Hello Everyone, I'm AJ and I am really excited to start my journey with the reef2reef community. I recently purchased a Fluval Evo 13.5 gallon aquarium and started cycling the tank on the 30th of April this year.
I was recommended to add Fauna Marina bacto blend by the local fish shop: and so I applied it's initial dosage, and then the regular dosage for a month and a half while maintaining the temperature, salinity, etc. and ghost feeding by adding fish food. I also using a live rock and live sand and the stock foam filter and ceramic rings which came with the tank. I removed the carbon filter as I read it wasn't required for the cycling stage.
I was only able to pick up a JBL marin saltwater test kit on the 24th of May (as I had bought another kit which was actually for freshwater from amazon. I only came to know about it after I bought it). And so I added a tiny pinch fish food about 3 to 4 times during that phase until when I bought a saltwater test kit.
Long story short, after my JBL kit came my Nh4 tested around 1.5ppm on the 28th of May and dropped to less than 0.05 ppm on 10th June and has been there ever since. I am also using a ammonia badge which has been yellow since the ammonia dropped.
However, my nitrite was 0.8 on 10th June and is between 0.4 to 0.6 according to yesterday's test i.e. 5th July.
My nitrate is between 30-40 ppm as of yesterday.
And my Ph is - 8.4and kh is 8 (as my local fish shop had advised to dose an alkalinity buffer to maintain the kh value and so I am testing it and adjust it if it drops below 7dkh. I only increase 1dkh/a day max. till it reaches a dkh of 8 and wait for a week or so to adjust if it falls below 7 again as I read online). It generally stays around 7 though.
I last added fish food on 23rd May and stopped dosing bacto blend on 6th June. My temperature is around 25 to 26°C on average and Salinity is around 1.025 at 34 ppm. I also did 2 water changes of 10% and 20% (as my Ph reached 8.8) respectively on May 15th and the 28th of May, since getting the tank.
I am unsure what I should do next:
1. Whether I should wait for my nitrite to drop to 0 or less than 0.2 which I am waiting since 10th June as it was 0.8 which is now showing around 0.4 - 0.6 ppm from yesterday's test?
2. OR whether I should do a large water change (if so what percentage?) and test again as I read on an article today on the forum since more than 35 days of cycling have passed?
3. OR whether my bacteria are dying off since I last ghost fed on the 23rd of May and if I need to add bacto blend again or ghost feed again?
4. OR do I add my live stock which is 2 Clownfish, 3 snails and 3 hermit crabs. If so should I do a water change (what %) and any thing else I would need to do?
Note: My live rock was outside for around 9 hours when I first bought it: although it was rolled in a packet and wasn't subject to any heat whatsoever. I don't know though, if it has caused any issues.
I am also having quite a significant diatomic bloom around the tank and I am not using any light source, etc. And topping off with RODI water only.
OR is there anything else I missed out?
I know this is a fairly complex topic and I am reaching out, if some one could please guide me or suggest what I need to do next as this is my first aquarium and I am trying my best to make sure I do my best to keep it safe for my soon to come livestock. :)
I was recommended to add Fauna Marina bacto blend by the local fish shop: and so I applied it's initial dosage, and then the regular dosage for a month and a half while maintaining the temperature, salinity, etc. and ghost feeding by adding fish food. I also using a live rock and live sand and the stock foam filter and ceramic rings which came with the tank. I removed the carbon filter as I read it wasn't required for the cycling stage.
I was only able to pick up a JBL marin saltwater test kit on the 24th of May (as I had bought another kit which was actually for freshwater from amazon. I only came to know about it after I bought it). And so I added a tiny pinch fish food about 3 to 4 times during that phase until when I bought a saltwater test kit.
Long story short, after my JBL kit came my Nh4 tested around 1.5ppm on the 28th of May and dropped to less than 0.05 ppm on 10th June and has been there ever since. I am also using a ammonia badge which has been yellow since the ammonia dropped.
However, my nitrite was 0.8 on 10th June and is between 0.4 to 0.6 according to yesterday's test i.e. 5th July.
My nitrate is between 30-40 ppm as of yesterday.
And my Ph is - 8.4and kh is 8 (as my local fish shop had advised to dose an alkalinity buffer to maintain the kh value and so I am testing it and adjust it if it drops below 7dkh. I only increase 1dkh/a day max. till it reaches a dkh of 8 and wait for a week or so to adjust if it falls below 7 again as I read online). It generally stays around 7 though.
I last added fish food on 23rd May and stopped dosing bacto blend on 6th June. My temperature is around 25 to 26°C on average and Salinity is around 1.025 at 34 ppm. I also did 2 water changes of 10% and 20% (as my Ph reached 8.8) respectively on May 15th and the 28th of May, since getting the tank.
I am unsure what I should do next:
1. Whether I should wait for my nitrite to drop to 0 or less than 0.2 which I am waiting since 10th June as it was 0.8 which is now showing around 0.4 - 0.6 ppm from yesterday's test?
2. OR whether I should do a large water change (if so what percentage?) and test again as I read on an article today on the forum since more than 35 days of cycling have passed?
3. OR whether my bacteria are dying off since I last ghost fed on the 23rd of May and if I need to add bacto blend again or ghost feed again?
4. OR do I add my live stock which is 2 Clownfish, 3 snails and 3 hermit crabs. If so should I do a water change (what %) and any thing else I would need to do?
Note: My live rock was outside for around 9 hours when I first bought it: although it was rolled in a packet and wasn't subject to any heat whatsoever. I don't know though, if it has caused any issues.
I am also having quite a significant diatomic bloom around the tank and I am not using any light source, etc. And topping off with RODI water only.
OR is there anything else I missed out?
I know this is a fairly complex topic and I am reaching out, if some one could please guide me or suggest what I need to do next as this is my first aquarium and I am trying my best to make sure I do my best to keep it safe for my soon to come livestock. :)
