Water Test
- Thread starter hnf2k
- Start date
shadow678
Member
When your cycle begins, the first thing to spike will be your ammonias. Free-floating protein in your water is broken down into ammonia, and thus begins the toxicity. Next, the ammonia is broken down into nitrites, and from there into nitrates. Nitrates are what linger in your tank and are removed by water changes, unless you have a DSB, which will slowly remove your nitrates. I'm assuming since this is your first time to test water that this is a new tank setup? How old is it and how much sand and rock does it have? Also, have you added anything to the tank, such as fresh, uncooked shrimp, to start the cycle?
hnf2k
Active Member
tank isn't old at all...maybe a week or so. .i just added the rock less than a week ago. i have 290 pounds of sand(250 southdown, 40 live) and 200 pounds of live rock. 180 gallon tank.
i was advised by my lfs not to have my protein skimmer running for 2 weeks, that correct?
i havent added anything, i wanted to add a few damsels but i was told that im not getting them out once they are in. i also cant decide if i wanna do an aggressive or community tank. i do want inverts, but i also want lionfish...any middle ground here? if i did do aggressive i wouldnt worry about getting the damsels, out because they would just get eatin. any suggestions on what tank to set up? pros and cons of each?!?
i was advised by my lfs not to have my protein skimmer running for 2 weeks, that correct?
i havent added anything, i wanted to add a few damsels but i was told that im not getting them out once they are in. i also cant decide if i wanna do an aggressive or community tank. i do want inverts, but i also want lionfish...any middle ground here? if i did do aggressive i wouldnt worry about getting the damsels, out because they would just get eatin. any suggestions on what tank to set up? pros and cons of each?!?
shadow678
Member
They advised you to not run your protein skimmer because your nitrate cycle needs some biological pollutant to begin. You will get this from the die-off of your rock. Damsels can be very difficult to catch, especially in large tanks with lots of rockwork. Lions are not going to be a problem for inverts, they are one of those borderline aggressive/nonaggressive species. I have a radiata and a fu manchu in my reef and neither one causes any kind of problem whatsoever. I personally would go with a community reef tank, but that is just my personal preferance.