New Reefer reporting for parameter scrutiny!

[Rogued_Reefer]

Hello y’all!

I built a 75gallon tank and been running the tests for almost 2 weeks now. I had seasoned sump media and 3 medium/large LR inside the main tank. I decided to go the raw shrimp approach to cycle my tank and I feel like today after having Ammonia spike and 3 day steady at zero, same with nitrite and nitrate I’m ready to go but I’d like to post a pic of my latest test because I feel like I might be misreading this test coloration.

Thank you for the answers in advance!

 

[absowry]

Looks like you're showing between .25 and .5 ammonia there.

 

[LesPoissons]

water tests can be hard to read and pictures can sometimes distort the colors futher but your ammonia looks like .5 to me.

 

[Rogued_Reefer]

water tests can be hard to read and pictures can sometimes distort the colors futher but your ammonia looks like .5 to me.

Yeah so In person I showed it to one more and they said between 0 and .25 and I saw .25

 

[Katrina71]

Colors are challenging for everyone!

 

[Bleigh]

I don't use that brand anymore, but I think my ammonia looked clearer when it was at 0. When I had ammonia, it looked kind of cloudy or opaque. I believe that ammonia tube may look a little cloudy, but pictures can be deceiving and my memory may be faulty.

 

[Rogued_Reefer]

I will take another picture tomorrow when I do the test again but this time against a white background and better lighting to see if it looks any different

 

[LesPoissons]

I still have that kind and a seachem one as well. API is cloudy no matter what but when it is 0 it's very clearly 0 color. (In my opinion anyway). So I would keep going with your cycling until you are pretty convinced you are a 0. Otherwise, id get a test that is easier to read.

 

[BadFish619]

You're using api test which reads total ammonia so you'll always have a reading. If its 0 to .25 I always call it 0.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Welcome to reef2reef @mario4933!

The question is during the 2 weeks did you see any rise and fall of nitrite and nitrate? That coupled with your ammonia test would tell you if your cycled.

 

[Rogued_Reefer]

Welcome to reef2reef @mario4933!

The question is during the 2 weeks did you see any rise and fall of nitrite and nitrate? That coupled with your ammonia test would tell you if your cycled.

Hey! Thanks for welcoming me

Yes I had a spike on both I’ll attach my results from when I started testing on week 2.

 

[Rogued_Reefer]

Alright so here is today’s test!! Everything seems to have settled except the ammonia... still at 0.25 and I’m feeling like either the test is a bit crappy like some people have stated. One thing I noted from yesterday to today is that I had some green algae/coloration on my rocks and today it turned to a brown coloration so I’m attaching the pics to see if y’all think it’s diatoms or what.

Thanks again for bearing with me here and helping a newbie get to love the hobby without much headaches.

 

[Adventures In Reefing]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Rogued_Reefer]

Welcome to R2R!

Thank you!!

 

[LesPoissons]

Pretty sure the test is fine and you have 0.25 ammonia in your tank so it is not ready to have fish added to it in my opinion. If you don't trust your test kit, go get a new one or have the store test a sample if you want to look at fish.

 

[Cell]

@brandon429

It really is remarkable all the .25 API tests...

 

[Rogued_Reefer]

Pretty sure the test is fine and you have 0.25 ammonia in your tank so it is not ready to have fish added to it in my opinion. If you don't trust your test kit, go get a new one or have the store test a sample if you want to look at fish.

Yeah so tomorrow when I go to the LFS I will bring a sample with water to test it and probably pick up other test kit because even if the test is 100% correct I’m over the color BS... whoever made this API kit probably thought everyone was a color critic or something.

 

[Rogued_Reefer]

@brandon429

It really is remarkable all the .25 API tests...

Right?!?! I searched on R2R for comments on API test kit and everyone has something bad to say about the ammonia test and the .25-.5 reading being perpetual.

 

[Cell]

Since Brandon hasnt dropped in yet, let me predict what he will tell you. With the seasoned media and live rock coupled with the spikes and ammonia stuck and not moving up or down, you are cycled. Let's wait for him to confirm now.

 

[LesPoissons]

Frustrating. Hope you get it sorted out tomorrow and get to get some fish! My api results were always accurate. I got sea chem and salifert test bc everyone said API was crap, but they always matched my other tests.