Infinitereef Posted December 13, 2014 Author Share Posted December 13, 2014 Nitrates are kinda high so would it be due for a waterchange? Ammonia is at 0 now and my nitrite seems to be on 0 also according to the api test kit. The nitrates are 5-10ppm. Link to comment
seabass Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Nitrate under 10 ppm is fine, but feel free to do a water change (it won't hurt anything, and some people prefer to keep nitrate at lower levels). Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 13, 2014 Author Share Posted December 13, 2014 This still happens during a cycle? I know its not cycled yet but thats normal? Link to comment
seabass Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Our nano tanks don't always process all of the nitrate that is being produced, as they often don't support enough denitrifying bacteria. Therefore the nitrogen cycle is not 100% complete. However, this last step isn't required for an effective bio-filter (which only requires nitrifying bacteria). Excess nitrate can be removed with water changes or other nitrate reducing techniques. Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 13, 2014 Author Share Posted December 13, 2014 Alright how soon can i get frags once the cycle is done? Link to comment
seabass Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 I would at least wait until after your tank experiences a diatom bloom. It can take a little while for everything to stabilize; however, in theory, you can add coral as soon as the nitrogen cycle has been fully established. Link to comment
frags Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Alright. Ill have to order one this weekend. I dont think any of my lfs will have any of those unless i drive out of town an hour away. Don't bother on a phosphate kit they are a waist of money..to much algae then your phosphate is 2 high. Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 13, 2014 Author Share Posted December 13, 2014 I would at least wait until after your tank experiences a diatom bloom. It can take a little while for everything to stabilize; however, in theory, you can add coral as soon as the nitrogen cycle has been fully established.diatom bloom after the nitrite goes up then down? Then i start doing my light schedule? Don't bother on a phosphate kit they are a waist of money..to much algae then your phosphate is 2 high. Makes sense. Lets hope i dont have a horrific algae problem cause of the dry rock. Link to comment
seabass Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 diatom bloom after the nitrite goes up then down? Then i start doing my light schedule?The diatom bloom has to do with silica in the tank. Once it has consumed the available silica, the bloom will go away. Don't bother on a phosphate kit they are a waist of money..to much algae then your phosphate is 2 high.Some people rely solely on observation. It's certainly more helpful than an API test kit. And once an algae bloom begins, the algae will be utilizing the inorganic phosphate in the water so the test kit will give you lower results than before the bloom began. However, I like using a phosphate kit to help prevent problems before they arise. Also, if you use a phosphate reducing chemical media, you will want to make sure that you don't bring down phosphate too low (as that can directly affect coral health). Link to comment
frags Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 The diatom bloom has to do with silica in the tank. Once it has consumed the available silica, the bloom will go away. Some people rely solely on observation. It's certainly more helpful than an API test kit. And once an algae bloom begins, the algae will be utilizing the inorganic phosphate in the water so the test kit will give you lower results than before the bloom began. However, I like using a phosphate kit to help prevent problems before they arise. Also, if you use a phosphate reducing chemical media, you will want to make sure that you don't bring down phosphate too low (as that can directly affect coral health). I don't think our test kits will let you know it is to low they don't measure at a level that is acurate enough. What kit do you use to let u know your using to much media? I think all things start small and slow...say u have to much algae use a little mediaand use less food and see what happens.Still no good then use a little more wait and see what happens..etc I'm not against test kits at all, I Test alk, Calcium And Mag all the time just mot phosphate. Link to comment
seabass Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 What kit do you use to let u know your using to much media? I use a Hanna ULR Phosphorus Checker. It has a resolution of 1 ppb (parts per billion), and an accuracy of ±5 ppb, ±5% of reading. The conversion of phosphorus to phosphate means that 10 ppb of phosphorus is about 0.03 ppm of phosphate (which is a decent target value). While accuracy isn't dead on, it at least lets you know what's going on with phosphate (too low or too high). Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 13, 2014 Author Share Posted December 13, 2014 So i do keep my light schedule going while the tank is cycling? The api phosphate only in .25 increments so im better off getting a real checker to make sure they stay low and always stay low or none. Link to comment
seabass Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Many people don't turn their lights on while the cycle is becoming established (to discourage algae); while others do (to sustain any photosynthetic life on the rock). Either way is acceptable. Yes, the API Phosphate kit is worthless for determining acceptable phosphate levels in our reef tanks. Some feel phosphate isn't critical to test (as it isn't toxic to coral). However, high phosphate levels can affect calcification and coloration (not to mention, cause algae blooms). I've had phosphate issues in the past and it can get frustrating. Also low phosphate can cause problems too. Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Alright. Im just waiting for a nitrite spike when i tested the color had a tint of purple lightly though from the api kit shouldnt it be higher? It was between 0-0.25ppm. Link to comment
seabass Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Alright. Im just waiting for a nitrite spike when i tested the color had a tint of purple lightly though from the api kit shouldnt it be higher? It was between 0-0.25ppm. It is interesting to monitor nitrite, but it really isn't necessary. Nitrite isn't very toxic at marine pH levels. Also, after ammonia becomes undetectable, nitrite will soon become undetectable as well. If you wish, you can wait for it to become undetectable (it shouldn't take more than a week after ammonia becomes undetectable). Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 It is interesting to monitor nitrite, but it really isn't necessary. Nitrite isn't very toxic at marine pH levels. Also, after ammonia becomes undetectable, nitrite will soon become undetectable as well. If you wish, you can wait for it to become undetectable (it shouldn't take more than a week after ammonia becomes undetectable). Ok so ill keep testing this week and if things go smooth i could have zoas and palys by then? No fish til febuary im thinking until its more established Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 It is interesting to monitor nitrite, but it really isn't necessary. Nitrite isn't very toxic at marine pH levels. Also, after ammonia becomes undetectable, nitrite will soon become undetectable as well. If you wish, you can wait for it to become undetectable (it shouldn't take more than a week after ammonia becomes undetectable). Ok so ill keep testing this week and if things go smooth i could have zoas and palys by then? No fish til febuary im thinking until its more established Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Tested water parameters today. Ammonia -0 Nitrites - 0 Nitrates 5.0 ppm How come i didnt get a spike in nitrite only a tinted color of purple. Is it possible that i couldve completely missed it? I did a water change yesterday and it seems like it helped the nitrates but i dont want to do another one today. Link to comment
seabass Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 If nitrite didn't spike, it just means that there was enough nitrifying bacteria that oxidize nitrite (Nitrococcus). Again, don't worry too much about nitrite. You are seeing nitrate, so you know it is being converted to nitrate. No need for another water change with nitrate at 5 ppm. Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 I thought the process was ammonia spike then nitrites then nitrates? it has only been almost 2 weeks so its not possible for it to be cycled that fast. Link to comment
Pinner Reef Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Yes it can depending on how much bacteria was present at the beginning of the process. Let her run for another week just to be sure tho. Link to comment
seabass Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 I thought the process was ammonia spike then nitrites then nitrates? it has only been almost 2 weeks so its not possible for it to be cycled that fast.Spikes just occur when there is too much to be processed. If there is enough bacteria to process the nitrite, then you won't see a spike. It's true that the ammonia gets broken down into nitrite, and then nitrite into nitrate. However, a spike/overload is not always noticed. It IS possible to have enough nitrifying bacteria (for the existing bio-load) within 2 weeks. It all depends on bacteria populations, and the amount of living and dead matter on the rock. Each system is a little different. Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Well i used 10lbs of live sand and complete dry rock. When i started this tank it was up and running for a year before i decided to restart and the same day i cleaned the tank i had it up and running so i dont if it wasnt cleaned really well. Im not to sure if that had anything to do with the cycle. Here is a rundown on how i have everything setup. Here is my brs rodi unit i got during the black friday sale. 4 stage rodi plus http://s596.photobucket.com/user/ImportRacer1867/media/IMG_1634_zps965bcfbd.jpg.html'> This is my bucket i used for saltwater 5 gallon pail food safe bucket http://s596.photobucket.com/user/ImportRacer1867/media/IMG_1635_zps3e2f9b4f.jpg.html'> This is my ato setup. http://s596.photobucket.com/user/ImportRacer1867/media/IMG_1637_zps50f85251.jpg.html'> This is just a random shot of what it looks like this morning. Sorry for the mess i was doing some testing this morning :-D http://s596.photobucket.com/user/ImportRacer1867/media/IMG_1636_zps461f8961.jpg.html'> This is at night with all lights off in the room. This is about 3/4 the way turned up with my dimmer. All these pictures are with crappy Iphone pictures. http://s596.photobucket.com/user/ImportRacer1867/media/IMG_1616_zps277deee2.jpg.html'> Link to comment
Daveluce Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Nice setup! Where did you get that skinny ato container? Link to comment
Infinitereef Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Nice setup! Where did you get that skinny ato container? Im pretty sure i ordered it from either marinedepot or bulkreefsupply one of those 2 websites. Its 1.5 gallon jug or something like that. Link to comment
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