Somehting wierd about my cycle levels.

[beatlesfan]

Ok ammonia is starting to go up now here are the test results:
This Morning
Ammonia: .05
nitrites: 3
ph: 8.2
Five minutes ago :
Ammonia: .20
Nitrites: 4
ph: 8.1
also the shrimp look more liek half disolved blobs than shrimp.

 

[beatlesfan]

Ok I have tested and this is what I got:
Ammonia: .75-.8
Nitrites: 5.5
The base rock has little green specks on it and some brown things like on the live rock. Also i probly have up-wards of a million copepods. I will remove the shrimp now thta the ammonias up.

 

[hot883]

Yes, remove the shrimp and prepare to do a water change. To high of ammonia will kill ALL the beneficial critters in the sand and rock. They are "copepods" BTW.

 

[beatlesfan]

oops i meant to write copepods ...fixed. Also how long does the salt water need to be mixed before I put it in?

 

[beatlesfan]

Ok i just tested the ammonia 2 times and heres what I got:
first time:
Ammonia: .1
and then I thought it went down too fast so I tested again:
Ammonia:.01 (not a typo)
I willl test nitrites and get the results back.
P.S I just found my skimmer needs cleaning again so I don't know how long it's not been running. I can't clean it for another hour though.

 

[beatlesfan]

Well I found tape over this little hole at the top of the skimmer that I pulled up and it started working! Ok here are the nitrite results:
Nitrite: 4-5
PH: 8.3

 

[beatlesfan]

Nitrate results:
Nitrate: 12
Well it looks like it is going down. Ok so this is my plan:
1. Wait until the ammonia and nitrite go down.
2. give it a few days to make sure it stays down.
3. Slightly over feed the tank, and if it spikes I wait some more if it doesn't I keep doing step three for about 3-4 days making sure it doesn't spike.
4. I think the cycle is balanced now?

 

[beatlesfan]

If anyone cares: What should I feed the tank? My first fish are going to be a pair of perculas clown and would like to know what they eat?

 

[hot883]

I would not overfeed the tank. Mix new sw for 24 hrs (areated and heated) then do a change. Run the lights as you plan on doing.
I would not feed the tank as you have no clean up crew to eat it.
Wait atleast a week and add your clowns IF the water levels are good.

 

[beatlesfan]

So I just mix a batch of salt water tonight and put it in tommarow night and wait for the levels to stay down? EDIT: never mind found the answer.
Also here are the test results as of about ... uum now:
Ammonia: <.25
Nitrites: 5-6
Nitrates: 160+

 

[beatlesfan]

I am not going to get all the clen-up crew at once. I will add another part with every fish I get. But here's what my initial clean-up crew will be:
2 Cleaner shrimp
5 Pepermint shrimp
10 turbo/astrea snails
3 Scarlet hermits for scavenging

 

[beatlesfan]

In case anyone is still folowing this:
Ammonia: .25
Nitrites: 6
PH: 8.2

 

[medievalfish]

I have been casually following your saga, and missed some things. What size tank are you cycling? When did you start your tank cycle. :thinking:
On a side note, does anyone know if a emerald crab can survive harsh tank conditions like a tank cycling?

 

[beatlesfan]

Originally Posted by medievalfish
I have been casually following your saga, and missed some things. What size tank are you cycling? When did you start your tank cycle. :thinking:
On a side note, does anyone know if a emerald crab can survive harsh tank conditions like a tank cycling?
saga... I like that... Anyways it is a 125g and I got the live rock on the 21st of february and added raw shrimp last tuesday. Also here are the current results:
Ammonia: .2
nitrite: 5< (only slightly more than 5)
Nitrate: 160
Ph: 8.2
This may seem like a stupid question but am i right to get a small refugium to not only help with filtration in addition to my wet/dry but will it also take out nitrates?

 

[beatlesfan]

Ok I have 20-25g of saltwater mixing for tomarrow.

 

[hot883]

refugiums are wonderful to grow pods, macro algeas and also reduce trates. Make sure when you do that water change that the s.g. and the temp is the same as the main tank.

 

[beatlesfan]

Well when I woke up today the salinity was 1.028 and the sump was almost empty and the return was blowign bubbles. I put some of the salt water I was mixing in there but When I checked someone had put the top on and it was 95 degrees. So with the sump full I decided to put in regular water to bring down the salinity and I accidently poured regular water all over one part of my live rock

Well now I am convinced that a bunch of stuff is goign to die. I will get some parameters later.

 

[katz]

Do not worry about the regular water landing on your live rock. You are suppose to top off your tank with freshwater not saltwater. The only time you add more saltwater is when you do water changes and the intital tank filling.

 

[beatlesfan]

No I put in like 4g of regular water and I onyl have liek a 3/4g evaporation.

 

[beatlesfan]

Ok I got home and have corrected the levels. Here are some test results for ya:
Ammonia: .25
Nitrites: 5
PH: 8.2
I did a water change of 10g a hour ago I will give results when they develope.