Cycling Help - Different Tests giving different results

[DarkReefer]

Young one says. let’s run in and nail one of ‘em. The old one said NO. We will walk in and nail them all.

lol I like it.

I'll be sure to update my build thread once I add some livestock

 

[Garf]

Personally I don’t trust anyone’s views if they have not a build thread. I especially distrust those that block views to their build threads. Looking forward to yours

 

[CrimsonTide]

I would say add a little livestock at a time. Like 1 fish or 2 with small bioload. Or if you have algae a couple of snails and wait a week or two. Don't overload your tank or you might see an ammonia spike.

 

[DarkReefer]

I would say add a little livestock at a time. Like 1 fish or 2 with small bioload. Or if you have algae a couple of snails and wait a week or two. Don't overload your tank or you might see an ammonia spike.

I was thinking a pair of clowns and a zombie snail or two.
Think that'd be okay?

 

[Garf]

Couple of clowns would be good.

 

[CrimsonTide]

Yeah a couple of clowns and wait a week or 2 make sure the bacteria are keeping up with them. Realistically you've added more ammonia than the clowns will create so they should be fine.

 

[DarkReefer]

Thanks guys.
Just about to start my WC (have to do it in 2 parts because I don't have enough water on hand to do it all at once lol).
75L now and then goto the shop, grab more water and then another 75L. (Or do you think 75L change would be enough in my waterbox 70.2)

Would clowns etc be fine if the salinity is up a little? Will work to get this adjusted down to the 1.025 mark but as I'll go get everything all at once, save me an extra trip (until tomorrow when i'll get some more water to keep on hand).

Can't wait to actually get some drums to fill up at home so I can hold more water lol.

 

[ReefRusty]

A 75L wC is about a 35% change for our tanks. Its whatever you can do. More the better. Need to get one of those food grade storage containers mate. 190L Makes it so much easier. I also think they have a 220L can send you the details $45 bucks from memory. Were old olive barrels just wash with bicarb soda a couple times and your set.

 

[DarkReefer]

A 75L wC is about a 35% change for our tanks. Its whatever you can do. More the better. Need to get one of those food grade storage containers mate. 190L Makes it so much easier. I also think they have a 220L can send you the details $45 bucks from memory. Were old olive barrels just wash with bicarb soda a couple times and your set.

I think the last big one I did was about 125L.
Might aim for that again. Just means I use what I have here and then run to the shop grab more and finish it when I get back. That way the rock stays wet pretty much and it's only the top section left to fill up. Fish will just have to stay in the bag a bit longer. lol

Just had to WC my little fresh water tank today too. It's over populated thanks to the guppies breeding twice in the past 2 months, but everything was pretty good apart from Nitrates which were up a bit.

 

[ReefRusty]

Its a pain in the butt doing trips hope you don't live to far from them haha. Take a water sample in to them. I got 4 x 35L food grade containers from bunnings $24 each easy to store and carry. Think ocean marine have 25L but $25 each

 

[DarkReefer]

Its a pain in the butt doing trips hope you don't live to far from them haha. Take a water sample in to them. I got 4 x 35L food grade containers from bunnings $24 each easy to store and carry. Think ocean marine have 25L but $25 each

Yeah I got 25L ones from bunnings cause they didn't have the 35L ones.
Will be good when I can just arrange to get my drums filled up and it's good for a month or two (hopefully).

 

[DarkReefer]

Final test before adding fish.

After the large WC of about 125L results are as below;
Ammonia 0-0.25
Nitrite - 0.50
Nitrate - 5-10
pH - 7.8
Also checked Salinity and it's currently about 1.027. Will likely adjust a little and try get this down a little more but I expect 1.027 to be 'ok' considering there's no sensitive corals etc yet and it's just some hardy fish going in.

Will continue to monitor & test over the next couple days whilst the fish are settling in.

 

[ReefRusty]

Got some fish? Pics?

 

[DarkReefer]

Got some fish? Pics?

Sure do! Check the build thread

 

[DarkReefer]

One last follow up post to show how we're going now.
Looks like everything is spot on at Day 26 (didn't test yesterday).

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 0

pH - 7.8-8

Gave it one last dose of stabiliser but very happy to say everything is going amazingly.
Thank you again guys for following along with the thread and keeping up to date with the progress and providing helpful advice.
Hopefully this thread can serve as assistance to others in future.

 

[Garf]

Now for the exciting bit .

 

[ReefRusty]

Good to see with your fish your ammonia is still at 0 always promising that the bacteria is doing its job. I would say your Nitrate is more 5-10 personally. Exciting stuff mate shame about the current lockdown atm.