First time reef tank metrics

bfpierce99 · Sep 25, 2020

I'm a total noob. Set up a COVID reef tank for the first time. It's been cycling for 24 hours and I got the following metrics:

pH: 8.2 (hard for me to match this color though)
Ammonia: 0.50
Nitrites: 2.00
Nitrates: 40

Started with live rock, one bottle of bio-spira, most of a bottle of dr. Tim's one and only. And then half the amount of ammonia as recommended on dr. tim's ammonium chloride. (48 drops for 32 gal tank with roughly 24 gal of water to account for rock).

So is this normal? I would have expected to have much more ammonia and much less nitrates.

Rjukan · Sep 25, 2020

You used half the amount of recommended ammonia, so it's going to be low. Don't bother testing the others until ammonia is 0, it throws off those readings plus they don't matter until the previous is zero. Same thing with nitrate when your ammonia is zero and you're watching nitrite come down.

Rjukan · Sep 25, 2020

Also, welcome to R2R!!

bfpierce99 · Sep 26, 2020

Got it. So I added the other half of the ammonia yesterday. Read 0.5 ppm ammonia today again. Do I add more ammonia? If so, how often do I add it? I want to make sure my bugs are growing nicely and have enough food to eat.

Rjukan · Sep 26, 2020

Before you added the other half, did you check ammonia?

bfpierce99 · Sep 26, 2020

Rjukan said:
Before you added the other half, did you check ammonia?

Yes, 0.5ppm. Same reading.

piranhaman00 · Sep 26, 2020

Your golden, you don’t have to test anything during cycle, I would squirt some more ammonia in and then wait 7 days. Then test ammonia nitrite and nitrate. Don’t test during the cycle , it will just drive you crazy. It will happen suddenly just wait.

Pistondog · Sep 26, 2020

bfpierce99 said:
I'm a total noob. Set up a COVID reef tank for the first time. It's been cycling for 24 hours and I got the following metrics:

pH: 8.2 (hard for me to match this color though)
Ammonia: 0.50
Nitrites: 2.00
Nitrates: 40

Started with live rock, one bottle of bio-spira, most of a bottle of dr. Tim's one and only. And then half the amount of ammonia as recommended on dr. tim's ammonium chloride. (48 drops for 32 gal tank with roughly 24 gal of water to account for rock).

So is this normal? I would have expected to have much more ammonia and much less nitrates.

Welcome bfpierce,
Sounds like you are on your way
Keep us posted with your progress

bfpierce99 · Sep 28, 2020

After squirting in more ammonia 2 days ago, I tested ammonia again last night and got zero. I squirted in another half start up dose after that test. i don't mind testing the ammonia as it is quick and easy.

bfpierce99 · Sep 29, 2020

After 24 hours, I got 0 ammonia again. So I just squirted in a full dose (~2 ml) for my tank. I assume if I get zero ammonia in 24 hours, I start testing nitrites and nitrates? When do you all think I should do a water change? Obviously I'm anxious to get something in the tank to look at.

bfpierce99 · Sep 29, 2020

Ok, I'm 5 days into my cycle. After putting in another full dose of ammonia last night, my ammonia this afternoon is only 0.25ppm. So I clearly have those bugs. However, my nitrites are 5ppm (or more?). Clearly the bugs that turn nitrite into nitrate are not up to speed yet so I will give it another day or two, then test again. Wish me luck!

92Miata · Sep 29, 2020

You're done. Stop adding ammonia. You're just driving up your nitrates at this point.

Give it a day and add some fish.

The only time you ever need to put ammonia in a new reef tank is if you plan on adding a bunch of fish at once.

bfpierce99 · Oct 9, 2020

I added a mandarin and a royal gramma 48 hours ago. Both dead. The royal gramma is unfortunately dead inside my reef rock. The mandarin I found upside down on the bottom of the tank this morning.

Tested my water this morning. No ammonia, no nitrites, 40ppm nitrates (due for water change). What did I do wrong?

92Miata · Oct 9, 2020

bfpierce99 said:
I added a mandarin and a royal gramma 48 hours ago. Both dead. The royal gramma is unfortunately dead inside my reef rock. The mandarin I found upside down on the bottom of the tank this morning. Tested my water this morning. No ammonia, no nitrites, 40ppm nitrates (due for water change). What did I do wrong?

The bolded means it has nothing to do with the cycle.

What is your salinity, and how are you measuring it? How did you acclimate? LFS, or shipped?

Any photos of either fish?

bfpierce99 · Oct 9, 2020

92Miata said:
The bolded means it has nothing to do with the cycle.

What is your salinity, and how are you measuring it? How did you acclimate? LFS, or shipped?

Any photos of either fish?

Salinity is 1.024 on the money. Measure with a Refractometer. Temp is 80. Double check with external thermometer in addition to the setting on my heater. LFS. I float acclimated for 1-2 hours, first bringing up to temp, then slowly adding tank water. Also added pods to my tank last week in preparation.

Mandarin was upside down on bottom. No visable marking but not breathing. Netted him and he was clearly dead. Gramma is stuck in the rock. Saw crab in their last night, presumably eating him.

dhjunkie · Oct 11, 2020

Sorry about your fish. Looks like your tank is cycled and ready for fish. It's possible too many fish too soon. Maybe next time try adding one fish to your tank at a time? At least until you have a few thriving. Hope that helps.

725196 · Oct 11, 2020

Welcome to R2R.

Free advice: The most expensive part of this hobby is impatience. Read and ask questions. Then question what you have read about and research the answers you have gotten from others. Take your time to learn and Enjoy the hobby!

supernanoguy · Oct 12, 2020

Did you not do the water change before adding fish? Maybe your trace elements were near 0?

bfpierce99 · Oct 15, 2020

Yes, I did water change prior. I think I just got bad fish. I just added 4 at once (from livingaquaria online) and they are thriving for several days now, feeding nicely, etc., etc.