Tank cycling

My tank is cycling very well the only issue is the water's hardness which is at 425. Is this bad and if so how can I bring it down?

 

this is your KH Right? The Carbonate hardness? If you have that high of hardness then you have have ph. whats your ph? And Partial water changes can increase it so dont do that.

 

I have not done any water changes. And my PH is in the ideal range ( I'm using the strips with the 5 different indicators) so all it measures is ph and hardness.

 

Well, I wouldn't trust those strips at all. In fact, tomorrow's Monday. The LFS will be open. I would go out and get yourself a good test kit. Right now, you really only need NH4, NO2, NO3 and pH. If you want you can pick up Ca, Mg, PO4 and dKH. The first four are for any system. The last four are for corals.

Now API makes a good enough test kit. It is not top of the line however. If you want some really good test kits, I would consider Salifert for NH4, NO2, pH and Elos for NO3. The API pack of four will cost you about $40. The good test kits all told will run you upwards of about $80 (four the first four). The last four would run you about $100 or a bit more all told.

I started out with API and have in the last six months converted to Salifert, and I notice the difference in accuracy.

I would do this ASAP. Those strips are not good at all. They will do better in the garbage than measuring anything.

So welcome aboard!!! Always good to hear of another tank cycling. So take some pics, start a build thread and post, post, post!!!!

 

And don't worry about bringing anything down. Just let the tank sit and cook for a month or so. Test every other day or so and mark your progress. You don't need to do anything to affect water quality at this point. The numbers are going to be all over the place as things change in the ecosystem. When it is cycled.....then you can make some slow changes to make it a good habitat.

 

I actually went to my local store and they gave me the strips and said they work real well and are easy to use. They seem to be working fine as of now. My nitrites are spiking. Its been cycling now for almost 2 weeks.

 

jturnbull

they may work fine but they are not the best ! the liquid reagents Pharmrjohn mentions are well known for accuracy when compared to the strips

as you are today, your fine, with what you are using
but in 6 months - 1 years time, when you have a tank full of fish and corals, you will want/ need the security of good quality test kits - you will have invested 100s of dollars in money and a great deal of time, building up your tank , it would be terrible to have all this time, money and effort sacrifised - if you tank has a problem and you cannot post meaningful test results - the quality of help you would get will be compromised.


the test kits seem expensive, but most of the ones I use are good for 50 tests or more so last almost 12 months testing weekly - and the peace of mind that gives me, is priceless
Salifert for Phosphate also - its great low range and easy to use.


Steve

 

Yeah I see what your saying I was going to buy the kit but the store suggested the strips. I will have the LFS test my water once its cycled to make sure everything is good before adding fish.

As far as what will be in the tank its only going to be a FOWLR setup as I go back to school in the fall and will only be home on the weekends.

 

FOWLR - changes a few things, I along with many others always assume a tank is going to be a reef set up

I now know the store would have probably been aware it would be FOWLR and as such thats why they suggested the strips

good test kits to have for FOWLR are Amonnia, Nitrite, Nirtate and PH

if you ever get the coral bug, and many with FOWLR starts do eventually succumb to the lure of corals , then thats a great time to upgrade your test kits and know all the measurable parameters


Steve