Fluval 13.5 NooB Journey *November 2018 Update*

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

I am at 0.5 ppm after dosing yesterday, additionally I’m starting to see a brownish green growth on the rock.

 

[seabass]

If it was live rock from the ocean, don't add any more ammonium (it is harmful to the beneficial hitchhikers and diminishes the biodiversity).  But since you already added it, I would just let ammonia become undetectable before adding a cleanup crew.  Then take things slow, waiting at least a week between new additions (and testing for ammonia).

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

6 minutes ago, seabass said:

If it was live rock from the ocean, don't add any more ammonium (it is harmful to the beneficial hitchhikers and diminishes the biodiversity).  But since you already added it, I would just let ammonia become undetectable before adding a cleanup crew.  Then take things slow, waiting at least a week between new additions (and testing for ammonia).

Not from the ocean, man made from the LFS.  I believe most of this type of live rock is concrete that has been cured / cycled.  The purple is a dye.   I will keep an eye on the ammonia and once it hits 0.00 I’ll add the clean up crew.

[seabass]

Oh, OK.  If it's not from the ocean, after ammonia becomes undetectable, I'd do one more round of ammonium dosing (up to 2 ppm), and then let ammonia become undetectable again.  Then do a water change before adding your cleanup crew.

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

9 minutes ago, seabass said:

Oh, OK.  If it's not from the ocean, after ammonia becomes undetectable, I'd do one more round of ammonium dosing (up to 2 ppm), and then let ammonia become undetectable again.  Then do a water change before adding your cleanup crew.

Agreed, this seems like the best plan.

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

Looks like I'm still at roughly 0.5 ppm of ammonia as of this morning.

 

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

Any benefit in me adding something like "Bio Spira" to the tank at this point?

[seabass]

i wouldn't buy any, but if you already have some, it won't hurt anything.

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

Ammonia still present this morning, but appears to be lowering each day.

 

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

*Quick question, once I am @ 0.00 PPM on the ammonia reading, do I need to re-dose the ammonia again and test until I reach 0.00 again?  Or once I am at 0.00 PPM on my ammonia am I safe to add my clean up crew without re-dosing ammonia?

 

*Also regarding top offs, I am reading mixed thoughts on RO, RODI, and distilled water.  I want to balance keeping the cost down with having a quality tank.  I am not going to invest the time, money, and space into a home RODI unit.  I have a friend that can sell me RODI water for a buck a gallon, but in the event I can't get to him will distilled water be sufficient?

 

When it comes to water changes I am going to continue to use premixed from my local LFS.  Keeping 3 young boys and a wife happy means a less is more approach to time and energy spent on this.

 

[JcSH2o]

If it's the first time reaching zero the general consensus is yes, dose up to between 1 and 2 and test 24 hours later. Assuming you're showing nitrates... Others can expand on this more since I'm still a noob but that is what I was taught and what I did.

Regarding the water, I'm sure the LFS you get your premixed water from will sell you RODI at a much cheaper rate than $1.00 per gallon. Happy reefing! 

[Oldsalt01]

A buck a gallon? My LFS charges me .35/gallon, sometimes. Most times he just gives it to me, because I don't get livestock anywhere else. Bottled distilled will work too, but it can get a little pricey over time.

[seabass]

51 minutes ago, Oldsalt01 said:

My LFS charges me .35/gallon, sometimes. Most times he just gives it to me

Yeah, RO/DI cost about 5 cents to make.

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

Day #9 still watching the paint dry 

 

[Oldsalt01]

37 minutes ago, ThisPlaceIsAPrison said:

Day #9 still watching the paint dry 

 

BUT..... Ur getting there. Fairly typical cycle. Ur doin' it right!

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

Paint drying in motion 

 

 

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

After 10 straight days of 0.25 ppm ammonia (never reaching the dose 2.00 ppm) I decided to redose the Dr. Tim’s ammonia, this time i did reach the 2.00 ppm measures.  Hopefully this jump starts the cycle.  

 

[Lula_Mae]

On 11/22/2017 at 2:53 PM, ThisPlaceIsAPrison said:

So I went to my LFS and they hooked me up with my replacement tank, I get it home and li and behold that one was shattered!

I once tried to buy a little 5g glass tank kit at Target.  Three tries, all shattered.  The last two I carried out to the car and opened before driving home so I wouldn't have to come back lol.  I gave up after that.

 

Cycles are hard to wait for!  Are you getting nitrite/nitrate readings?

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

On 12/2/2017 at 10:56 PM, Lula_Mae said:

Cycles are hard to wait for!  Are you getting nitrite/nitrate readings?

To date I have only been testing ammonia.  I did however pick up the Master Test Kit (API) I just haven't opened it.  I figured it doesn't do me any good until my ammonia hits zero?

[Lula_Mae]

15 minutes ago, ThisPlaceIsAPrison said:

To date I have only been testing ammonia.  I did however pick up the Master Test Kit (API) I just haven't opened it.  I figured it doesn't do me any good until my ammonia hits zero?

Testing for nitrites and nitrates will tell you if your cycle is underway. You don't have to test every day unless you want to (imo-others may disagree ) but it's good to test every couple days so you have an idea what's going on. It'll let you track the cycle's progress.

[Oldsalt01]

Once you start seeing Nitrates you can start testing for Phosphates. Just remember API kits test for "high-range" Phosphates, which don't give an accurate reading. They don't tell you that. You should get a "low-range" kit like Salifert or Red Sea to accurately test for them. I learned this the hard way and discovered my Phosphates were almost 10x what the API kit was telling me which explained why GHA was out of control!

[seabass]

47 minutes ago, Oldsalt01 said:

I learned this the hard way and discovered my Phosphates were almost 10x what the API kit was telling me which explained why GHA was out of control!

Yes and no.  The API phosphate kit is a high range kit.  However, a 0.25 ppm result using that kit wouldn't mean your tank's phosphate level was actually 2.5 ppm (it just means that 0.25 ppm is 10 times more phosphate than your tank should have).  You're right, it isn't an appropriate phosphate kit for a typical reef tank.

[Oldsalt01]

30 minutes ago, seabass said:

Yes and no.  The API phosphate kit is a high range kit.  However, a 0.25 ppm result using that kit wouldn't mean your tank's phosphate level was actually 2.5 ppm (it just means that 0.25 ppm is 10 times more phosphate than your tank should have).  You're right, it isn't an appropriate phosphate kit for a typical reef tank.

That's actually what I meant, but sometimes my fingers don't type what my brain tells them to.

[JcSH2o]

Just my 2 cents... The API ammonia test kit gave me false readings of .25, and for weeks I beat my head against the tank wondering why my cycle was stalling. Turns out it wasn't at all, which was confirmed once I got Red Sea kit. 

 

Not saying they don't work for some... But if you continue seeing what appears to be a stall you may want to confirm it with a different test.

[ThisPlaceIsAPrison]

17 minutes ago, JcSH2o said:

Just my 2 cents... The API ammonia test kit gave me false readings of .25, and for weeks I beat my head against the tank wondering why my cycle was stalling. Turns out it wasn't at all, which was confirmed once I got Red Sea kit. 

 

Not saying they don't work for some... But if you continue seeing what appears to be a stall you may want to confirm it with a different test.

Good to know, I did do a "control" test with the kit with my tapwater and it read 0.00 because I was thinking the exact same thing.  I'm going to dose Dr. Tim's One & Only as I have had folks give that product rave reviews.  I'm going to turn the skimmer off and pull the ceramic sock filter out for 48 hours per the instructions.  I think I'm close and I'm hoping that by week's end I'm there.