Reading my test results over a 4 week period.

[seecrabrun]

So I've been testing my water every few days. I keep the salinity at 1.024 and the temp around 78. I'd love any insight to my pattern, if anyone has any. I do not have a set time of the day I test, usually in the evening but sometimes during the day.

I am having problems with nitrates. I do water changes at least once a week, sometimes more often. I do the continuous method and have since learned I should not do that method as it isn't removing the protein build up on the top and I don't have a skimmer.

6/27 - transferred 10g to 29g
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5ppm

6/30
pH 8.1
Ammonia <.25
Nitrite .25
Nitrate 10

7/4
pH 8.1
Ammonia 0
Nitrite .15
Nitrate 20

7/7
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite .15
Nitrate 20

7/11
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite .15
Nitrate 40

7/17
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate <40

7/21
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40

7/26
pH 8.1
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40

 

[trigger40]

your tank is fine if its fish only. did you use every thing from your old tank including live rock, live sand, and filter media? your tank has a decent amount of bacteria, i can tell from your water tests. water changes do not fix the problem they just slow it down and give it time. how ever at this point your tank is unstable and to see a pattern takes an established tank wich is not something you have. so make shur the inhabitants you have can handle the water fluctuations. in time you will have a well established aquarium and water changes wont be needed as often. i hope this helps.

 

[seecrabrun]

Just my crabs and snails. I've added some macro algae with hopes of helping.

about 2.5 weeks ago I added dry rock to be seeded by the tank and it is recently turning pink and green so I know it is going pretty well.

I also have noticed a LOT of pods recently on the rock and glass and such. So I know that is a sign the tank is healthy.

I do feel like it is going in the right direction, but I worry about the nitrates. Is it just a matter of waiting for the bacteria to catch up? Or should I be doing larger water changes? More macro algae?

 

[seecrabrun]

Oh and yes I used everything from the old tank. Been at this a little over 2 months now and started due to a hitchhiker hermit that came back from the beach with us in our snorkel bag. So it has been a rough start trying to balance a cycle with life in the tank but we are getting there.

 

[trigger40]

lol every thing will work out. the nitrates will go down over time and doing water changes will just slow the process down. try gost feeding whyle its just your cuc in your tank. and the nitrates in your tank are not bad at all in your tank if they get higher then you will have a problem. if you let things fix them selfs in the end you will find that you be very sucessfull in this hobbie. lol i havent done a water change in over 5 months. give your tank another week or two and if things arent what you want them to be then i am here to help.

 

[seecrabrun]

lol every thing will work out. the nitrates will go down over time and doing water changes will just slow the process down. try gost feeding whyle its just your cuc in your tank. and the nitrates in your tank are not bad at all in your tank if they get higher then you will have a problem. if you let things fix them selfs in the end you will find that you be very sucessfull in this hobbie. lol i havent done a water change in over 5 months. give your tank another week or two and if things arent what you want them to be then i am here to help.

thanks. I do feed the tank daily because with so many critters they actually need the supplementing. My crabs sometimes beg for an algae tab.

I'll keep testing and post back in a couple weeks with how things go

 

[silverado61]

Try tying a fishing line to a rock about the size of a plum, smear just a little brine shrimp gel or cyclopez gel on it and lower it into your tank. Then sit back and watch your crabs go bonkers over it.

 

[seecrabrun]

Try tying a fishing line to a rock about the size of a plum, smear just a little brine shrimp gel or cyclopez gel on it and lower it into your tank. Then sit back and watch your crabs go bonkers over it.

I've been thinking of feeding them some shrimp from time to time. I got a raw shrimp and put a tiny little piece in for each and they absolutely loved that.

Need to order this stuff online.

 

[jay0705]

Not much crabs dont like lol

 

[silverado61]

Not much crabs dont like lol

This is true. Lol

 

[jay0705]

Lol its the reason there good for a cuc lol shrimp arnt too picky either