ltljokersbetterhalf
ltljokers #1
cuc stands for clean up crew snails crabs and those lil guys will eat that stuff
New with some questions (photos too)
- Thread starter ltkenbo
- Start date
Ted
Living one day at a time
yes a protein skimmer removes docs however since you are going through your cycle and dont have a clean up crew yet it would just be just another way to help remove them. Just for your information this is one of the reasons I use carbon. I run it all the time but that is just me make up your own mind. Does a Reef Tank Need Carbon? Joe Jaworski’s Weblog
dcantucson
Reef pro
Well, unfortunately Ted is right. This is a hobby and not perfected science. What works for some doesn't for others. Most of the time we can only state what has worked for us or others. There is usually no one correct or one and only answer. Sorry.
ltkenbo
Reefing newb
Ok so I'm leaving the lights off today, anyways I checked ammonia levels and they are now down at 0.25 ppm meaning they are dropping, so I bought this nitrite test kit made my "Marine Enterprises International" and it suppose to show pinkish tints for different nitrite levels, however upon testing it remains clear. Dos this mean 0 ppm? It doesn't say what clear means, but I would think that if the ammonia was dropping the nitrites would be increasing. Maybe it's the test kit?
KidJ57
Struggling Reef Addict
Ya, I would re-read the instructions, typically there is a color for 0ppm, and if it's not supposed to be clear then either you did it wrong or the test is expired or something
yote
In Memoriam
The guys are right.Theres no such critter and a one answer question in this hobby.There are no 2 tanks that are identical,so there is no set in stone solution to the problems we face.
And yes,algae blooms are a regular and natural part of the hobby while the tanks settling in.But even at that,if you dont try to control it,it'll take over your tank.
So for now,I'd just kill the lights until the cycles finished,they will help with the dinos and hopefully starve them out.
On your nitrite kit,it could be that the its being converted into nitrates pretty quick.
So I'd test for that and see where its at.
And yes,algae blooms are a regular and natural part of the hobby while the tanks settling in.But even at that,if you dont try to control it,it'll take over your tank.
So for now,I'd just kill the lights until the cycles finished,they will help with the dinos and hopefully starve them out.
On your nitrite kit,it could be that the its being converted into nitrates pretty quick.
So I'd test for that and see where its at.
ltkenbo
Reefing newb
Nitrate levels seem to still be reading 0. Yeah this test kit is crappy, I usually use the API ones but Petco didn't seem to sell a nitrite one by itself, only in the master test kits. The kit doesn't say anything about clear at all or 0 ppm, it's a small instruction card. So what should my first steps be right now, I've already killed the lights and have the protein skimmer running. What next?
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Bifferwine
I am a girl
Nothing you can do but wait.
yote
In Memoriam
+1 Biff
Just wait it out.
Just wait it out.
ltkenbo
Reefing newb
So I called this company for this nitrite test kit, turns out they don't even make it anymore. Which is why I seldom go to this local fish store and usually just go to petco but I didn't see a plain nitrite test kit at petco by itself, only with master tests kits but I'll have to ask.
KidJ57
Struggling Reef Addict
I bought my API test kit from PetSmart and it's the same one they sell at my LFS...only cheaper, and it came with four tests: Ph, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate
ltkenbo
Reefing newb
Allright so since killing the lights and stuff algae has subsided quite a bit. I'm also seeing these little pinkish suction cup looking things thriving on one of the pieces of live rock, what are these? They look cool anyways.
So I bought one of those API master kits since it also has a nitrite as well as ph test. Anyways, nitrites reading 0 and ammonia still reading .25 (though the last couple of days if I let the test tube sit long enough the color represents 0 ppm of ammonia). So possibly no ammonia, no nitrites and no nitrates. Did my tank cycle already? The lack of the presence of nitrAtes could be explained by the fact that I have algae growing rapidly which are consuming the nitrates rapidly (I have heard of this same case with phosphates where your tring to control algae yet the things that fuel algae are undetectable because of how fast they are consumed).
This is what my ammonia trend looks like:
Now like I said even though it seems to hold at .25, the color appears almost in between and if I let it sit long enough it is abvious that it is 0. I only starting testing for nitrites today which might have been converted fast, and I have been testing for nitrates since the beginning, but I do not think I did the day of the algae bloom. What should I do, introduce another shrimp in and watch the ammonia again to see if it is "consumed" fast.
So I bought one of those API master kits since it also has a nitrite as well as ph test. Anyways, nitrites reading 0 and ammonia still reading .25 (though the last couple of days if I let the test tube sit long enough the color represents 0 ppm of ammonia). So possibly no ammonia, no nitrites and no nitrates. Did my tank cycle already? The lack of the presence of nitrAtes could be explained by the fact that I have algae growing rapidly which are consuming the nitrates rapidly (I have heard of this same case with phosphates where your tring to control algae yet the things that fuel algae are undetectable because of how fast they are consumed).
This is what my ammonia trend looks like:
Now like I said even though it seems to hold at .25, the color appears almost in between and if I let it sit long enough it is abvious that it is 0. I only starting testing for nitrites today which might have been converted fast, and I have been testing for nitrates since the beginning, but I do not think I did the day of the algae bloom. What should I do, introduce another shrimp in and watch the ammonia again to see if it is "consumed" fast.
KidJ57
Struggling Reef Addict
do a 10-15% water change and see what happens
ltkenbo
Reefing newb
How long after I change the water should I check? I got one of those gravel vacuums and used it to suck up some algae and in the process ended up emptying about 10 percent, and I refilled it. So what now?
KidJ57
Struggling Reef Addict
Just stick to your normal testing schedule, personally I would test it now and again in two days...if everything is leveled out then...you should be fine to add fish, but as everyone says...it's better to wait and make sure your parameters are not only good, but stable for at least a week or two.
ltkenbo
Reefing newb
Yeah well what I could do is get a couple of hermit crabs and snails to clean up all the algae in the mean time and see how they do. Would that be ok?
Also I believe this is a good sign also, I am getting what appear to be zoanthids thriving on one piece of my live rock. There was like 1 when I got it and now there are several and they are starting to open.
Also I believe this is a good sign also, I am getting what appear to be zoanthids thriving on one piece of my live rock. There was like 1 when I got it and now there are several and they are starting to open.
Ted
Living one day at a time
very cool ya get a cuc in there.
KidJ57
Struggling Reef Addict
+1 ted...
I didn't want to say to get one or not as I couldn't remember if you already added one :12: :lol:
But ya, your parameters sound good enough for at least a CUC at the moment
I didn't want to say to get one or not as I couldn't remember if you already added one :12: :lol:
But ya, your parameters sound good enough for at least a CUC at the moment
ltkenbo
Reefing newb
Sweet, yeah I'll get some tomorrow. Any specific recommendations? Blue legged hermit crabs, turbo snails?
Ted
Living one day at a time
Those are the ones I would go with. I have a Mexican turbo that got mixed in with the regular turbos I bought. He is huge and moves around the tank very fast. I think he does 90 % of the cleaning.
