New Tank
- Thread starter blue eye
- Start date
subielover
Active Member
Awesome, so what did your specific gravity read after you tested it with the refractometer?
blue eye
Member
So now with the tank cycling for 2 weeks do u think that the cycle is almost over. and i also found a hicthicker on my lR today, it is on the LR it is clear looking like silcone is and has long tenticals on it. the whole thing is about 1-2 inch long and it is on my new cultured lr i got the other day. Does anybody know what this might be, and i also have a baby starfish in my tank, that must of been on the LR. It is very small and black and white color. What do u guys think about all this.
subielover
Active Member
Sounds like aiptasia or a majano, do a search on them and see if it is what you have. Or you could always post a pic here.
I think another week or so and you should be cycled. Hard to predict exactly though, so just keep testing to be safe
subielover
Active Member
Not sure about that one, but a pic would help. Also there is a id/hitchhiker section that has a bunch of people that can identify just about anything. Also spanko really knows a lot of ids as well.
blue eye
Member
Yea u guys give good advice, also the pic u have posted dont match what my hicthickers are i will try and take a couple pic of them and post so u can id them.
Also i just got back from my LFS i went and bought a Korlia 1 and add it to my tank it has power on it fore movemnt of water i am also going to get a secound one in a week or so.
Also i just got back from my LFS i went and bought a Korlia 1 and add it to my tank it has power on it fore movemnt of water i am also going to get a secound one in a week or so.
blue eye
Member
I just got the test kits for my Hardness and calcium but i dont understand how to test them. I filled up the tube with water and it says add drops until the color changes well the color changed but only on the half of the tube for my calcim test, is this then when i look on the chart to see what it is or does the whole tube of water need to change color.
blue eye
Member
oh ok and is that for both of the test, also do u have a chart of what all the water levels need to be that i can have, and as far as lighting i was thinking of getting halide lights for my 30 gal. do u know about how much it would cost. I know have the coralife t-5 setup for my tank.
spanko
Active Member
Ammonia (NH3-4)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.010 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.050 mg/L
Any ammonia level above 0.05 mg/L is a cause for
concern, and the source should be found and corrected.
Nitrite (NO2)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.010 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.100 mg/L
Levels of 0.05 or less are
of little concern. If the levels are higher than this, the source should be found
and corrected.
Nitrate (NO3)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.050 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 25 mg/L
Nitrate is not toxic in and of itself, but a rising level is
indicative of deteriorating water conditions, and any level above 5.0 mg/L in
reef aquariums is a reason for concern.
Phosphate (PO4)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.030 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.250 mg/L
The use of a phosphate absorbing resin is recommended to keep phosphate
levels below 0.05 mg/L.
Silica (Sio2-3)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.040 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.500 mg/L
Any level above 0.3 mg/L may cause a diatom bloom in
the aquarium.
Potassium (K)
Natural Seawater Value: 390 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 350 to 450 mg/L
Potassium is an important constituent of seawater, being found in
almost the same concentration as calcium. Potassium is important for
neurological functions in fishes, as well as being a critical plant nutrient
required by zooxanthellae and macro algae.
Calcium (Ca)
Natural Seawater Value: 400 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 350 to 450 mg/L
Calcium is a critical parameter for coral growth in reef aquariums, and
chronically low levels will cause coral mortality and loss of coralline algae and
other invertebrate species.
Boron (B)
Natural Seawater Value: 4.6 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 3.0 – 6.0 mg/L
Boron is a
significant portion of your aquarium pH and water buffering capacity, and is
crucial to maintaining appropriate calcium levels, as well as being essential to
several biological processes, including macro algae growth.
Molybdenum (Mo)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.01 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.0 to 0.12 mg/L
Molybdenum is important to microbial activity in
the aquarium filter, and may also be important to stony coral health and
reproduction.
Strontium (Sr)
Natural Seawater Value: 8.1 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 5.0 to 12.0 mg/L
Strontium is
important to coral growth, as they incorporate strontium ions into their
skeletal mass, particularly SPS corals. It is also important to coralline algae
growth.
Magnesium (Mg)
Natural Seawater Value: 1280 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 1100 to 1400 mg/L
Magnesium is a very important part of the water buffering system, and is
incorporated into coral skeletons. It is also critical to any photosynthetic
processes.
Iodine (I¯)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.060 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.030 to 0.090 mg/L
Please be advised that many iodine supplements are difficult to dose
accurately, and “above normal” readings are easy to achieve with common
iodine additives.
Copper (Cu++)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.030 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.030 mg/L
Copper is fatal to marine invertebrates at levels as
low as 0.05 mg/L for many species.
Alkalinity (meq/L)
Natural Seawater Value: 2.5 meq/L
Acceptable Range: 2.5 to 5.0 meq/L
Maintaining an appropriate alkalinity is crucial to maintaining a
healthy aquarium. A fluctuating alkalinity will lead to serious problems in
maintaining an appropriate pH, as well as problems keeping calcium and
magnesium levels within required ranges.
On my 29 biocube I am running the 20" 150 watt HQI sunpod and love it.
With any test yes, you need to shake so the reagent mixes well with the water.
Natural Seawater Value: 0.010 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.050 mg/L
Any ammonia level above 0.05 mg/L is a cause for
concern, and the source should be found and corrected.
Nitrite (NO2)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.010 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.100 mg/L
Levels of 0.05 or less are
of little concern. If the levels are higher than this, the source should be found
and corrected.
Nitrate (NO3)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.050 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 25 mg/L
Nitrate is not toxic in and of itself, but a rising level is
indicative of deteriorating water conditions, and any level above 5.0 mg/L in
reef aquariums is a reason for concern.
Phosphate (PO4)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.030 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.250 mg/L
The use of a phosphate absorbing resin is recommended to keep phosphate
levels below 0.05 mg/L.
Silica (Sio2-3)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.040 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.500 mg/L
Any level above 0.3 mg/L may cause a diatom bloom in
the aquarium.
Potassium (K)
Natural Seawater Value: 390 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 350 to 450 mg/L
Potassium is an important constituent of seawater, being found in
almost the same concentration as calcium. Potassium is important for
neurological functions in fishes, as well as being a critical plant nutrient
required by zooxanthellae and macro algae.
Calcium (Ca)
Natural Seawater Value: 400 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 350 to 450 mg/L
Calcium is a critical parameter for coral growth in reef aquariums, and
chronically low levels will cause coral mortality and loss of coralline algae and
other invertebrate species.
Boron (B)
Natural Seawater Value: 4.6 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 3.0 – 6.0 mg/L
Boron is a
significant portion of your aquarium pH and water buffering capacity, and is
crucial to maintaining appropriate calcium levels, as well as being essential to
several biological processes, including macro algae growth.
Molybdenum (Mo)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.01 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.0 to 0.12 mg/L
Molybdenum is important to microbial activity in
the aquarium filter, and may also be important to stony coral health and
reproduction.
Strontium (Sr)
Natural Seawater Value: 8.1 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 5.0 to 12.0 mg/L
Strontium is
important to coral growth, as they incorporate strontium ions into their
skeletal mass, particularly SPS corals. It is also important to coralline algae
growth.
Magnesium (Mg)
Natural Seawater Value: 1280 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 1100 to 1400 mg/L
Magnesium is a very important part of the water buffering system, and is
incorporated into coral skeletons. It is also critical to any photosynthetic
processes.
Iodine (I¯)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.060 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.030 to 0.090 mg/L
Please be advised that many iodine supplements are difficult to dose
accurately, and “above normal” readings are easy to achieve with common
iodine additives.
Copper (Cu++)
Natural Seawater Value: 0.030 mg/L
Acceptable Range: 0.000 to 0.030 mg/L
Copper is fatal to marine invertebrates at levels as
low as 0.05 mg/L for many species.
Alkalinity (meq/L)
Natural Seawater Value: 2.5 meq/L
Acceptable Range: 2.5 to 5.0 meq/L
Maintaining an appropriate alkalinity is crucial to maintaining a
healthy aquarium. A fluctuating alkalinity will lead to serious problems in
maintaining an appropriate pH, as well as problems keeping calcium and
magnesium levels within required ranges.
On my 29 biocube I am running the 20" 150 watt HQI sunpod and love it.
With any test yes, you need to shake so the reagent mixes well with the water.
spanko
Active Member
In your tank, with how new it is and the size you do not have to dose anything. All your levels will be maintained by a good water change schedule of 10% - 20% per week with a good salt mix. Calcium dosing should not be necessary until or if you add coral like SPS or clams.