Should i turn off skimmer when adding live rock to seed?
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In order to get this thread back in line:
-your tank is already cycled.
the reasons test kits don't line up is already found in thousands of api searches. You cannot have fish inside an uncycled tank, they'll die overnite. The fact they live daily is additional proof of cycle completion.
online searches show varying things that spike api readings as false positives.
the fish are diseased due to missed fallow and qt, your entire focus should be on disease prevention not any form of cycle assessment. If you were getting these readings above using digital kits vs color tube approximation ones, all your fish would be dead last week.
there is no form of extended ammonia noncontrol in reefing. tanks either trend to crash due to free nh3 or they trend within hours to controlling nh3 as digital meters show they do
the #1 thing that does not ever, ever happen in reefing is consequence-free ammonia noncontrol, which is the basis of this thread as we never doubted the readings not once in spite of logged online searches regarding api.
your rock isn't leaking ammonia or all the fish would be dead and the water would be pure gray. and it would smell horrible. the items that cause api misreads are already logged in api misread threads, also showing running tanks with fish that eat/live day by day etc.
-your tank is already cycled.
the reasons test kits don't line up is already found in thousands of api searches. You cannot have fish inside an uncycled tank, they'll die overnite. The fact they live daily is additional proof of cycle completion.
online searches show varying things that spike api readings as false positives.
the fish are diseased due to missed fallow and qt, your entire focus should be on disease prevention not any form of cycle assessment. If you were getting these readings above using digital kits vs color tube approximation ones, all your fish would be dead last week.
there is no form of extended ammonia noncontrol in reefing. tanks either trend to crash due to free nh3 or they trend within hours to controlling nh3 as digital meters show they do
the #1 thing that does not ever, ever happen in reefing is consequence-free ammonia noncontrol, which is the basis of this thread as we never doubted the readings not once in spite of logged online searches regarding api.
your rock isn't leaking ammonia or all the fish would be dead and the water would be pure gray. and it would smell horrible. the items that cause api misreads are already logged in api misread threads, also showing running tanks with fish that eat/live day by day etc.
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post a clear picture of your tank so we can see your fish placement and other unspoken details regarding cycle confirmation.
fish that are in ammonia noncontrolled water hover at the top, unable to breathe, they never feed, bc they're about to die overnite.
fish that are in ammonia noncontrolled water hover at the top, unable to breathe, they never feed, bc they're about to die overnite.
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as soon as we get tank pics here that w be the referee 
pics of the reef, the rocks, the water, the fish as they sit today will completely shore up 100% of issues in the thread.
gray/dead/smell not cycled
normal water, fish swimming, eating/cycled and there is not an in-between
its part of updated cycling science 2020 that a tank picture is about to rectify every form of bacterial doubt so far. or confirm it.
what the picture shows will supersede every api reading in the thread.
pics of the reef, the rocks, the water, the fish as they sit today will completely shore up 100% of issues in the thread.
gray/dead/smell not cycled
normal water, fish swimming, eating/cycled and there is not an in-between
its part of updated cycling science 2020 that a tank picture is about to rectify every form of bacterial doubt so far. or confirm it.
what the picture shows will supersede every api reading in the thread.
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Makubex
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I AM SO SORRY i think that ammonia level pic was from the tap water's(i messed up on the picture!) but the ammonia rn is closer to 0.18(at least thats what the tester says...)
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they weren't using digital either
we really need that tank pic. Im about to add your thread to our big cycle rules thread/need that pic
*no rush either, you can continue monitoring and responding that's no harm. in my thread we simply contrast what the tank proves vs the test kits. I don't expect very many to agree, and I expect zero LFS's to agree but this is how we study.
we are looking for in our big cycling thread for the first incidence of a reef tank confirming an api reading. That hardly ever happens. there are indeed a few good api kits out there...just not enough to make a difference on google searches. they're mainly bad there lol. *good api testers are fuming at me currently*
we really need that tank pic. Im about to add your thread to our big cycle rules thread/need that pic
*no rush either, you can continue monitoring and responding that's no harm. in my thread we simply contrast what the tank proves vs the test kits. I don't expect very many to agree, and I expect zero LFS's to agree
but this is how we study.we are looking for in our big cycling thread for the first incidence of a reef tank confirming an api reading. That hardly ever happens. there are indeed a few good api kits out there...just not enough to make a difference on google searches. they're mainly bad there lol. *good api testers are fuming at me currently*
Makubex
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A moment ago they will eat from ur hand, the angel has a white dot on its tail where it was bitten by a niger trigger it almost went away... but now its back, his right fin does have a ich spot but thats it, the ammonia and nitrites are lowering, imo ammonia should be near 0.1 by tomorrow
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perfection, that's our final diagnostic in updated cycling science this thread is very useful to show contrasts/changes in rules yes for sure.
the skimmer made zero difference in line or not in use.
the skimmer made zero difference in line or not in use.
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I must know this part: next time ur in lfs ask them to remark upon consequence/no consequence free ammonia troubleshooting am curious to see how they contextualize the test reads
like to know if they feel that burned fish eat so well, tank so clear etc
per updated rules, your reef is just going to run fine and independent to what the tests say. They’ll cause alarm and purchase offsets, but the tank itself won’t.
like to know if they feel that burned fish eat so well, tank so clear etc
per updated rules, your reef is just going to run fine and independent to what the tests say. They’ll cause alarm and purchase offsets, but the tank itself won’t.
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There are indeed some accurate api kits that show yellow/hard zero but they’re rare. They often show yellow on non reef water tests but they tend to over report actual nitrification in reef water.
It would be neat if you ran your kit on a sample of their water just for calibration and compare
*your new rocks have changed the ammonia layout, so the tests might be reporting the conversions that are now upped. Where the new rules come into play is the fact we don’t need to react or buy things to offset the reading. The nh3 is under control on this tank with or without a skimmer and without any future support, it will just run as normal daily vs crash. Tying into our cycling rules thread: your system can now make a reef convention start date if that was warranted. No more waiting required, the reef is running as safely now unassisted as it will be in a year even after adding more api offsets.
if that was fully grown maricultured rock from KPI then maybe it could be curing, but its not that gnarly.
It would be neat if you ran your kit on a sample of their water just for calibration and compare
*your new rocks have changed the ammonia layout, so the tests might be reporting the conversions that are now upped. Where the new rules come into play is the fact we don’t need to react or buy things to offset the reading. The nh3 is under control on this tank with or without a skimmer and without any future support, it will just run as normal daily vs crash. Tying into our cycling rules thread: your system can now make a reef convention start date if that was warranted. No more waiting required, the reef is running as safely now unassisted as it will be in a year even after adding more api offsets.
if that was fully grown maricultured rock from KPI then maybe it could be curing, but its not that gnarly.
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also factors: your LFS takes the side of safety and not rushing, this is prudent. web nerds like all the detail and quickstarts. their advice is safe because they want to be sure of things/all this is no slight to the lfs they're trying to care for animals respectably with the tools we've got so far. this stuff we review here is just the typical new rules that come off the web presses/subject to scrutiny and verification before mass acceptance. like pico reefs once were.
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for sure can do. the tank is also immune to cycle loss by any 100% water changes, the bac are where they should be all set. the water has plenty of bacteria too...its in the water and on surfaces
but whats in the water and sand actually don't matter...only the live rocks and those bacteria cannot be killed as long as no meds kill them
saying that the bac in the water and sand don't matter sounds strange am aware but its meant to convey this message: because bacteria in the sand are expendable you are allowed to clean or remove sand any time you want. you'd be able to conduct a large water change if required in the future for some kind of contamination etc...it won't unstick your cycle.
there are applied uses for the rules, they allow for care boundaries.
but whats in the water and sand actually don't matter...only the live rocks and those bacteria cannot be killed as long as no meds kill them
saying that the bac in the water and sand don't matter sounds strange am aware but its meant to convey this message: because bacteria in the sand are expendable you are allowed to clean or remove sand any time you want. you'd be able to conduct a large water change if required in the future for some kind of contamination etc...it won't unstick your cycle.
there are applied uses for the rules, they allow for care boundaries.
