jlk
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sea shells add carbonate, so they should work to raise the ph as well. Just make sure you crush them up a bit & add them very slowly (check your ph often). Good luck!
librarygirl said:It's just the cycling process, it's normal. It should stabilize once the cycle is over, especially if your other tank is stable. I'd try the crushed coral.Sea shells may do the same thing but adding crushed coral straight into the filter probably works faster and better, though not 100% sure on that.
As for nitrate, you'll see nitrate, that's normal. They'll rise. Nitrates are the byproduct of the cycling process (the "waste" if you will). Nitrates don't leave the aquarium except through water changes. Your other tank is building nitrates as well. Without fish in the tank you can just let them rise until the cycle is done. You want ammonia and nitrIte to stay at 0 after each ammonia dose; you do want nitrate.![]()