First time test water parameters

[saltlife26]

hey all, just did my first test using the API test kit and attached is a photo that shows the results. I’m concerned about the Ammonia and PH levels but I also have also read that API kits are notorious for incorrect Ammonia levels. I have around 9 lbs of live rock, two clown, two dwarf blue leg hermit crabs, one skunk cleaner and two corals-xoanthids and clove. I’m feeding twice a day- morning and night with New Life Spectrum Thera A. I got my blue leg hermits today and also picked up some mini algae wafers from Hikari for them. I wanted to move my tank to a different location so I took out 70-80% of the water and refilled using the same water after the move. I also topped off my tank today with some RO water and then I did this test. I’ve had the tank for a little over a week now. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[EmdeReef]

API often gives a false positive of 0.25, but no nitrates means your cycle isn’t complete.

I’d suggest getting bacteria like biospira or dr.Tim’s to speed up the cycle and test ammonia often, have some Prime ready on hand if there are spikes.

Edit:
Just saw you had the tank running for only a week...

Means your tank is just starting the cycle. Since you’ve added fish etc you should be ready to do water changes, add some Prime pre-emptively, and get bacteria. Maybe get a better ammonia kit too like Salifert or Red Sea.

 

[Zeal]

Testing Ammonia at different times of the day yields different results. I find it hard to believe what API reads so I take it with a gain of salt. PH also fluctuates throughout the day. IMO test in the morning, mid day and at night a see where its moving.

Edit: My dumb self tested Ammonia about an hour after feeding and freaked out over the reading.

 

[saltlife26]

API often gives a false positive of 0.25, but no nitrates means your cycle isn’t complete.

I’d suggest getting bacteria like biospira or dr.Tim’s to speed up the cycle and test ammonia often, have some Prime ready on hand if there are spikes.

Edit:
Just saw you had the tank running for only a week...

Means your tank is just starting the cycle. Since you’ve added fish etc you should be ready to do water changes, add some Prime pre-emptively, and get bacteria. Maybe get a better ammonia kit too like Salifert or Red Sea.

Will do. Thank you

 

[saltlife26]

API often gives a false positive of 0.25, but no nitrates means your cycle isn’t complete.

I’d suggest getting bacteria like biospira or dr.Tim’s to speed up the cycle and test ammonia often, have some Prime ready on hand if there are spikes.

Edit:
Just saw you had the tank running for only a week...

Means your tank is just starting the cycle. Since you’ve added fish etc you should be ready to do water changes, add some Prime pre-emptively, and get bacteria. Maybe get a better ammonia kit too like Salifert or Red Sea.

When should I do my first water change and how much do I change? Also is there a dosage and frequency on how much biospira and Prime I should use?

 

[Zeal]

Also seachem stability works wonders

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Slow down!!! Only a one week old tank and you have already added CUC, fish, and coral? As @EmdeReef said, you need to cycle your tank first. Adding bacteria is a good start. I would also look at threads by @Lasse since he has successfully started tanks with livestock. Follow what he says to do, and hopefully you will be ok. Also, you really need to measure you SG also. Water changes, top offs, and emptying skimmers can cause the SG to get out of wack.

 

[saltlife26]

Slow down!!! Only a one week old tank and you have already added CUC, fish, and coral? As @EmdeReef said, you need to cycle your tank first. Adding bacteria is a good start. I would also look at threads by @Lasse since he has successfully started tanks with livestock. Follow what he says to do, and hopefully you will be ok. Also, you really need to measure you SG also. Water changes, top offs, and emptying skimmers can cause the SG to get out of wack.

Yeah my LFS told me that I could add them since I filled my tank with the Nutri Water or whatever it’s called. I did try to check for SG but this hydrometer that I got is all out of whack!

 

[Zeal]

Yeah my LFS told me that I could add them since I filled my tank with the Nutri Water or whatever it’s called. I did try to check for SG but this hydrometer that I got is all out of whack!

Heads up LFS are always trying to make a sale. I learned that quickly from my first month in the hobby I could of have saved at least $100+ if I knew about this website on day one. Its better to post here or even reddit. Im not saying all LFS are that way but its better to do your own research.

 

[EmdeReef]

When should I do my first water change and how much do I change? Also is there a dosage and frequency on how much biospira and Prime I should use?

I can’t recall but I think the smallest bottle of biospira is for 30gal. Re.prime, if you keep measuring ammonia you can wait until you see an increase which is likely, the problem is that it may happen overnight and kill your fish so I would add it as a precaution. Read the manufacturer instructions for how much to add. Keep in mind that if you do add it, the API test kit will become useless and give high readings.

 

[saltlife26]

I can’t recall but I think the smallest bottle of biospira is for 30gal. Re.prime, if you keep measuring ammonia you can wait until you see an increase which is likely, the problem is that it may happen overnight and kill your fish so I would add it as a precaution. Read the manufacturer instructions for how much to add. Keep in mind that if you do add it, the API test kit will become useless and give high readings.

Copy that. Thank you

 

[Lasse]

I always does my start with one fish and CUC from day 1 to 3, it means that the only fish is my ammonia source for the cycle. But this start needs to be done in a special way in order to have the nitrification cycle to start without causing ammonia spikes. Your tool is the feeding regime. I always start my feeding in a special way and I always use frozen adult artemia. First week I feed with 3-4 artemia (yes - only 3-4 pcs of adult artemia) every third day. Not more. The second week I feed every second day - the same amount 3-4 adult Artemis and third day the same every day. After the third week I slowly rise the feeding. During this time - I normally add nitrification bacteria every day (type Dr Tims biosphira) I have never used that brand but in general - you can´t overdose nitrification bacteria. Prime - I never have used that. The extra bacteria I add every day.

The feeding regime is very important - this is your only source of ammonia in a new aquarium. Normally I also add a little of NO3 after 4-7 days and I do not clean my LS (used as a PO4 source in the start). This is because I want green algae to grow and hinder Cyanobacteria to bloom in the start. The CUC is very important too. Adding them in the beginning hinder the "ugly phase" because they will graze on the produced algae. I have my normal light regime from day 1 but with lower intensity. The CUC include small hermits of different species and they will found food even if you do not see any algae - the time you see algae - it is normally to late with a normal crew of CUC.

Now - what to do in your case

This advise is only IMO and strict IMO (In My Opinion)

Skip the ammonia tests - they normally show wrong result and only get you nervous and make you do the wrong things. Maybe Seachem ammonia alert can work - it works in a different way compared with normal tests. I never ever test for ammonia!

You can skip the nitrate test too (in the start) - you will have small amount of nitrite in your system and it will give false readings of nitrate. 0.1 ppm nitrite will give you a false nitrate reading between 5 to 10 ppm.

Skip the PO4 test too - not important the first 1 - 2 months IMO

The same for Ca, Mg and alkalinity (KH)

I never test for NO2 in saltwater either - NO2 is not toxic in saltwater - but it is usually a reliable test

I sometimes test for pH because it is the most important parameter according to NH3/NH4 (ammoniac/ammonium or ammonia (gas)/ammonia ion) specification. NH4 (ammonium or ammonia ion) is non-toxic. NH3 (ammoniac or ammonia (gas) is very toxic. These two substances always form a pair and the concentration of each is mostly depended of pH. At pH of 7.5 – the toxic form is only 1.8 % (25 degree Celsius) of the total amount. If you with a proper (very expensive test) read 1 ppm NH3/NH4 – only 0.018 ppm is in the toxic form. Most test read the total NH3/NH4 except for Seachem ammonia alert that read only the toxic form. At pH of 8 -> 5.4 % is in the toxic form and at a pH at 8.5 -> 15 % is in the toxic form.

However – the normal hobby tests are sometimes very inaccurate and difficult to read – especially if your colour perception is not the best. I use a electronical device, properly calibrated – for inline measurements. When I start small aquaria < 50 gallons – I do not test for pH – it is rather rare that a new aquaria (without much of photosynthesis) come up in higher pH:s

I do test for salinity and temperature.

Stop feeding as much as you do. Feed only once a day and only with a very low number of pellets – 4 – 6 to each fish. Do not feed every day in the start

Add nitrification bacteria to your aquarium daily for at least 3 weeks

Do not change water before the 5:th to 6:th week (if there is no panic situation coming up)

Do not doing anything to your pH at this time

If you read NO2 (and I think you will) – do not panic – only stop the feeding. Do not externally feed your hermits at this point. If your Clowns are healthy and in good condition – they can be starving for a rather long period. The hermits will find food in the growing algae population

Keep calm and relax with a Pepsi or a beer. Do not add any more fishes for the moment. Corals on the other hand is mostly primary producers – it means they will consume nitrogen and phosphorus. I normally add some mushrooms and other soft corals in this stage. You can normally add hermits and snails but if you read to high NO2 – wait till it is under control. Lower your lights intensity instead – if possible not the length of the photo period – just the intensity.

You will get a lot of advices in this thread – for me it is not important what you chose to do if you do not mix different philosophies. Catch one and stay put with that chose. There are many ways to skin a cat .

I will once again stress that this post reflects my opinion and – at least in the US – I´m a part of a very small minority in this case.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Yeah my LFS told me that I could add them since I filled my tank with the Nutri Water or whatever it’s called. I did try to check for SG but this hydrometer that I got is all out of whack!

Get a refractometer ASAP. Having a correct SG is a very important parameter.

@Lasse has given you great advice. I would try following what he has said exactly. It will probably give you the best chance of saving the livestock you already have in it while still cycling your tank.

 

[saltlife26]

I always does my start with one fish and CUC from day 1 to 3, it means that the only fish is my ammonia source for the cycle. But this start needs to be done in a special way in order to have the nitrification cycle to start without causing ammonia spikes. Your tool is the feeding regime. I always start my feeding in a special way and I always use frozen adult artemia. First week I feed with 3-4 artemia (yes - only 3-4 pcs of adult artemia) every third day. Not more. The second week I feed every second day - the same amount 3-4 adult Artemis and third day the same every day. After the third week I slowly rise the feeding. During this time - I normally add nitrification bacteria every day (type Dr Tims biosphira) I have never used that brand but in general - you can´t overdose nitrification bacteria. Prime - I never have used that. The extra bacteria I add every day.

The feeding regime is very important - this is your only source of ammonia in a new aquarium. Normally I also add a little of NO3 after 4-7 days and I do not clean my LS (used as a PO4 source in the start). This is because I want green algae to grow and hinder Cyanobacteria to bloom in the start. The CUC is very important too. Adding them in the beginning hinder the "ugly phase" because they will graze on the produced algae. I have my normal light regime from day 1 but with lower intensity. The CUC include small hermits of different species and they will found food even if you do not see any algae - the time you see algae - it is normally to late with a normal crew of CUC.

Now - what to do in your case

This advise is only IMO and strict IMO (In My Opinion)

Skip the ammonia tests - they normally show wrong result and only get you nervous and make you do the wrong things. Maybe Seachem ammonia alert can work - it works in a different way compared with normal tests. I never ever test for ammonia!

You can skip the nitrate test to (in the start) - you will have small amount of nitrite in your system and it will give false readings of nitrate. 0.1 ppm nitrite will give you a false nitrate reading between 5 to 10 ppm.

Skip the PO4 test too - not important the first 1 - 2 months IMO

The same for Ca, Mg and alkalinity (KH)

I never test for NO2 in saltwater either - NO2 is not toxic in saltwater - but it is usually a reliable test

I sometimes test for pH because it is the most important parameter according to NH3/NH4 (ammoniac/ammonium or ammonia (gas)/ammonia ion) specification. NH4 (ammonium or ammonia ion) is non-toxic. NH3 (ammoniac or ammonia (gas) is very toxic. These two substances always form a pair and the concentration of each is mostly depended of pH. At pH of 7.5 – the toxic form is only 1.8 % (25 degree Celsius) of the total amount. If you with a proper (very expensive test) read 1 ppm NH3/NH4 – only 0.018 ppm is in the toxic form. Most test read the total NH3/NH4 except for Seachem ammonia alert that read only the toxic form. At pH of 8 -> 5.4 % is in the toxic form and at a pH at 8.5 -> 15 % is in the toxic form.

However – the normal hobby tests are sometimes very inaccurate and difficult to read – especially if your colour perception is not the best. I use a electronical device, properly calibrated – for inline measurements. When I start small aquaria < 50 gallons – I do not test for pH – it is rather rare that a new aquaria (without much of photosynthesis) come up in higher pH:s

I do test for salinity and temperature.

Stop feeding as much as you do. Feed only once a day and only with a very low number of pellets – 4 – 6 to each fish. Do not feed every day in the start

Add nitrification bacteria to your aquarium daily for at least 3 weeks

Do not change water before the 5:th to 6:th week (if there is no panic situation coming up)

Do not doing anything to your pH at this time

If you read NO2 (and I think you will) – do not panic – only stop the feeding. Do not externally feed your hermits at this point. If your Clowns are healthy and in good condition – they can be starving for a rather long period. The hermits will find food in the growing algae population

Keep calm and relax with a Pepsi or a beer. Do not add any more fishes for the moment. Corals on the other hand is mostly primary producers – it means they will consume nitrogen and phosphorus. I normally add some mushrooms and other soft corals in this stage. You can normally add hermits and snails but if you read to high NO2 – wait till it is under control. Lower your lights intensity instead – if possible not the length of the photo period – just the intensity.

You will get a lot of advices in this thread – for me it is not important what you chose to do if you do not mix different philosophies. Catch one and stay put with that chose. There are many ways to skin a cat .

I will once again stress that this post reflects my opinion and – at least in the US – I´m a part of a very small minority in this case.

Sincerely Lasse

Thank you so much for the detailed advice. Much appreciated!

 

[saltlife26]

Get a refractometer ASAP. Having a correct SG is a very important parameter.

@Lasse has given you great advice. I would try following what he has said exactly. It will probably give you the best chance of saving the livestock you already have in it while still cycling your tank.

I did this morn. It was 1.026.