Saltwater & Reef

Tank2379 · 08-07-2009, 12:36 PM

You have to remember Live Rock is not always Cured once it leave's the shipper it's no longer live. Pre-cured it bascially the starting structure to become Live so you might have some hitchhiker and might not. You still have to Cure it anyhow for a few weeks for actually adding it to your system. But since your are just starting out it good to cure it while it is cycling.

**Zer0** · 08-11-2009, 08:44 PM

Alright thanks Tank.

Ok heres my readings and so i think im screwed with the ammonia part.

Ammonia: blue.. and theres no blue on the chart, it only goes to dark green..
Nitrite: 2ppm
Nitrate: 15ppm
Salinity: 1.023

Yeah so, i have no clue how my ammonia ever got this high. Before i had the LR in there it tested 0.. so somehow im guessing the LR had some insane ammount of die-off and caused ridiuclously high ammonia. I dont know any other way.. maybe blue color isnt bad.. but my guess is.

**fishmonkey** · 08-11-2009, 08:45 PM

wow. that CANT be good lol.

thominil · 08-11-2009, 09:37 PM

I'm assuming that blue IS NOT good. What test kit are you using? Check the expiration date on the kit. Retest, sometimes it's not the test, it's the tester.

Flake · 08-11-2009, 09:41 PM

I grabbed the tester for FW once to check my salt and it turned a color not even on the charts. I'd check the tester.

thominil · 08-11-2009, 09:48 PM

I found that they use the same test solution for fw and sw just different color results so you need the correct color card for the type of water you are testing.

Flake · 08-11-2009, 09:48 PM

that's good to know actually..

thominil · 08-11-2009, 09:52 PM

Thats API's kits I mentioned above not sure about other companies kits, just so you know.

Flake · 08-11-2009, 09:54 PM

I have API kits for both, so that works for me. Thanks!

**fishmonkey** · 08-11-2009, 09:56 PM

cool. i didnt know that!

**Zer0** · 08-11-2009, 09:59 PM

Yeah im using the one i just bought an hour ago. And its still in the blue. Which isnt on the chart for Ammonia. So ya, i can guess its bad. I still dont know how it got that high.. its not like i used windex to clean to the tank.. lol.

Flake · 08-11-2009, 10:01 PM

It may just be the rock curing. I guess since you're just cycling it wont really matter. Let it go and see if it's just a really high ammonia peak.

**Zer0** · 08-11-2009, 10:02 PM

Yeah i guess i can, not that i have a choice. But i was thinking of doing something like a 20% water change. But idk.

thominil · 08-11-2009, 10:02 PM

lol I doubt it's that high from the die off. Retest it and see if you get same results. Follow all their directions, if they say shake, shake. Make sure that you are using all the right solutions. Did you check the expiration date?

**fishmonkey** · 08-11-2009, 10:05 PM

yeah try a wter change after you test it again. i once had a test kit that frustrated me for a month until i realized the kit had expired lol

**Zer0** · 08-11-2009, 10:10 PM

I just bought the kit an hour ago at petsmart. Brand new.

**Zer0** · 08-11-2009, 10:12 PM

I tested it again and the color matched 8ppm this time. Idfk whats up with this whole thing. But its like dark blue to dark green. And if it matched 8ppm then im guessing its way to high. So im going to do a 20% water change