
Ammonia: 0 or just alittle above
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 80 or 160 it's hard to tell between the two reds on the test

 

[Lowsdime]

Do you think another 15 g change?

 

[carey]

If you can swing it, yeah, I think that would be a good idea. How are your fish? They acting normal and look ok? Is there anything else living in that tank or just the 2 clowns?

 

[Lowsdime]

It's just the two clowns they seen lively and I fed them and they ate almost everythin I put in! So that's good I guess, I just got back from the store w 15 more gal of rodi and a bottle of something called stability have you ever used it Carey? I got a small bottle for free with a coupon I'm gunna change the water first and see what that does and depending on any feed back maybe use a little of that