Uber nubish question...

Finding Emo · #1 12/31/2007, 06:03 PM

So, this weekend I set up a 29 gallon tank it has the live rock in it and I'm in the process of curing the tank. I feel really retarded asking this but I've been testing my water parameters...and then it dawned on me "Why am I testing this? I have no idea what I should be looking for?" So here's my question: What should my water parameters be?

Whisperer · #2 12/31/2007, 06:09 PM

You meant cycling?...you want the nitrates to go zero (at the end of the cycle) asssuming other params are on target.

Finding Emo · #3 12/31/2007, 06:11 PM

lol what exactly is "on target" is what i was getting at...lol

McTeague · #4 12/31/2007, 06:12 PM

You want ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to be zero. No need to actually test nitrite however.

You want the pH to be about 8.3

You want the specific gravity to be 1.025

You want the temp to be 79

You want the calcium to be 400 or greater

Correct me if this is wrong, its all from memory...

Whisperer · #5 12/31/2007, 06:13 PM

Check Reef chem Forum for your ideal parameters.

Finding Emo · #6 12/31/2007, 06:16 PM

ok cool thank you both.

SWINGRRRR · #7 12/31/2007, 06:18 PM

If you set it up this weekend, I wouldn't test anything for 2-3 weeks. Just wasting your time.

Sk8r · #8 12/31/2007, 06:30 PM

You can start testing ammonia/nitrate, and be sure your water is at the right salinity and temperature, and staying there despite evaporation. Worry about ph and alkalinity later: if you've mixed your salt properly [1/2 cup per gallon] it will start out balanced.

Depending on the rock, ammonia can appear in the first week. WHen you DO see ammonia, it's ready to tip over into fully-cycled. You have to give it a few days after that, and watch ammonia go down and disappear.

Starting today, feed your tank a few flakes of Formula One fishfood until you see ammonia. Then stop feeding and wait for The Big Change, after which it will be officially cycled and reading 0,0,0. The params given are good.

Zestay · #9 12/31/2007, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sk8r

Starting today, feed your tank a few flakes of Formula One fishfood until you see ammonia. Then stop feeding and wait for The Big Change, after which it will be officially cycled and reading 0,0,0. The params given are good.

i thought it was 0, 0, anything above 0 to show that we have a cycle finished...