So I am performing my first cycle on my 32 gallon saltwater tank. I am doing everything I 'thought' was correct, until I got curious and researched 'top offs' online (due to evaporation). I read that I should only top off with freshwater and not saltwater. I am only 5 days into this initial cycle, but I am nervous because I have been performing top offs with saltwater instead. Am I in deep crap now or am I good if I switch to freshwater from now on?
Noob Mistake - Top Offs
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If you're on the first cycle and have no livestock in there, you're fine. Just get a hydrometer and check your salinity levels and save the top off water for a future water change and put down a bucket of clean RODI or RO water, whatever is available.
Very new at this hobby, this is actually my first tank build. The first day I was told to drop about 4ml of ammonia. From then on, I was told to give 1 squirt of microbacter7 along the length of the tank once a day until the bottle was empty.
Sorry for the late response. Need to check my notification settings so that I can get an alert whenever someone replies/comments.
No test kits at the moment. I have an ammonia alert in my tank but that's about it. Ordering a refractometer on Amazon (saw it for $20, 600+ reviews with a 4.5 star rating) to check my levels also. What I ended up doing was removing 1 gallon of the salt water and replacing with RODI. The refractometer should help me with getting the salinity level where it needs to be.
For reference, how big is the tank?
When starting off, the two most important testing devices you need is a refractometer and reliable ammonia test kit. There's many other important parameters in your tank but salinity and ammonia are the killers. The badge is great but personally I have a really hard time reading them.
When starting off, the two most important testing devices you need is a refractometer and reliable ammonia test kit. There's many other important parameters in your tank but salinity and ammonia are the killers. The badge is great but personally I have a really hard time reading them.
Sierra_Bravo
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I'm cycling my very first tank as well. I'm using a Red Sea Marine Master kit. Very easy to use and has tests for Ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and alkalinity. Google "fishless cycle" for some info on what to do and to look for.
