Feeling hopeless

[Greg P]

Don't perform any more water changes yet until you get your Alk testing sorted out.
Salt mixes can separate during shipping and you may be getting very different readings from your bucket right now over what was intended when it was packaged as you're only using a small portion of it.

I trust my Salifert Alk, Ca and Mag kits.
What are your Alk readings when you mix a fresh batch of saltwater?

What is your DT salinity at? and what are you using to measure it?

 

[Arod0416]

Don't perform any more water changes yet until you get your Alk testing sorted out.
Salt mixes can separate during shipping and you may be getting very different readings from your bucket right now over what was intended when it was packaged as you're only using a small portion of it.

I trust my Salifert Alk, Ca and Mag kits.
What are your Alk readings when you mix a fresh batch of saltwater?

What is your DT salinity at? and what are you using to measure it?

I am using salifert test kit for my alk reading. But, for some reason the green/blue isn’t turning another color. I repeatedly did the steps and other people in my house as well. I even watched videos on how to properly do it. It is still remaining the blueish green color.
I use a hydromete and refractometer to measure the salinity of my water. It’s always been at 1.025.

when I did the water changes, I had to use my instant ocean salt to maintain my salt level back at 1.025.

 

[Greg P]

when I did the water changes, I had to use my instant ocean salt to maintain my salt level back at 1.025.

Explain this in more detail. I don't understand your meaning.
When you make new water, you mix it in a separate container using RO or RO/DI, aerate it overnight, then check salinity and temp matches your DT before performing a water change.

 

[Greg P]

I wrote the above assuming we are still trying to find out why your Alk level will not read with your Salifert kit.

Take a water sample in a sealed baggie (to avoid evaporation) to your LFS to have them test your Alk.

 

[Arod0416]

I wrote the above assuming we are still trying to find out why your Alk level will not read with your Salifert kit.

Take a water sample in a sealed baggie (to avoid evaporation) to your LFS to have them test your Alk.

I do not use a rodi or a ro to make new water. When I do a water change, i take out 10-15 percent of my water and I just put tap water into my tank and if the salinity level is low, I add salt to adjust it.
Please tell me if I am doing something wrong, I am here to learn and be better and see what are my flaws on what I am doing. The internet has many things but, I find this center to be better because majority people here are experienced.

 

[Greg P]

I do not use a rodi or a ro to make new water. When I do a water change, i take out 10-15 percent of my water and I just put tap water into my tank and if the salinity level is low, I add salt to adjust it.
Please tell me if I am doing something wrong, I am here to learn and be better and see what are my flaws on what I am doing. The internet has many things but, I find this center to be better because majority people here are experienced.

Wow. Sorry, I didn't realize what you are doing.

You really need to mix your new salt water before adding it to your tank.
It's not the same as owning a freshwater tank.

You need to, at the very least, put some water in a mixing container and add salt to it.
Then mix it with a pump and preferably a heater.
Bring the water up to the same salinity and temperature as your tank, then do your water change.

If I'm reading your posts incorrectly, please let me know

 

[Arod0416]

Wow. Sorry, I didn't realize what you are doing.

You really need to mix your new salt water before adding it to your tank.
It's not the same as owning a freshwater tank.

You need to, at the very least, put some water in a mixing container and add salt to it.
Then mix it with a pump and preferably a heater.
Bring the water up to the same salinity and temperature as your tank, then do your water change.

If I'm reading your posts incorrectly, please let me know

No apologies! I am a student here haha: Okay, so I did a water change today. The next one I will do is on Friday. I should take a container that is enough to hold at least 20 percent of a water change. Add the tap water and my salt, put a heater and pump in the container and let the water be the same as my tank. Like the salinity level and temperature level. Am I right on understanding?

 

[Arod0416]

No apologies! I am a student here haha: Okay, so I did a water change today. The next one I will do is on Friday. I should take a container that is enough to hold at least 20 percent of a water change. Add the tap water and my salt, put a heater and pump in the container and let the water be the same as my tank. Like the salinity level and temperature level. Am I right on understanding?

I am only doing frequent water changes because on my other threads, people were telling me to do frequent water change until my nitrate and ammonia goes low.

 

[krash7172]

Test your next batch of salt water before adding. If it isnt RODI, you could be adding contaminates including ammonia. Your tank ammonia isn't that high and the fish are well so maybe just watch ammonia for now and let it be.

 

[Arod0416]

Test your next batch of salt water before adding. If it isnt RODI, you could be adding contaminates including ammonia. Your tank ammonia isn't that high and the fish are well so maybe just watch ammonia for now and let it be.

I just searched up New York City tap water and it does say that ammonia is in the water :/ I just searched up what a rodi is. Do you have any suggestions on a rodi equipment, primarily on the affordable side?

 

[krash7172]

I wouldn't worry too much right now. I know you are 2 hrs from lfs. A little ammonia in tap will be consumed and probably less of a factor than 6 fish and maybe seeded your tank while you were topping off for the last 2 months. I'd hold off on WCs if the ammonia doesn't rise.

 

[RobW]

Isn’t it similar to throw the dry rock into my new tank that is filled with saltwater Which already has a heater and circulation pump? If so, it’s been running like that for 2 months before I added livestock

Then you should be good there. For some reason I thought you said you added them in after a couple of days.

 

[bsr2430]

You must get a container that doesn’t leech! When heat is provided to a salt mix, the container can’t just be a random container.

Use a Brute trash can, if that’s to big, use a 20G tank.

never use Tap water under anyone comments. Nothing good comes from tap water. 100% will cause issues.

RO/DI systems can run about $100.

 

[Cell]

I am only doing frequent water changes because on my other threads, people were telling me to do frequent water change until my nitrate and ammonia goes low.

In the other thread, I dont believe anyone told you to do water changes to lower nitrate and ammonia. We established that you are cycled because you said your tank was couple mo old and you used some live rock. You were advised by some to not worry about high phosphate because you also used some old rock that was not cured. I advised a few large water changes over the course of 2 to 3 weeks to cut that phosphate back more quickly. Unless there was a 3rd thread I missed.

 

[Cell]

I would stop wasting money on bottled bacteria, your 2 month old tank with live rock does not need it. That 0.25 ammonia reading from the API kit can also be ignored at this point. No Prime is needed.

It might be helpful to stick to one thread, all your questions can be answered from the same thread and we can all see what advice has been already been given. It also makes it easier for you to review all the info quicker. I'm seeing a lot of the same questions and answers across 3 or 4 of the threads you started the past few days.

We can get everything you need sorted out from this thread right here.

 

[Arod0416]

I would stop wasting money on bottled bacteria, your 2 month old tank with live rock does not need it. That 0.25 ammonia reading from the API kit can also be ignored at this point. No Prime is needed.

It might be helpful to stick to one thread, all your questions can be answered from the same thread and we can all see what advice has been already been given. It also makes it easier for you to review all the info quicker. I'm seeing a lot of the same questions and answers across 3 or 4 of the threads you started the past few days.

We can get everything you need sorted out from this thread right here.

I appreciate everyone’s advice. As of right now, I haven’t done a water change. I only added water to my tank when the water gets low. I have been feeding my fish every other day about 1 cube of frozen food n 2 pieces of shrimp or 1. I only put dr tims that one time on Sunday and my nitrate went from 40 ppm to a 20 ppm. My salifert testing for ammonia is <0.15. At this point I’m taking it day by day. Fishes are not breathing hard , they swimming and eating.
I am looking for a RODI system. Any recommendations? I live in New York City so, I need something that connects to the faucet.

 

[Arod0416]

I would stop wasting money on bottled bacteria, your 2 month old tank with live rock does not need it. That 0.25 ammonia reading from the API kit can also be ignored at this point. No Prime is needed.

It might be helpful to stick to one thread, all your questions can be answered from the same thread and we can all see what advice has been already been given. It also makes it easier for you to review all the info quicker. I'm seeing a lot of the same questions and answers across 3 or 4 of the threads you started the past few days.

We can get everything you need sorted out from this thread right here.

I noticed brown stuff spreading throughout my dry rock. It’s been progressing like this over the past few days. Do you know what this is? Is this diatom?

I raised the white lighting for this picture.

 

[Cell]

Looks like normal algae that typically shows up in new tanks as it matures. The lack of RODI water is likely contributing to it.

It's kind of hard to go wrong with an RODI system, assuming its sized appropriately. Hop on BRS and see what they have in your price range. Perhaps someone from NYC can chime in, I'm not familiar with the water quality.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I noticed brown stuff spreading throughout my dry rock. It’s been progressing like this over the past few days. Do you know what this is? Is this diatom?

I raised the white lighting for this picture.

Brown stuff is diatoms and associated with a newer tank and silicates in the sand. At this point with NO INSULT INTENDED :
S T O P !!!!
Take a breather and start with some basics. If you read the first 6-8 posts, you are chasing numbers, targeting numbers and getting stressed. Take a step back and grab a water sample from tank and take it to a trusted LFS (store) and have them test parameters for you and compare with your readings. I and many of us DO Not trust API test kits which are known for false readings, hence their cheap prices.
Once you find out what your parameters truly are, then you can react, , , , but typically - reaction is water change.
You Can reduce your white brightness a little for now which will keep algae in control. Take the time to enjoy your new setup rather than chasing numbers and DO ask questions or verify your progress along the way.
That's why we have forums.

 

[brandon429]

@Cell

This thread still fits into the stuck cycle soapbox thread because even if tap water presents ammonia, or well water, or bad membranes, no mechanism in reefing exists to oxidize lethal portions and still leave .15, can't occur in systems using typical surface area.

Titration is subjective. Seneye would show this tank zero ammonia or at least thousandths/ practical zero. I'm going back now to read and see if extra bottle bac has been bought to curb the low level readings. If there's been redundant bottle bac purchases then I'll remain mad at an industry withholding truth to make sales.