New tank...hows my data

[abyssmaster]

My Data

 

Date S.G. pH Alkalinity NO2 NO3 NH3 Mg Ca

2-Apr-10 1.02 8.4 3.4

3-Apr-10 1.026 8.4 3.4

4-Apr-10 1.026 8.4 3.6 0.1 <1 <0.1 1080 475

6-Apr-10 1.027 8.2 3.4 0.1 5 <0.1 1140 495

7-Apr-10 1.024 8.4 3.24 0.1 10 <0.1 1160 435

8-Apr-10 1.025 8.4 3.36 0.1 2.5 <0.1 1020 460

9-Apr-10 1.026 8.6 2.72 0.1 2.5 <0.1 1220 450

 

The pH looks a bit high and the alkalinity seemd to have dived....

 

Any comments helpful

[OClownsandNanos]

My Data

 

Date S.G. pH Alkalinity NO2 NO3 NH3 Mg Ca

2-Apr-10 1.02 8.4 3.4

3-Apr-10 1.026 8.4 3.4

4-Apr-10 1.026 8.4 3.6 0.1 <1 <0.1 1080 475

6-Apr-10 1.027 8.2 3.4 0.1 5 <0.1 1140 495

7-Apr-10 1.024 8.4 3.24 0.1 10 <0.1 1160 435

8-Apr-10 1.025 8.4 3.36 0.1 2.5 <0.1 1020 460

9-Apr-10 1.026 8.6 2.72 0.1 2.5 <0.1 1220 450

 

The pH looks a bit high and the alkalinity seemd to have dived....

 

Any comments helpful

 

If your tank is only 7 days old, don't worry about the pH or alk yet. You really should only worry about ammo, nitrite, and nitrate. Once your cycle is over and you start adding corals, you can worry about the rest. Until then everything's going to bounce around on you. This is actually a nice discussion on acceptable reef parameters if you haven't read it yet. Good luck!

[reefer916]

If your tank is only 7 days old, don't worry about the pH or alk yet. You really should only worry about ammo, nitrite, and nitrate. Once your cycle is over and you start adding corals, you can worry about the rest. Until then everything's going to bounce around on you. This is actually a nice discussion on acceptable reef parameters if you haven't read it yet. Good luck!

 

+1

 

To be honest I don't really test my water besides SG for the first 4 weeks. I do my water changes and let nature take it's course. I'm currently cycling a new 12 gallon AP for a Dwarf Seahorse tank and all I do is top it off and check SG every day. I know that the water tests are going to be bouncing around. I'll do a 10-20% weekly water change, but that's it.. I guess it's easier for me because I have my other two tanks to look at and I'm not waiting to get my first fish or corals. I'll let this tank cycle for 6-8 weeks before I start adding anything to it. Patience is the key and try not to add any buffers to try and get everything in order. Have fun and enjoy the little critters that will start popping out of your rocks. If you see an aiptasia, make sure you kill it right away or they'll spread like wildfire.

[cruiZe]

to NR !!

 

+1 to the good advice so far. Its good you are so diligent with the testing so far, gotta be patient for now, but your test kits will be needed soon enough !

[Amphiprion1]

My Data

 

Date S.G. pH Alkalinity NO2 NO3 NH3 Mg Ca

2-Apr-10 1.02 8.4 3.4

3-Apr-10 1.026 8.4 3.4

4-Apr-10 1.026 8.4 3.6 0.1 <1 <0.1 1080 475

6-Apr-10 1.027 8.2 3.4 0.1 5 <0.1 1140 495

7-Apr-10 1.024 8.4 3.24 0.1 10 <0.1 1160 435

8-Apr-10 1.025 8.4 3.36 0.1 2.5 <0.1 1020 460

9-Apr-10 1.026 8.6 2.72 0.1 2.5 <0.1 1220 450

 

The pH looks a bit high and the alkalinity seemd to have dived....

 

Any comments helpful

How old is the tank? I see a good alkalinity shift there at the end, as well as lower than recommended magnesium concentrations. What salt are you using? Are you using any supplements? Did you perform a water change today? What are you using to obtain the test data--i.e. which kits/meters?

[abyssmaster]

The tank is just seven days old.

 

I'm using Red Sea Coral Pro salt and Red Ssea testing kits with a refractometer.

 

I'm concerned because I have two little ricordias and an undidentified nem discovered amoungst the LR.

 

Nem is quite large, 2" or so across and the same deep.

 

Here it is eating a pice of prawn. It has no tentacles to speak of, but seems to be developing some colour in the last few days.

 

 

Will these changes in alkalinity be too disasterous or should I just give up on the nem??

[OClownsandNanos]

The tank is just seven days old.

 

I'm using Red Sea Coral Pro salt and Red Ssea testing kits with a refractometer.

 

I'm concerned because I have two little ricordias and an undidentified nem discovered amoungst the LR.

 

Nem is quite large, 2" or so across and the same deep.

 

Here it is eating a pice of prawn. It has no tentacles to speak of, but seems to be developing some colour in the last few days.

 

 

Will these changes in alkalinity be too disasterous or should I just give up on the nem??

 

I'd be more concerned about the changes in SG - why is it moving around so much? And since you are in essence soft cycling you might want to do a water change to help bring your alk back up. If you are reporting it in meq/L, it's still within acceptable parameters, but a water change probably wouldn't hurt.

[Amphiprion1]

The tank is just seven days old.

 

I'm using Red Sea Coral Pro salt and Red Ssea testing kits with a refractometer.

 

I'm concerned because I have two little ricordias and an undidentified nem discovered amoungst the LR.

 

Nem is quite large, 2" or so across and the same deep.

 

Here it is eating a pice of prawn. It has no tentacles to speak of, but seems to be developing some colour in the last few days.

 

Will these changes in alkalinity be too disasterous or should I just give up on the nem??

 

The anemone is an ailing BTA, actually. It has degenerated to the point that it no longer has tentacles, which isn't uncommon when this species wastes away. If it is accepting and retaining food, keep feeding it. My recommendation is to feed smaller pieces, though. They are easier to digest, since smaller pieces present a higher surface area. Try to target about every other day for now until it recovers. While the alkalinity fluctuations aren't optimal, they shouldn't cause too many issues with the anemone, except for maybe the last shift. Try to avoid ones that are that substantial. Anemones seem to be a bit sensitive to large shifts in alkalinity, though that is more so in the upward direction that I've experienced. As far as the overall level, they are pretty tolerant. The other issue is the age of the tank. Under pretty much any circumstances, I wouldn't normally recommend an anemone for a tank that immature. If it ate for you, though, it seems like it may be trying to go in a positive direction. So I say give it a shot--I don't think it would do well if you moved it to another tank, since that could be enough to send it over the edge. Just make sure that you minimize stress as best you can while nursing it back and FEED.

 

I'd be more concerned about the changes in SG - why is it moving around so much? And since you are in essence soft cycling you might want to do a water change to help bring your alk back up. If you are reporting it in meq/L, it's still within acceptable parameters, but a water change probably wouldn't hurt.

 

The salinity changes aren't so bad and are tolerable. They may not be optimal, but nothing that should be very worrisome under normal circumstances. For now, though, it may be a better idea to minimize them for the sake of the anemone and in hopes that it may recover. If it were healthy, however, I wouldn't be concerned at all.

[fiction101]

A nem in a 7 day old tank? You're not off to the best start...

[abyssmaster]

A nem in a 7 day old tank? You're not off to the best start...

 

I know....I should probably dump it and go from there, but I want to try.

 

Will be doing a water change today, with preprepared water from the LFS.

 

Fingers crossed