FINALLY GOT A TEST KIT... The Specs Are

[mitchmac]

Alkalinity = 1.9
Nitrate = 5.0 PPM
Amonia = 1.0
PH = 8.0
Nitrite = .01



good? bad? any comments or concerns i should be loking at?

[Loverotties]

BAD! You shouldn't have Ammonia or Nitrite in a cycled tank!

[Loverotties]

You also need to know your salinity and phoshate.

[luvmylo]

I agree with the above on the salinity but you aren't going to get an accurate reading with any of the "hobby" phosphate tests because they just aren't accurate.

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by mitchmac

Alkalinity = 1.9
Nitrate = 5.0 PPM
Amonia = 1.0
PH = 8.0
Nitrite = .01

good? bad? any comments or concerns i should be loking at?

Whether it is good or bad depends on how long the tank has been set up. If it is a new tank (less than 2 months or so), then the numbers are good as it is going through the cycle. If the tank has been cycled, those numbers are horrible.

[tellycoleman]

ok 1.9 alk is that dkh or meq/l
either way that is seriously low
you will have huge PH swings unless you get that UP
Do you have any corals?????
what is you calcium?
I think that is the first thing that needs to be addressed
normal DKH is 7-8
I would take my water to a LFS and see if that is right.

[mitchmac]

Originally Posted by tellycoleman

ok 1.9 alk is that dkh or meq/l
either way that is seriously low
you will have huge PH swings unless you get that UP
Do you have any corals?????
what is you calcium?
I think that is the first thing that needs to be addressed
normal DKH is 7-8
I would take my water to a LFS and see if that is right.

yea my tank is only likke a month and a half old and im sure is still going thru its cycle...and the alk test i got with my kit said thats normal no i dont have any corals yet but im assuming that from what u guys have been saying that i will let it cycle a little longer maybe a few more months befor i try to add anything to this tank my load right now is:

1 perc clown
1 scarlet cleaner shrimp
1 emerald crab
1 turbo snail
2 troch snails
8 blue leg hermits
15-20lbs live rock



o and another question i have these small white things with like 5 or 6 little legs that are sticking to my glass they dont move but they just stick therte anyone know what they are they are too small to get a pic of so i dont know how to tell what they are...??? and ideas ?

[OneDummHikk]

Originally Posted by mitchmac

yea my tank is only likke a month and a half old and im sure is still going thru its cycle...and the alk test i got with my kit said thats normal no i dont have any corals yet but im assuming that from what u guys have been saying that i will let it cycle a little longer maybe a few more months befor i try to add anything to this tank my load right now is:

1 perc clown
1 scarlet cleaner shrimp
1 emerald crab
1 turbo snail
2 troch snails
8 blue leg hermits
15-20lbs live rock

Until your ammonia drops to zero, step up the water changes with the bioload you already have. If you don't, you run a risk of ammonia poisoning (even with extra water changes you still have that risk but the water changes minimize it some). The extra water changes will make the cycle last a little longer but will give your clown and cleaners a better chance of surviving. Especially the clown.

Originally Posted by mitchmac

o and another question i have these small white things with like 5 or 6 little legs that are sticking to my glass they dont move but they just stick therte anyone know what they are they are too small to get a pic of so i dont know how to tell what they are...??? and ideas ?

Its a small type of starfish. Don't remember the name of them but I have them in my tank as well. Pretty harmless for the most part.

[mitchmac]

Ok I did a little reading and did another test of my water a few days after a 20% water change...

my levels are...

ammonia: .029 ppm
Ph: steady at 8.0 ( normal to the test kit )
alkalinity: Around 1.9 2.0 milli equaivalents per liter ( normal to the test kit )
nitrite: 0 ppm
nitrate : 0-3 ppm

on the nitrate it is hard to figure out what its at...with such a low nitrite reading it doesn't have a reading on the table shown to figure it out so im going with the next possible level available to read it at...the level it starts reading at on the table for nitrite is .2 and mine is lower then that at 0, with nitrite at .2 and nitrate at 5 ( which mine is in between 2.5 and 5 )
the table reads it is at 0 or 3 ppm...i dont know how to figure out what it would be at...like i said the table is to figure out ur nitrate by the nitrite reading...so im going to go with between 0-3 ppm nitrate...if anyone can help me out with this one feel free i could use the knowledge ... also to the comments of how old the tank is it is about 7 - 71/2 weeks up and running...so im assuming it is still going thru its cycle i would hope ...
my ammonia has dropped half its ppm Ph has stayed the same nitrite has dropped and so has nitrate ... the alkalinity has stayed the same ... any commetns or concerns are greatly appreciated

thankyou

[OneDummHikk]

Forget trying to figure out the nitrites and nitrates yet. They aren't going to matter until your ammonia reading reaches 0. As for a chart that will give you the nitrate from a nitrite test, throw it in the trash and get a nitrate test. As the ammonia goes to 0, the nitrites will start up and then come back down to a 0 reading. While it is coming down, you will see the nitrates start going up.

Nitrite readings have nothing to do with nitrate levels. Nitrate can be at 1000ppm and the nitrite reading can be 0 at the same time. Vice versa as well.

http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html

Has a chart that shows you what happens with ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels.

At 7 1/2 weeks, yes, it is still going through its cycle.