Cycle and test questions

[op6rigo]

Good afternoon,

I am a week into my cycle

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
PH 8.0
Salinity 1.025
Calcium 400ppm

First off do i need to adjust the PH? And should i be phantom feeding at this point as i see no rise in ammoni or nitrite?

Second i used a test strip to test KH came back "120". What does this level mean and is it correct?

Also this is a 30 gallon JBJ tank with 2 inches of live sand fini pink and 24 lbs of live rock

Thanks, Anthony

 

[brandon429]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/new-ta...d-cocktail-shrimp-live-rock-no-shrimp.214618/

you appear to have group B rocks from this thread, it covers all your cycling. no pH testing is required in a cycle, but can be depending on animals youll keep after. I haven't googled the conversions between your 120 and a ppm typical reading for alkalinity but that too can wait, no issue during a cycle all we cared about was ammonia destinies.

you can get a more accurate test kit for alkalinity later when its time to start with stony corals its unimpactful here.

 

[op6rigo]

Thanks brandon thats great. After reading this , since all my levels are zero am i able to safely add a fish after just only this short of period in time. Also i may add some bacteria to give it a boost

 

[op6rigo]

Good ideas or no

 

[Bob Escher]

I'm no expert, not even close in saltwater but in freshwater one week is not long enough and in salt it's not even close. Even with live rock this forum and others say at least a month. I would wait and do another test in a week or two and test again as they say don't hurry. And I'm just starting and don't plan on adding anything to the tank for at least a month and a half myself

 

[brandon429]

Waiting is fully prudent and cannot harm, we just like to be able to know what the actual allowed date is.


As a detail tie in to the thread, it's your living creatures stuck to the live rock, moving, waving about and purple that tell us you have bacteria. If the rock is painted or other than true basic cured live rock it will have only color, no creatures.

Once group b rocks are ascertained, before adding fish (which many will claim is too fast here, they like patience in stocking) my angle is to simply verify you can filter them. If it was my tank I'd add some corals and inverts now and wait on fish for a while longer. They are the liability for the tank, hi waste, hi care compared to others, so I like that burden to come later. Others want it faster, is ok to choose as long as we verify


Verifying with a non API test kit that your new tank isn't leaking ammonia is the specific correct move.

You would begin by using a non API ammonia test to prove the current setup doesn't leak ammonia. Then drive the system to 2 ppm and see if it's zero in 24 hours, if so you can start.

I wouldn't need to test it because I'd start with a lesser bioload for two weeks. But if you need to start, that's how to verify.

 

[brandon429]

In support of Bobs post these are some benefits of waiting, and why its a basis for our hobby

-time to prove salinity and temp controls for the tank, no crazy pH happenings from experimenting for the first three mos
-time to catch hitchhikers and deal with algae, with no non targets around
-time to make sure you like tank in location X, moves are simple with no animals in tow or waste in the tank/bed
-time for rearranging. moving rocks around with animals in tow is risky.
-probably nine more benefits insert here-->


so waiting is prudent. just because I don't doesn't mean its the best way, its just a tweaky nerd way of bending rules and documenting what happens.

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

Hey op6rigo! The picture looks good! Thanks for sharing! We like pictures )))
What about fish set.. are you planning something? What species of fish do you like?