My tank is 11 days old and I'm confused about the different nitrate readings I'm getting from my 2 test kits.
I used dry, bleached rock, which tested 0 ammonia, nitrite and nitrate after being in salt water for 8 days before I initially started my cycle.
To cycle, I used 100 drops of Dr Tim's ammonia in my waterbox 130.4 (total tank volume is around 430 taking into account rock, the recommended dose was around 400 drops), and added the recommended amount of Microbacter Start XLM. My ammonia got to 0.15 according to my Salifert test.
A couple of days later it had dropped to 0 ammonia so I re-dosed ammonia to 0.5. As you'd imagine, nitrate went up, I started seeing nitrate on day 4. By day 7, I was testing 0 ammonia, 0.25 nitrite and 25 nitrate. On day 8 I did a 20% water change and added 4 trochus snails, a tiny bit of GSP and an ugly acan frag my buddy was chucking out.
On day 10, ammonia was reading 0, nitrite 0.25, nitrate 50. I did a 30% wc.
Today, it's day 11. Ammonia 0, nitrite 0.25, nitrate 50 (or possibly even 100 on the Salifert test). I'm suspicious about this because I haven't fed the tank or added anything since doing a 30% water change, and before then was a bit of nori which I removed after about 20 minutes because the snails are too stupid to find it. I suppose it's possible the rock is leaching something, I guess. I'm running a skimmer, wet, and have a filter roller.
I used my API nitrate test and it's coming up 5 - 10ppm (honestly closer to 5). I ran both tests again; same thing, Salifert ~50, API 5. I watched videos making sure I'm doing the test properly and reading it properly. I am. I got my partner to do the tests, and he has got the same results.
Phos 0.03, maybe slightly clearer yesterday and today, but definitely more than 0.
I feel like I'm going crazy. Any suggestions?
I used dry, bleached rock, which tested 0 ammonia, nitrite and nitrate after being in salt water for 8 days before I initially started my cycle.
To cycle, I used 100 drops of Dr Tim's ammonia in my waterbox 130.4 (total tank volume is around 430 taking into account rock, the recommended dose was around 400 drops), and added the recommended amount of Microbacter Start XLM. My ammonia got to 0.15 according to my Salifert test.
A couple of days later it had dropped to 0 ammonia so I re-dosed ammonia to 0.5. As you'd imagine, nitrate went up, I started seeing nitrate on day 4. By day 7, I was testing 0 ammonia, 0.25 nitrite and 25 nitrate. On day 8 I did a 20% water change and added 4 trochus snails, a tiny bit of GSP and an ugly acan frag my buddy was chucking out.
On day 10, ammonia was reading 0, nitrite 0.25, nitrate 50. I did a 30% wc.
Today, it's day 11. Ammonia 0, nitrite 0.25, nitrate 50 (or possibly even 100 on the Salifert test). I'm suspicious about this because I haven't fed the tank or added anything since doing a 30% water change, and before then was a bit of nori which I removed after about 20 minutes because the snails are too stupid to find it. I suppose it's possible the rock is leaching something, I guess. I'm running a skimmer, wet, and have a filter roller.
I used my API nitrate test and it's coming up 5 - 10ppm (honestly closer to 5). I ran both tests again; same thing, Salifert ~50, API 5. I watched videos making sure I'm doing the test properly and reading it properly. I am. I got my partner to do the tests, and he has got the same results.
Phos 0.03, maybe slightly clearer yesterday and today, but definitely more than 0.
I feel like I'm going crazy. Any suggestions?