API test kit Colors Confusion

[Hamza Hamid]

I am going to guess the middle vile of the 3 is your RO/DI. Well that's good to know it is not your source water. So now we have figured out it is your tank. So something is going on in there.
1) Do you have powerheads? How many?
2) What kind of filtration do have (HOB, Canister, or Sump)? What is the biological media?

I have only 1 powerhead for water flow and 1 return pump in back. This is ocean free 24L tank with all in filter. Righ side i have a lime wood air pump skimmer middle i have at bottom ceramic rings then black spong white spong and some activated charcoal above this some ceramic rings again as in pic. Then left chamber is empty with only a hang on fan for cooling.
Hope this is clear.
One more thing to add this skimmer waste collection is of 10+ days is it ok or my skimmer is not working? and skimmed waste is not so brown. All pics attached.

 

[Nick30G]

That is very wet skimmate. Your skim is going to be darker or lighter depends on your bioload and how high you have set the water level in the your skimmer. For 10 days of skimming that is a very small amount.

 

[Hamza Hamid]

That is very wet skimmate. Your skim is going to be darker or lighter depends on your bioload and how high you have set the water level in the your skimmer. For 10 days of skimming that is a very small amount.

I have set the maximum the skimmer can go inside as it was recomended by shop guy. pic attached that is the level. How can i improve the skimming? any tips?

 

[40B Knasty]

To be honest. That does not look like enough surface area with your biological filtration ceramics. You have 14 pieces. The porosity on those are like in the 480 range. You might want to get Marine Pure and cut out a plate that fits in your ceramic basket. First you would need to cycle the Marine Pure. The surface area is in 2400 range giving you 3x as much beneficial bacteria surface area to break down ammonia and nitrites.

 

[40B Knasty]

For your skimmer collection cup. Just dump out the water. Don't clean it. Let the pipe gunk up a little. This will help with pulling a better skim from my experience. I was cleaning it out all the time. Not getting as good of skim. I just dump the skim and give it a little spray with the hose in the faucet. Put it back on and don't wipe it down with a paper towel.

 

[Hamza Hamid]

To be honest. That does not look like enough surface area with your biological filtration ceramics. You have 14 pieces. The porosity on those are like in the 480 range. You might want to get Marine Pure and cut out a plate that fits in your ceramic basket. First you would need to cycle the Marine Pure. The surface area is in 2400 range giving you 3x as much beneficial bacteria surface area to break down ammonia and nitrites.

I have ceramic rings in baskit at the bottom then sponges kit then again that 14 ceramic rings u see in pic.

 

[Hamza Hamid]

To be honest. That does not look like enough surface area with your biological filtration ceramics. You have 14 pieces. The porosity on those are like in the 480 range. You might want to get Marine Pure and cut out a plate that fits in your ceramic basket. First you would need to cycle the Marine Pure. The surface area is in 2400 range giving you 3x as much beneficial bacteria surface area to break down ammonia and nitrites.

Are we talking about this to get in my tank? PIC.

 

[40B Knasty]

I prefer the plates. The water is forced through the plate. With the spheres the water can go around it easier and you miss out on a certain % of maximizing the amount of the use of the area that holds beneficial bacteria. It is very easy to cut with a bread knife to form the shape that fits.

 

[Hamza Hamid]

I prefer the plates. The water is forced through the plate. With the spheres the water can go around it easier and you miss out on a certain % of maximizing the amount of the use of the area that holds beneficial bacteria. It is very easy to cut with a bread knife to form the shape that fits.

So i will remove my existing ceramic rings and add this? or just add additional media?
Great i will try to order this now itself.
My activated charcoal is since JAN 2018, do i need to get new or use existing?

 

[40B Knasty]

Here is good example at 5:22 in the video. I cut the block to fit in that area to force all the water through it and not around it. If you decide to use MP. Stick the cut piece of MP in a plastic mesh bag with some flow on it in your tank for awhile till it cycles. Then pull out your ceramic rings, remove the MP from the bag, and put the cut plate of MP in the area that your ceramic rings were in.

 

[40B Knasty]

Carbon doesn't last long at all. Most carbons are garbage. BRS ROX.08 is the best carbon on the market. Carbon is only used to clean water. It does not remove or detoxify ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates. Your carbon is exhausted. You can throw it out.

 

[40B Knasty]

Watch that video

 

[Hamza Hamid]

Carbon doesn't last long at all. Most carbons are garbage. BRS ROX.08 is the best carbon on the market. Carbon is only used to clean water. It does not remove or detoxify ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates. Your carbon is exhausted. You can throw it out.

Great i will throw it and not add again.

 

[Hamza Hamid]

Here is good example at 5:22 in the video. I cut the block to fit in that area to force all the water through it and not around it. If you decide to use MP. Stick the cut piece of MP in a plastic mesh bag with some flow on it in your tank for awhile till it cycles. Then pull out your ceramic rings, remove the MP from the bag, and put the cut plate of MP in the area that your ceramic rings were in.

Video is great got yhe exact idea now. Will do the same and share the result.
Video making is very good. Appreciated.

 

[40B Knasty]

Video is great got yhe exact idea now. Will do the same and share the result.
Video making is very good. Appreciated.

One thing you want to think about it is that these people are using a canister full of carbon. You and I are using a small amount of it. It will exhaust just as fast because it is probably 10-20 x less of the amount you can fit in a canister. The BRS ROX.08 rinses easy and fast.
Scoop some into a filter media bag that will not allow the carbon to fall out of(so you need to find a small micron bag). Rinse it, but do not press on in it with your fingers, because this will only cause more dust particles. Let the water just flow on the bag till you see no more dust in the water going down the drain.

 

[Hamza Hamid]

One thing you want to think about it is that these people are using a canister full of carbon. You and I are using a small amount of it. It will exhaust just as fast because it is probably 10-20 x less of the amount you can fit in a canister. The BRS ROX.08 rinses easy and fast.
Scoop some into a filter media bag that will not allow the carbon to fall out of(so you need to find a small micron bag). Rinse it, but do not press on in it with your fingers, because this will only cause more dust particles. Let the water just flow on the bag till you see no more dust in the water going down the drain.

Ok. now also carbon is in a small clothing bag. I will use the same bag and add new carbon in it.

 

[Hamza Hamid]

Carbon doesn't last long at all. Most carbons are garbage. BRS ROX.08 is the best carbon on the market. Carbon is only used to clean water. It does not remove or detoxify ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates. Your carbon is exhausted. You can throw it out.

Video is clear. Its better to change carbon every 2 months i think. My water is not yellow its pure crystal still i will change carbon as its very old.

 

[40B Knasty]

Video is clear. Its better to change carbon every 2 months i think. My water is not yellow its pure crystal still i will change carbon as its very old.

People change it over 2-3 weeks

 

[Hamza Hamid]

People change it over 2-3 weeks

Is it possible that my salt have Ammonia?
I have tested my rodi previously with 0 ammonia now i have done a test with rodi and my salt mix now just see the pic ammonia is high. This not my tank water this new rodi and my salt mix.
Might b this api kit **** or my cheap salt is ****.
MARINIUM reef salt. Planning to buy Red sea coral pro which is going in some promotion 22kg bucket. shall i buy it?

Have look at the pic.

 

[40B Knasty]

Is it possible that my salt have Ammonia?
I have tested my rodi previously with 0 ammonia now i have done a test with rodi and my salt mix now just see the pic ammonia is high. This not my tank water this new rodi and my salt mix.
Might b this api kit **** or my cheap salt is ****.
MARINIUM reef salt. Planning to buy Red sea coral pro which is going in some promotion 22kg bucket. shall i buy it?

Have look at the pic.

In this hobby anything is possible. It looks like you do have traces of ammonia after mixing. RSCP is a great salt, but a little pricey for me. I have heard from a friend that there was a time when Instant Ocean had a bad batch 8 years back and he had to get rid of it all.