My tank ready??

[RYANLAWRENCE]

This is what my nitrite readings have looked like for about 2 weeks or so. For nitrite to be 0 on my test kit, it has to be yellow. The liquid in the vial is yellow, but kinda a darker yellow, kinda gold. Is this zero? Like I said it has not dropped anymore and ammonia reads 0 as well. Can i finally add fish? I had to take the pic off to the side because of the flash.

 

[ryshark]

This is what my nitrite readings have looked like for about 2 weeks or so. For nitrite to be 0 on my test kit, it has to be yellow. The liquid in the vial is yellow, but kinda a darker yellow, kinda gold. Is this zero? Like I said it has not dropped anymore and ammonia reads 0 as well. Can i finally add fish? I had to take the pic off to the side because of the flash.

You should take a reading for Nitrate first just to make sure you did get a cycle. How high was your ammonia and nitite at one point?

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

My test kit doesnt have nitrate but the lfs tested it and said i did have nitrates i cant remember what concentration he said though. Ammonia at one point got to 1.5mg/l and nitrite got to .8mg/l at one point. Ammonia dropped quickly to 0 but the nitrite has been hanging around for a while till about two weeks ago. I did a light feeding and let the food break down and saw no increase in ammonia or nitrite so i think im good. What do you think/

 

[ryshark]

My test kit doesnt have nitrate but the lfs tested it and said i did have nitrates i cant remember what concentration he said though. Ammonia at one point got to 1.5mg/l and nitrite got to .8mg/l at one point. Ammonia dropped quickly to 0 but the nitrite has been hanging around for a while till about two weeks ago. I did a light feeding and let the food break down and saw no increase in ammonia or nitrite so i think im good. What do you think/

You are probably good to go. Just add fish slowly.

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

alright sounds good thanks for your help. If i added two occelaris clowns at the same time would that be too much for the first time?

 

[ryshark]

alright sounds good thanks for your help. If i added two occelaris clowns at the same time would that be too much for the first time?

Thats funny, I was actually going to suggest adding 2-clownfish but I didn't because I don't know what size tank you have. But, I'm sure its big enough for 2-clowns. What size tank and how much Live Rock?

 

[Jimbo7]

how old is the test kit? they can go bad over 6-8 months. Either way, you are probably fine, but you should definitely have all three test kits when you are first starting out. Its better to just spend the money on all the kits rather then having a problem go unseen and destroy your tank. Its one of those things we all hate doing, but ya gotta.

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

yeah when i bought it i could have sworn the box said nitrate on it too but i guess not. I guess i have to shell out another 35 dollars. And the tank is 40 gallons with about 35 lbs of live rock

 

[ryshark]

yeah when i bought it i could have sworn the box said nitrate on it too but i guess not. I guess i have to shell out another 35 dollars. And the tank is 40 gallons with about 35 lbs of live rock

I still say go for it, just do a partial water change before you add your fish. You are testing 0-for Ammonia and 0-Nitrite and you said your LFS tested that you have some Nitrate... It sounds like you are cycled. Add one or two small Ocellaris Clowns. You should look into getting a Nitrate kit, you don't need to spend $35 on one, just find one of these:
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Freshwater/Saltwater Nitrate Test Kit, Test kit of 90 tests

 

[Jimbo7]

holy crap, they charge you 35 dollars!? The most i have ever paid for a test kit is around 30 for a magnesium. I would switch LFS.

 

[cmor1701d]

I would buy test kits mail order. Check the dates when they come in. I just got two Salifert kits that expire this year. I emailed customer service and I got an RMA to return them for fresh kits.

 

[austinsdad]

Your ammonia only went up to 1.5? Unless you had partially cured rock when you cycled, I would hope to see a higher amminia reading than that.

Not that I've seen a lot of nitrite tests from various makers, but the color (yellow, orange, red) looks more like a nitrate test. Nitrite kits, if I remember (been so long) were always green to blue. You said you thought the box said nitrate.

Jus wonderin.

 

[RYANLAWRENCE]

Well I meant that a whole kit costs 35 dollars (ph, ammonia etc). My lfs doesnt sell the tests seperate so i will probably have to order them online

 

[ryshark]

Your ammonia only went up to 1.5? Unless you had partially cured rock when you cycled, I would hope to see a higher amminia reading than that.

Not that I've seen a lot of nitrite tests from various makers, but the color (yellow, orange, red) looks more like a nitrate test. Nitrite kits, if I remember (been so long) were always green to blue. You said you thought the box said nitrate.

Jus wonderin.

Good point, that wasn't a very hard cycle. However mine never was either because of what you said with cured very live Live Rock.
I have always seen the colors like you said.... However, his card says "NO2" right on top, so it must be Nitrite.

 

[ryshark]

Well I meant that a whole kit costs 35 dollars (ph, ammonia etc). My lfs doesnt sell the tests seperate so i will probably have to order them online

Order online and don't get any more Tetra kits for your saltwater testing, IMO.