Water Chemistry with New Solana

sdhanz · 01-12-2009, 07:06 PM

Hi All --

We set up the 34g Solana on Saturday, January 3 with 25 pounds of live rock. On Wednesday, January 7, we added 10 additional pounds of LR, since the tank looked a bit barren.

Today, we tested the water chemistry. It's only been cycling about one week. Here are the results:

Sp. Gr.: 1.020
pH: 7.8
ammonia: 0 ppm
nitrate: 10 ppm
nitrite: 0 ppm

Recommendations? I've done no water changes yet.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks --

Hanz

inwall75 · 01-12-2009, 07:19 PM

Bump up your specific gravity

1.022~1.023 for Fish Only
1.025 1.026 for Reef Tank

REDMANS CUBE · 01-12-2009, 07:21 PM

your ph is too low. are you sure you have nitrates this quick? i would correct the ph and salinity first.

sdhanz · 01-14-2009, 09:31 PM

Used 1 tsp of marine buffer that brought the pH up to 8.3.

Found out today that the RO/DI water we have on tap runs acidic. So I'm probably going to need to add buffer whenever I notice that the water I mix has pH < 8.2.

Added extra salt to some water from the tank and then added that concentrated mix back into the tank. We're at 1.025, now.

I'll post other additions in a separate thread...

sdhanz · 01-31-2009, 11:43 AM

So it's been almost 4 weeks now and still the tank has shown no signs of cycling. The specific gravity is holding at 1.025. pH is steady around 8.4. The nitrate dropped from 10 ppm to 0 ppm. Ammonia and nitrite never spiked. At the recommendation of my LFS, I added 3 zebra damselfish to help prompt the cycling 3 weeks ago. But still nothing. Recommendations?

Meanwhile I'm reading the Conscientious Aquarist and reminding myself that research is cheaper than adding things prior to a cycle.

In terms of maintenance, I clean the protein skimmer about twice each week. I've also not replaced the filter media yet, either, since I have no inverts and only the 3 small fish. How often should the filter pads and carbon be replaced?

The water quality is okay, but there is light brown stuff at the bottom that I'm planning to siphon off this weekend as I do a first 5 gallon water change.

Any advice is most welcome. I'm in no hurry to add stuff too quickly. On the other hand, it's been about a month and the chemistry is not changing.

schackmel · 01-31-2009, 12:36 PM

was your live rock fully cured?
Brown stuff sounds like your diatom bloom. I am thinking you are cycled...

sdhanz · 02-01-2009, 12:39 PM

The fish store(s) said that the LR was cured. I purchased from 3 places over a period of about one week to get a really nice variety of textures. I really appreciate the quick reply about the diatom bloom. That makes a lot of sense.

Thx.

01-12-2009, 07:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
sdhanz Plankton Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 12 Skin: Mint Karma: 49	Water Chemistry with New Solana Hi All -- We set up the 34g Solana on Saturday, January 3 with 25 pounds of live rock. On Wednesday, January 7, we added 10 additional pounds of LR, since the tank looked a bit barren. Today, we tested the water chemistry. It's only been cycling about one week. Here are the results: Sp. Gr.: 1.020 pH: 7.8 ammonia: 0 ppm nitrate: 10 ppm nitrite: 0 ppm Recommendations? I've done no water changes yet. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks -- Hanz

01-12-2009, 07:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
inwall75 3reef Moderator Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: America Posts: 4,550 Skin: Classic Karma: 60366	Bump up your specific gravity 1.022~1.023 for Fish Only 1.025 1.026 for Reef Tank _________ Curt Join the http://www.3reef.com/forums/groups/stomatopod-club.html

01-31-2009, 11:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
sdhanz Plankton Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 12 Skin: Mint Karma: 49	Still waiting for a cycle So it's been almost 4 weeks now and still the tank has shown no signs of cycling. The specific gravity is holding at 1.025. pH is steady around 8.4. The nitrate dropped from 10 ppm to 0 ppm. Ammonia and nitrite never spiked. At the recommendation of my LFS, I added 3 zebra damselfish to help prompt the cycling 3 weeks ago. But still nothing. Recommendations? Meanwhile I'm reading the Conscientious Aquarist and reminding myself that research is cheaper than adding things prior to a cycle. In terms of maintenance, I clean the protein skimmer about twice each week. I've also not replaced the filter media yet, either, since I have no inverts and only the 3 small fish. How often should the filter pads and carbon be replaced? The water quality is okay, but there is light brown stuff at the bottom that I'm planning to siphon off this weekend as I do a first 5 gallon water change. Any advice is most welcome. I'm in no hurry to add stuff too quickly. On the other hand, it's been about a month and the chemistry is not changing.

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01-12-2009, 07:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
REDMANS CUBE Fire Shrimp Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 335 Skin: Mint Karma: 289	your ph is too low. are you sure you have nitrates this quick? i would correct the ph and salinity first.

01-14-2009, 09:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
sdhanz Plankton Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 12 Skin: Mint Karma: 49	Used 1 tsp of marine buffer that brought the pH up to 8.3. Found out today that the RO/DI water we have on tap runs acidic. So I'm probably going to need to add buffer whenever I notice that the water I mix has pH < 8.2. Added extra salt to some water from the tank and then added that concentrated mix back into the tank. We're at 1.025, now. I'll post other additions in a separate thread...

01-31-2009, 12:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
schackmel Flame Angel Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: St. Louis Age: 37 Posts: 1,543 Skin: Mint Karma: 19722	was your live rock fully cured? Brown stuff sounds like your diatom bloom. I am thinking you are cycled...

02-01-2009, 12:39 PM	#7 (permalink)
sdhanz Plankton Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 12 Skin: Mint Karma: 49	The fish store(s) said that the LR was cured. I purchased from 3 places over a period of about one week to get a really nice variety of textures. I really appreciate the quick reply about the diatom bloom. That makes a lot of sense. Thx.