Tank Cycle

[Feelin_Salty]

Is there a way to check and make sure my tank is fully cycled? I never really paid attention during the curing/cycling of my live rock/tank. I have a few crabs/snails living in my refugium for the last few days though, so I'm guessing it can't be TOO bad. But I do have 20 ppm nitrate and 0 Nitrite.... And I still haven't found out why i have 8 PH in my tank, but 0 coming from my RO...any help is appreciated

 

[hackteck]

u cant seem nitrate with out nitrite likewise u cant see nitrite without ammonias so if your getting a reading of 20 nitrate then your tank is completely cyled

 

[melosu58]

It sounds like it is cycled .How long has it been going?

 

[Feelin_Salty]

I thought nitrates turned into nitrites.... But you're right so its cycled and now i can finally add fish... YAY!

 

[reeling reefer]

I would do a water change first before adding fish to see if you can bring the nitrates down some.

 

[Brenden]

Definitely get the NO3 lower with a couple PWC's. A ph of 8 is a little low but not much concern on a newly cycled tank. 8.1-8.4 is Ideal PH. Be sure to add fish slowly. What size is the tank?

 

[Feelin_Salty]

It's a 90 gal. I thought I wasn't supossed to have any PO4 at all, so it sounds good that 8 is just a little low...I have a weird tester, so it might even be about 8.1 All the tests that I have are crap, cause I can never get that close of a reading, I always have to give a little guestimation of what it is...

I am du for a pwc though, i had been doing them a LOT for a few weeks, and then I slacked off last week and didn't.

Now I'm on a big decision...add crabs/snails first, or fish?? Hm, decisions decisions

Are NO3 supossed to be 0? Is there a good natural something that I can put in my tank to keep em low, or are they just something that builds up and there's not much to do about?

 

[Brenden]

Your first post says PH is 8 not PO4. PO4 should be 0. If you have a PO4 reading of 8 you should not be able to see the other side of your tank. Invest in a salifert or seachem test kit. (I prefer salifert) NO3 ideally should be 0 but rarely is. It depends on what is in your tank. This is a grey area but if you have corals keep it below 5ppm. FO only keep it below 20ppm

 

[Feelin_Salty]

Oh my bad...it's PO4 at 1.5 and PH is at 8 Are either of these levels unsafe for fish?