dkh

[Tim sullivan]

Is a15 point or 268.5 good or bad. I am using tap water, I know that's not the best thing to use but I am working on getting a ro/di unit.

 

[redfishbluefish]

First I need to whip you with a wet noodle for using tap water. Shame on you!


The 15 dkh sounds high, but really need to know your other numbers to know if it's a real problem. What's your salinity, calc, and mag numbers?

 

[Tim sullivan]

Since is 1.025 Calc is 440 have not test mag. It's anew tank still cycling only been up since Friday night

 

[Tim sullivan]

I think phosphate was around .025

 

[redfishbluefish]

So these numbers are coming from the salt you are using? Let me guess.....Reef Crystals!

One more check.....what are you using to measure salinity......refractometer or swing-arm?

 

[Tim sullivan]

Reef crystals swing arm until I get a refractometer

 

[Tim sullivan]

Api test kit for saltwater. It's a 20l tank with about 30 lbs of rock and 2 inches of sand or so

 

[redfishbluefish]

And therein lies the problem. Swing arms are accurately unreliable. That is, they will very accurately give you the wrong number every time. Either calibrate that swing arm to a refractometer or get one.

 

[chaoha]

Also besides the wet noodle that you deserve what is the dkh of your tap water? RODI is 0. If your starting out with anything above 0 when you add the salt it will be off. I use RODI and Red Sea coral pro salt and dkh is always between 8&9

 

[twilliard]

<---- shakes his head.
The ALK will drop naturally over time. Bring that calcium number up as it drops.
These elements live in balance with magnesium as the net of the balance.
Do yourself a favor and go buy distilled water from the store if you don't own a ro system yet.
The algae will come quick and hard. (Among other things)
Quite using tap water, period.
I thrive to see this "hobby", hate to call it that, succeed.
Don't worry about your numbers right now, no need to. Let it run and run and run.
Do not add anything to the tank. No fish, no snails, no nothing. This has to "percolate"

 

[Tim sullivan]

Thank you guys not adding any thing til it cycles I use dry rock and sand I did add bio spiria. And a cube of frozen mystics shrimp. I plan on getting some distilled water in the morning. I have no light at this time I plan on keeping soft corals zoes and such what do you recommend?

 

[Tim sullivan]

 

[twilliard]

Orbit marine led will be perfect and not hard on the wallet

 

[twilliard]

Nice rockwork!
Keep that filter washed out and it will clear up in no time.
What filter is that?

 

[Tim sullivan]

Aqueous tap water kh is a 7. Ammonia is 1.0, nitrite is 5.0 nitrate is 20/40 pH is an 8-8.1 Calc is 440 that's all test equipment I have so far. Thanks

 

[Tim sullivan]

Should I wait to clean the filter until the tank cycles or now?

 

[twilliard]

No keep that filter washed out that will be a small percentage of your bacterial population

 

[Tim sullivan]

Alright I retested my water pH is 8 ammonia is 0 nitrite is 40 to 60 nitrate is 5 and phosphate is 0. And I went with the orbit led

 

[DeniseAndy]

Your in a cycle now. Just time to wait. Best thing you can do. I would keep lights off through the cycle since they are really not needed for the bacteria and will be loved by algae.

 

[Tim sullivan]

Thank you lights are off. Just waiting for the cycle to end. Do I still need to do water changes?