New to Saltwater - seeking constructive criticism

[Clown79]

Even with mature liverock, you need to test to make sure there is no cycle.

 

Is there life on the rocks? Algae,coraline, feather dusters?

 

Were the rocks wet?

 

If it truly is liverock, you don't need to add anything for an ammonia source. 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

True live rock but nothing living on it except algae. It was transported in water.

 

So how do I get every trace of tap water out, just a series of high % water changes with the RODI? 

[Clown79]

5 hours ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

True live rock but nothing living on it except algae. It was transported in water.

 

So how do I get every trace of tap water out, just a series of high % water changes with the RODI? 

There is life that you cannot see in liverock. 

[Jungle_vip]

5 hours ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

So how do I get every trace of tap water out, just a series of high % water changes with the RODI? 

I would do 75-100 percent water change first and then a 50 percent. Then start your normal schedule by monitoring and testing your water. Let your tests determine how much you need to change. 10-15 percent after should be satisfactory. Just keep posting your tests results the day before your water changes for recommendations. Someone else may have a better idea but that’s what I would do.

The first two should be a few days apart. Then after once a week

[rough eye]

i'd say don't do water changes while cycling. so maybe do a couple or a few and then wait. consider your cycling time as starting once you've stopped doing water changes and started testing.

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

1 hour ago, Clown79 said:

There is life that you cannot see in liverock. 

I know, I thought 'mature' live rock already had nitrifying bacteria on it so I wouldn't need to cycle

😕

When I'm usually cycling I add 2ppm of ammonia chloride then leave it and just occasionally test to check pH and kh and only water change if my Ammonia or nitrites get above 2ppm. Would this strategy still work in a saltwater?

[banasophia]

Man this all seems so complicated… aren’t we talking 5 gallon tank with mature live rock here? I would get some NutriSeawater or some premixed saltwater from the LFS, drain the current water with the high dKH out and put the new water in. I would add a small bottle of BioSpira to be on the safe side cuz I like to be sure I have enough beneficial bacteria in a new tank, and then I’d run the tank for a couple days to a week to be sure all equipment is functioning, temp and water level are stable, test the parameters, then if all is good get a very small fish or two. 
 

For a tank that small I would buy premixed saltwater and do weekly one gallon water changes.

 

 

Also, are you sure about your KH measurement? Are you just using a different scale or units? I don’t think API even goes that high. 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

It's a 25 litre/5.5 us gal with mature live rock, yup.

The kh test I'm using (API) you count the drops until a colour change takes place. 

 

When my salifert test kits arrive I'm going to add some Dr Tim's ammonium chloride to check if cycled or not and recheck kh as well. 

 

Did a 100% water change today to switch over to RODI instead of tap water. I'm shit at mixing salt but will do 2x 90% changes to get rid of all traces of tap water I think. 

 

[banasophia]

5 minutes ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

It's a 25 litre/5.5 us gal with mature live rock, yup.

The kh test I'm using (API) you count the drops until a colour change takes place. 

 

When my salifert test kits arrive I'm going to add some Dr Tim's ammonium chloride to check if cycled or not and recheck kh as well. 

 

How many drops are you adding? A lot? Are you using the dKH scale or the ppm KH scale? Usually I think tap water is very low not high. 
 

By the way the pH in my tanks runs around 7.8.

[banasophia]

This is my manual for my API…

 

Not sure if I’m just missing something?

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

My tap water is 300ppm kh (according to my water company) - that converts about right doesn't it? 

Confused now, my kit didn't have a conversion chart unless I missed it in the box. Regardless I do know my water out the tap is incredibly hard, way harder than the 8-12dKh which seems to be recommended for a reef tank.

[banasophia]

1 minute ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

My tap water is 300ppm kh (according to my water company) - that converts about right doesn't it? 

So when you tested your saltwater from your tank, how many drops did you have to add? More than 12? 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

Just now, banasophia said:

So when you tested your saltwater from your tank, how many drops did you have to add? More than 12? 

19

[banasophia]

Wow, well that could be right then… all seems to line up but seems very unusual. Just wanted to double check because sometimes new hobbyists think it’s the API but it’s really just a testing error.

 

So that all further reinforces the suggestion to just buy premixed saltwater or you could use distilled if you want to mix your own. 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

Oh it's my API ammonia which is faulty not the kh. 🙂The reagent came out cloudy and white last time i tried to use it. 

[Murphs_Reef]

8 minutes ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

Oh it's my API ammonia which is faulty not the kh. 🙂The reagent came out cloudy and white last time i tried to use it. 

API ammonia bottle 2 is cloudy. That's fine 👍🏼

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

2 minutes ago, Murphych said:

API ammonia bottle 2 is cloudy. That's fine 👍🏼

It was bottle one. When mixed it when white and opaque instead of yellow/green. 😞 I don't know how to upload pics but can show if wanted

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

• Pic 1 is what came out of bottle 1, pic 2 is after shaking both 

[Murphs_Reef]

Just now, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

• Pic 1 is what came out of bottle 1, pic 2 is after shaking both 

Leave it 5 mins mate 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

I did. It didn't change. I'm keeping the API kit for now but will also test with salifert for the sake of a belt and braces approach.

[Clown79]

2 hours ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

I know, I thought 'mature' live rock already had nitrifying bacteria on it so I wouldn't need to cycle

😕

When I'm usually cycling I add 2ppm of ammonia chloride then leave it and just occasionally test to check pH and kh and only water change if my Ammonia or nitrites get above 2ppm. Would this strategy still work in a saltwater?

No. Not with liverock that was wet. You don't want to add ammonia chloride, that can kill beneficial life, defeating the purpose of using liverock.

 

Ammonia chloride is used for dry rock cycling.

 

Sometimes spikes of small cycles occur with mature liverock. Thats why we advise testing. It can be from disruption from one system to another, being out of water, lack of lighting/food.

 

I'd do exactly as @banasophia suggested.

 

Dump the water, add either premade seawater or sw with distilled. Add a bottle of biospira, test for a week.

 

With liverock, its not complicated. 

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

• Pic 1 is what came out of bottle 1, pic 2 is after shaking both 

Thats normal

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

Oh awesome. So I can add livestock so long as I keep testing?? 😁 Also, could I substitute Biospira for Fritz Turbostart?

 

Tysm for all the advice. I wasn't sure about joining but glad I have now

 

(Again, apologies if my questions seem dumb. I just want to get everything right. 🤷 And would rather ask questions that seem stupid than risk hurting or killing fish or corals tbh.)

 

 

[banasophia]

Yeah Fritz is said to be a good one too, that would work!

 

Your questions don’t seem dumb, totally normal! 🤗

[Clown79]

35 minutes ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

Oh awesome. So I can add livestock so long as I keep testing?? 😁 Also, could I substitute Biospira for Fritz Turbostart?

 

Tysm for all the advice. I wasn't sure about joining but glad I have now

 

(Again, apologies if my questions seem dumb. I just want to get everything right. 🤷 And would rather ask questions that seem stupid than risk hurting or killing fish or corals tbh.)

 

 

I wouldn't add livestock right away. You want to test and give the system a bit because you don't know what your bio filter can handle.

 

You could add 2 fish and be fine or if the biological bacteria can't handle the bioload, you will end up with ammonia.

 

Everything is about going slow and not rushing. 

 

Nothing good happens when you move too fast in this hobby. Thats from starting, to adding livestock, even when correcting a problem-