New-b question re:water chemistry

[waterdog1]

Set up a 10g nano with about 14 pounds of cured live rock(lots of coraline algae) and dead sand. Has been set up and running for 2 weeks. Amonia, Nitrites are undetectable, Nitrate is 5 ppm (as best as I could tell, the test kit seems rather subjective) and the pH is about 8.0(again subjective, could be between 8 and 8.2). Added macro algae yesterday(algae was not in the best of shape). I also added a Hermit and two snails(both busy chomping and picking at any algae etc.). My questions to you folk.

 

1.)Should I be concerned that the pH is not a firm 8.2? Should I mess with the chemistry?

 

2.) is 5ppm Nitrate normal for this type of tank at 2 weeks? Do you think I could add some shrooms or other more hardy animals at this point?

 

3.) I have feather and grape caulerpa, Do you think it will recover from its rough shipping? I really want to cultivate the feather caulerpa, in the average low nitrate tank how long before this stuff starts to take hold and grow.

 

Thanks for any advice, sorry for some of the open ended questions.

[BKtomodachi]

I bet you'll see the macro grow well within a couple of weeks as long as you have good light.

 

Thats not quite normal, but if the rock really was wet during transitm you're dont cycling. 5 ppm is normal in reefs. A little lower is good, though.

 

Mushrooms... I'd wait a couple of weeks. They like mature water anyway. They would be ok if you cant wait though... and also that you have OK lights.

[waterdog1]

Yea I purchased the live rock from a friends mature tank and transported it in water. As far as light goes I have a 28W 50/50 10k/actinic cf and a 15W normal flour on there right now. Thats all the light i will be adding I only want to keep shrooms, xenia and some lower light polyps. I think...

[BKtomodachi]

Sounds good so far! They should do fine with that light.