New mini reef in a Fluval Edge

[naeseth]

I started a saltwater tank yesterday using live rock (6 lbs) and live sand (8 lbs) from my LFS. It was Carribean live sand that had water in it and it promised an instant cycle (which im guessing isn't entirely true). I also purchased saltwater from the LFS. With the combination of LR, LS and pre-mixed salwater, the guy at the LFS told me it would cycle pretty quickly but not to add fish for about a week.

 

I haven't seen an algae bloom or anything yet, but my Ni,Na,Nh levels seem to be off based on what i have read on these forums.

 

Last night: pH:7.8 / NH3:0ppm / NO2:0ppm / NO3: 0ppm / Salinity 1.025

This morning: pH:8.0 / NH3:.25ppm / NO2:0ppm / NO3: (?) Looks in between 0ppm and 5ppm / 1.025

 

 

Can anyone make sense of those numbers for me? I wasnt expecting to have close to zero ppm for Nitrite and Nitrate for a couple weeks. Thanks in advance for help/advice.

[Catbus]

I started a saltwater tank yesterday using live rock (6 lbs) and live sand (8 lbs) from my LFS. It was Carribean live sand that had water in it and it promised an instant cycle (which im guessing isn't entirely true). I also purchased saltwater from the LFS. With the combination of LR, LS and pre-mixed salwater, the guy at the LFS told me it would cycle pretty quickly but not to add fish for about a week.

 

I haven't seen an algae bloom or anything yet, but my Ni,Na,Nh levels seem to be off based on what i have read on these forums.

 

Last night: pH:7.8 / NH3:0ppm / NO2:0ppm / NO3: 0ppm / Salinity 1.025

This morning: pH:8.0 / NH3:.25ppm / NO2:0ppm / NO3: (?) Looks in between 0ppm and 5ppm / 1.025

 

 

Can anyone make sense of those numbers for me? I wasnt expecting to have close to zero ppm for Nitrite and Nitrate for a couple weeks. Thanks in advance for help/advice.

It could be either:

1) your cycle has not started- it is only your second day

2) the rock you used is fully cured and there is little to no die off

[.Newman.]

lol clearly you have ammonia. it has begun. might be a very light cycle if the rock is cured.

[naeseth]

Ok guys, thanks for the info. So when do I know the cycle is over?? I've read a few conflicting things about it.

[gritchie4]

+1 to newman. Your cycle has started since ammonia is present. I had a very light cycle since my rock was fully cured. Ammonia was around for a couple of days followed by nitrite and then finally nitrate. Only lasted about a week and a half or so. Just keep testing and watching for the spikes.

[JBM]

the guy at the LFS told me it would cycle pretty quickly but not to add fish for about a week.

 

Thanks in advance for help/advice.

 

 

rule #1

 

lfs people are 95% full of ####. They dont care about you. They want to make a quick sale. By the looks of it already, they sold you sand that you (imho) didnt need & water that you shouldnt have used. Could have saved $30 easily

 

If you care for me to elaborate i will.

 

 

rule #2

 

Patience is key to a sucessfull tank. Nothing good comes overnight. Dont rush anything

 

rule #3

 

do your own research about things that are happening to your tank. The nitrogen cycle is very easy to understand. A ton of reading will save you a empty wallet & nothing to show for it

 

 

 

 

-------

EDIT

 

i hate to be a stickler

 

but how are you testing your parameters? what equipment/ test kits are you using?

[naeseth]

Thanks, and please do elaborate on what you were saying about rule #1

 

Im using a Coralife deep six hydrometer and API saltwater master test kit

[JBM]

Thanks, and please do elaborate on what you were saying about rule #1

 

Im using a Coralife deep six hydrometer and API saltwater master test kit

 

your hydrometer isnt very reliable or accurate. At some point down the line you will want or need a refractometer. API test kits, while not cream of the crop. Are better than nothing. I find that the lower limits of these test kits are not accurate.

 

The sand you bought was quite expensive, you could have accomplished the same thing with dry sand (20 lbs for $10). Saving you $15-$20.

 

Boxed, pre mixed, or lfs made sw is also exteremely expensive. Not to mention it might contain phosphates, hard metals & other nasty things you dont want in your tank. Do yourself a favor & buy a small RODI unit ( 25-50 gpd ) & a bucket of reef crystals (instant ocean) salt. It costs me 0.31 cents to make 1 gallon of sw. How much did you pay for 1 gallon of that pre mixed stuff?

 

 

 

 

Further more, lfs store will make wild statements like "You need to suppliment iodine, calcium & X Y Z" Honestly? Your just starting out. tank is an infant, you dont need to dose a god dam thing & probably wont need to for the first year or ever.

[naeseth]

Ok, thanks for the info, i'll grab a refractometer pretty soon and look for a RO setup. What testing kit would you recommend other than the API one?

 

Yeah I thought about getting dry sand, but the guy at the LFS talked me into getting live sand because he said dry sand would make my tank cloudy for days. Yeah im sure he was lying about that to, but oh well, he won the first round. I'll be a little more prepared & informed when I visit for round 2.

 

The sand I bought was like $30 and the water was $1.25 gallon. I know better now.

[JBM]

Ok, thanks for the info, i'll grab a refractometer pretty soon and look for a RO setup. What testing kit would you recommend other than the API one?

 

Yeah I thought about getting dry sand, but the guy at the LFS talked me into getting live sand because he said dry sand would make my tank cloudy for days. Yeah im sure he was lying about that to, but oh well, he won the first round. I'll be a little more prepared & informed when I visit for round 2.

 

The sand I bought was like $30 and the water was $1.25 gallon. I know better now.

 

dont feel to bad.

 

10-11 years ago i was in your same situation. The lfs guy was right about the sand. It will make it cloudy, but not for days. More like a few hours.

 

The API kit will serve it's purpose for now. But once you start to test for things like KH & ALK. you might want to step over to salifert kits.