new tank readings how bad???? with pics

Hendersonracing · 06/14/2006, 09:34 PM

well we set up our 210 here are the readings after 2 days

nitrite-2.0
ph-8.4
ammonia-4.0
nitrites-80

water gets up to 80 degrees during the day and down to 78 at night......

what can I expect/ recommendations please..

oh yeah here is my tank..

Hendersonracing · 06/14/2006, 09:35 PM

iamquockie · 06/14/2006, 09:54 PM

what kind of lights are you running? (this has nothing to do with water parameters)

You gotta let the water go through its nitrogen cycle. Your parameters are going to by wacky for a little while. I noticed in your post that you have nitrites at 2.0 and 80. Its either nitrates or nitrites. Its probably your nitrates that are 80 since the tank is only 2 days old. This is because of the new water and the dieoff from living organisms on your rocks. You should expect your nitrites go up, but while they go up, your nitrates will go down. Once your bacteria are established, all the levels are going to go steady. The whole process will take 20-40 days. There are some very smart people that can explain it alot better than I can

marcrothschild · 06/14/2006, 10:20 PM

I would hold off on the MH lighting for a few weeks, let the ammonia and nitrates come down first. A few hrs of actinics is plenty for the rock during the cycle. In 2-3 weeks things will start to get in line.

fsn77 · 06/14/2006, 10:21 PM

Ammonia is converted to nitrite which is converted to nitrate. Once the right amount of microbial activity begins to balance the nutrient levels in your tank, your ammonia and nitrite will fall to 0. Nitrate will hang around if you don't have anything to take it up or convert it to nitrogen gas. Macro algae and even micro algae will take up the nitrate, while bacteria in a deep sand bed will convert it to nitrogen gas. It takes some time for all of this to happen. Testing every few days or even once a week will help you keep track of its progress.

Hendersonracing · 06/14/2006, 10:53 PM

thanks alot....the light is a corallife light 800 watts....so you guys wouldnt recommend the white lights turned on now???

Hendersonracing · 06/14/2006, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fsn77
Ammonia is converted to nitrite which is converted to nitrate. Once the right amount of microbial activity begins to balance the nutrient levels in your tank, your ammonia and nitrite will fall to 0. Nitrate will hang around if you don't have anything to take it up or convert it to nitrogen gas. Macro algae and even micro algae will take up the nitrate, while bacteria in a deep sand bed will convert it to nitrogen gas. It takes some time for all of this to happen. Testing every few days or even once a week will help you keep track of its progress.

how about a refugium I have one coming? to help with the nitrates?

Sk8r · 06/14/2006, 11:13 PM

It will be interesting for you, perhaps, to start a log of readings and test results, plus the appearance of the tank.
It is progressing---meaning the process has started. It may reach lethal levels [if there were any living thing in there but the bacteria], but the stuff eventually provokes the bacteria to reproduce like mad, and then kicks the few algae spores floating about to grow like crazy---at which point the chemistry will start coming down from lethal to barely survivable, and finally to really quite good...at least with your nitrite, nitrate, ammonia readings. At this point your tank will be able to 'digest' a small fatality so fast you may never even know it happened. It will get stronger as it ages, to the point where it can handle debris really fast.

You'll still have quite a bit of phosphate when your cleaning crew of hermits and snails gets to work, and by the time you can find the rocks again [past the algae] and perform your eariest water-changes, you'll be ready to fine-tune the tank chemistry, looking at your alkalinity and calcium and other parameters. This will start slow, with a little supplementation, and increase in demand as the tank ages.

A refugium will be a real asset in supporting microfauna and pods: all dragonettes tend to use pods as their total diet, while few gobies will turn down a fat pod, either. And the extra growth of weed in there will steal the nutrients that algae in your main display tank might be using to take off again: read: it will keep your main tank from being overrun with algae, while feeding your smaller fish---not a bad bargain.

fsn77 · 06/14/2006, 11:20 PM

A refugium will definitely help. The more algae that grows in your refugium, the less problem algae you'll tend to have in your main tank. The fact that it's a breeding ground for pods is indeed an added benefit, as Sk8r said. I actually think my refugium is as much fun to look at as the main tank itself, but I just might be a freak in that regard.

Hendersonracing · 06/15/2006, 07:06 AM

thanks alot also my tank has been up 3 days now and is still not picture clear does it take a while to get the clearity you are looking for....I put some carbon in the sump 2 days ago?

mogulski · 06/15/2006, 07:19 AM

nice setup and design henderson. i have a simalar set up. go slow and take your time setting this thing up. i'm sure you've been doing lots of research. like someone else said let it cycle through completely and in three weeks you should be good. Also, i highly suggest you keep a log or journal. this makes it a lot easier to record data abd keep track of things like WC's, params and even stuff like change over rates and times such as media's. good luck.

Hendersonracing · 06/15/2006, 07:25 AM

Thanks alot...the water temperature during the night is 77.5 and thrives during the day up to 80.7 is this normal????

Lpabsolute · 06/15/2006, 07:36 AM

Nice looking In-Wall setup. I wouldn't worry about the temp. That's not that big of a change, so you should be fine. Mine usually stays between 78-80 as well. Good Luck

Hendersonracing · 06/15/2006, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mogulski
nice setup and design henderson. i have a simalar set up. go slow and take your time setting this thing up. i'm sure you've been doing lots of research. like someone else said let it cycle through completely and in three weeks you should be good. Also, i highly suggest you keep a log or journal. this makes it a lot easier to record data abd keep track of things like WC's, params and even stuff like change over rates and times such as media's. good luck.

thanks alot your looks great Im going to take my time and do this right we want a masterpiece in our house so we are taking our time.....thanks everyone for all the help If it weren't for forums like this I wouldnt be where I am on it today....
Thanks Guys And Gals...
Joe

marcrothschild · 06/16/2006, 01:29 AM

High levels of nutrients+ High intensity light will be a fovorable environment for nuicence algae to take hold. The corraline algae will made it through the cycle with just actinic lighting, so dont encorage hair algae, bryopsis, etc. Save the bright lighting for after the nutrients have reduced in concentration... when you are ready for corals. Hopefully you have a good skimmer, and bacterial starter like probidio or zeobac might help speed up nutrient reduction, and jump start the cycle.
Love the rockwork BTW, pic #2 captures the caves nicely

Hendersonracing · 06/16/2006, 07:55 AM

Thanks....We love it and just started......I actually jumped the gun a bit we have transfered 4 fish over alreay....damsels and 2 Nemo's lol....they have been in the tank for 4 dyas now and going strong....keep your fingers crossed...we are going to wait and let the tank take its natural course....and keep doing tank readings...

iamquockie · 06/16/2006, 02:42 PM

this will be interesting to see. I seen people add in fish after 2 days and it was fine..but then again i did the same thing and you know..........the fish are still coming back to haunt me after I didnt' give them proper burial

Hendersonracing · 06/17/2006, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by iamquockie
this will be interesting to see. I seen people add in fish after 2 days and it was fine..but then again i did the same thing and you know..........the fish are still coming back to haunt me after I didnt' give them proper burial

lol.....still living so far so good......kinda jumped the gun a bit...

lemonhead · 06/17/2006, 02:42 PM

just take it slow. also seachems stability is a great bio starter. i've used it in about 11 start ups and only one every showed any ammonia.

lemonhead · 06/17/2006, 02:44 PM

also keep up with carbonate hardness (KH) it maintains the ph levels. correst levels 10-12dkh

Hendersonracing · 06/18/2006, 01:24 PM

well the levels are starting to look better...

what do youall think?

ph 8.3

ammonia 0

nitrite 1.0

nitrate 10

but now I have alot of green alge groth on everything including the sand is this a normal deal through cycling? or should I leave all the lights off during cycling....ive only turned on the atinics throughout the day??? and left the mh off? thanks

Hendersonracing · 06/18/2006, 01:46 PM

ill take a few pics tomorrow...for now I just turned on the leds????what do you guys & gals think?

06/14/2006, 09:34 PM	#1
Hendersonracing Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,656	new tank readings how bad???? with pics well we set up our 210 here are the readings after 2 days nitrite-2.0 ph-8.4 ammonia-4.0 nitrites-80 water gets up to 80 degrees during the day and down to 78 at night...... what can I expect/ recommendations please.. oh yeah here is my tank..

06/14/2006, 11:13 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	It will be interesting for you, perhaps, to start a log of readings and test results, plus the appearance of the tank. It is progressing---meaning the process has started. It may reach lethal levels [if there were any living thing in there but the bacteria], but the stuff eventually provokes the bacteria to reproduce like mad, and then kicks the few algae spores floating about to grow like crazy---at which point the chemistry will start coming down from lethal to barely survivable, and finally to really quite good...at least with your nitrite, nitrate, ammonia readings. At this point your tank will be able to 'digest' a small fatality so fast you may never even know it happened. It will get stronger as it ages, to the point where it can handle debris really fast. You'll still have quite a bit of phosphate when your cleaning crew of hermits and snails gets to work, and by the time you can find the rocks again [past the algae] and perform your eariest water-changes, you'll be ready to fine-tune the tank chemistry, looking at your alkalinity and calcium and other parameters. This will start slow, with a little supplementation, and increase in demand as the tank ages. A refugium will be a real asset in supporting microfauna and pods: all dragonettes tend to use pods as their total diet, while few gobies will turn down a fat pod, either. And the extra growth of weed in there will steal the nutrients that algae in your main display tank might be using to take off again: read: it will keep your main tank from being overrun with algae, while feeding your smaller fish---not a bad bargain. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

06/15/2006, 07:19 AM	#11
mogulski Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: central vermont Posts: 883	nice setup and design henderson. i have a simalar set up. go slow and take your time setting this thing up. i'm sure you've been doing lots of research. like someone else said let it cycle through completely and in three weeks you should be good. Also, i highly suggest you keep a log or journal. this makes it a lot easier to record data abd keep track of things like WC's, params and even stuff like change over rates and times such as media's. good luck. Last edited by mogulski; 06/15/2006 at 07:29 AM.

06/15/2006, 07:36 AM	#13
Lpabsolute Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Johns Island, SC Posts: 2,021	Nice looking In-Wall setup. I wouldn't worry about the temp. That's not that big of a change, so you should be fine. Mine usually stays between 78-80 as well. Good Luck __________________ "Do not float above me when I'm drowning in the abyss......float away from me.........float away" Current Tank Info: 54g Corner Reef Tank......and......5.5g Nano Reef Tank......and......20g Long Reef Tank.......and......27g Cube

06/14/2006, 09:35 PM	#2
Hendersonracing Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,656

06/14/2006, 09:54 PM	#3
iamquockie Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: dfw Posts: 276	what kind of lights are you running? (this has nothing to do with water parameters) You gotta let the water go through its nitrogen cycle. Your parameters are going to by wacky for a little while. I noticed in your post that you have nitrites at 2.0 and 80. Its either nitrates or nitrites. Its probably your nitrates that are 80 since the tank is only 2 days old. This is because of the new water and the dieoff from living organisms on your rocks. You should expect your nitrites go up, but while they go up, your nitrates will go down. Once your bacteria are established, all the levels are going to go steady. The whole process will take 20-40 days. There are some very smart people that can explain it alot better than I can

06/14/2006, 10:20 PM	#4
marcrothschild Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Arcadia Ca Posts: 1,099	I would hold off on the MH lighting for a few weeks, let the ammonia and nitrates come down first. A few hrs of actinics is plenty for the rock during the cycle. In 2-3 weeks things will start to get in line.

06/14/2006, 10:21 PM	#5
fsn77 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SC Posts: 777	Ammonia is converted to nitrite which is converted to nitrate. Once the right amount of microbial activity begins to balance the nutrient levels in your tank, your ammonia and nitrite will fall to 0. Nitrate will hang around if you don't have anything to take it up or convert it to nitrogen gas. Macro algae and even micro algae will take up the nitrate, while bacteria in a deep sand bed will convert it to nitrogen gas. It takes some time for all of this to happen. Testing every few days or even once a week will help you keep track of its progress.

06/14/2006, 10:53 PM	#6
Hendersonracing Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,656	thanks alot....the light is a corallife light 800 watts....so you guys wouldnt recommend the white lights turned on now???

06/14/2006, 11:20 PM	#9
fsn77 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SC Posts: 777	A refugium will definitely help. The more algae that grows in your refugium, the less problem algae you'll tend to have in your main tank. The fact that it's a breeding ground for pods is indeed an added benefit, as Sk8r said. I actually think my refugium is as much fun to look at as the main tank itself, but I just might be a freak in that regard.

06/15/2006, 07:06 AM	#10
Hendersonracing Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,656	thanks alot also my tank has been up 3 days now and is still not picture clear does it take a while to get the clearity you are looking for....I put some carbon in the sump 2 days ago?

06/15/2006, 07:25 AM	#12
Hendersonracing Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,656	Thanks alot...the water temperature during the night is 77.5 and thrives during the day up to 80.7 is this normal????

06/16/2006, 01:29 AM	#15
marcrothschild Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Arcadia Ca Posts: 1,099	High levels of nutrients+ High intensity light will be a fovorable environment for nuicence algae to take hold. The corraline algae will made it through the cycle with just actinic lighting, so dont encorage hair algae, bryopsis, etc. Save the bright lighting for after the nutrients have reduced in concentration... when you are ready for corals. Hopefully you have a good skimmer, and bacterial starter like probidio or zeobac might help speed up nutrient reduction, and jump start the cycle. Love the rockwork BTW, pic #2 captures the caves nicely

06/16/2006, 07:55 AM	#16
Hendersonracing Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,656	Thanks....We love it and just started......I actually jumped the gun a bit we have transfered 4 fish over alreay....damsels and 2 Nemo's lol....they have been in the tank for 4 dyas now and going strong....keep your fingers crossed...we are going to wait and let the tank take its natural course....and keep doing tank readings...

06/16/2006, 02:42 PM	#17
iamquockie Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: dfw Posts: 276	this will be interesting to see. I seen people add in fish after 2 days and it was fine..but then again i did the same thing and you know..........the fish are still coming back to haunt me after I didnt' give them proper burial

06/17/2006, 02:42 PM	#19
lemonhead Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: alabama Posts: 280	just take it slow. also seachems stability is a great bio starter. i've used it in about 11 start ups and only one every showed any ammonia.

06/17/2006, 02:44 PM	#20
lemonhead Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: alabama Posts: 280	also keep up with carbonate hardness (KH) it maintains the ph levels. correst levels 10-12dkh

06/18/2006, 01:24 PM	#21
Hendersonracing Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,656	well the levels are starting to look better... what do youall think? ph 8.3 ammonia 0 nitrite 1.0 nitrate 10 but now I have alot of green alge groth on everything including the sand is this a normal deal through cycling? or should I leave all the lights off during cycling....ive only turned on the atinics throughout the day??? and left the mh off? thanks

06/18/2006, 01:46 PM	#22
Hendersonracing Moved On Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 1,656	ill take a few pics tomorrow...for now I just turned on the leds????what do you guys & gals think?