Hello everyone!
I am new to the saltwater world and set up a new 29 gallon just over a week ago. After dry rock and live sand it has a water volume of 22 gallons. I am currently using Walmart purple cap distilled water and IO reef crystals. I have been dosing pure ammonia and stability over the last week. I tested my water yesterday at the lfs and they only tested phosphate and nitrates but those came back with .5 phosphate and 80 nitrates. I believe they used Salifert tests. They were very surprised by these numbers and suggested several 25% water changes.
I have been testing regularly at home using API, which I know if not as accurate, but when I got home from the lfs I tested my water and my parameters show .25 ammonia, .5 nitrites and 10 nitrates as shown. I cannot believe that my test is that far off from theirs. I have had freshwater aquariums for some time so I am confident that I am doing the test correctly.
My question is before I start doing changes what is everyone’s thoughts? I have read that nitrites present can cause a false nitrate reading. Is that possibly what happened at the lfs or should I really be doing some water changes now just one week into my cycle?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
llovasco
I am new to the saltwater world and set up a new 29 gallon just over a week ago. After dry rock and live sand it has a water volume of 22 gallons. I am currently using Walmart purple cap distilled water and IO reef crystals. I have been dosing pure ammonia and stability over the last week. I tested my water yesterday at the lfs and they only tested phosphate and nitrates but those came back with .5 phosphate and 80 nitrates. I believe they used Salifert tests. They were very surprised by these numbers and suggested several 25% water changes.
I have been testing regularly at home using API, which I know if not as accurate, but when I got home from the lfs I tested my water and my parameters show .25 ammonia, .5 nitrites and 10 nitrates as shown. I cannot believe that my test is that far off from theirs. I have had freshwater aquariums for some time so I am confident that I am doing the test correctly.
My question is before I start doing changes what is everyone’s thoughts? I have read that nitrites present can cause a false nitrate reading. Is that possibly what happened at the lfs or should I really be doing some water changes now just one week into my cycle?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
llovasco