New tank cycle

[sparsons]

Hello everybody. I'm cycling my tank for the first time. 120 Gal, started with 120 pounds of cured live rock, and 80 pounds live sand.

Here are the water parameters so far:

Day 3: Temp 76, SG 1.024, pH 8.6?, Amm 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate <5,

Day 8: Temp 77, SG 1.025, pH 8.3?, Amm 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate <5, Alk 11 dkH, Cal 480, Phos 0.03

So I have a couple of questions. First, I am not seeing any spikes in Ammonia, Nitrite yet. I know with live rock/live sand those will be minimized, but I'm a week and a half into the cycle and haven't seen anything yet. When do you think I can assume the tank has cycled enough to add some livestock?

Second, I'm having a little trouble testing the pH (thus the "?" seen above on the test values). The color just doesn't seem to match the colors on the test kit chart. I'm using a "Nutrafin" pH test kit. Are there other ways to double check, like a digital pH probe or something? Are those accurate?

Thanks!

[rxonco]

If you started with good, established live rock and sand you may not see much of an ammonia spike. Especially with 120# of it.

[Tuscaquatics]

I would hit it really hard with some flakes or shrimp or something to give a good jolt of ammonia. If you never see anything but nitrates, you're probably good to go.

As for pH, go ahead and get on Ebay and order a 25 dollar or so digital probe. It's so worth it. Liquid pH test kits are pretty much the hardest to read and thus least accurate of all.

[sparsons]

Thanks for the replies. I found a "Hanna pHep-4" online. Anyone have any experience with that as a pH tester?

[Tuscaquatics]

Originally Posted by sparsons

Thanks for the replies. I found a "Hanna pHep-4" online. Anyone have any experience with that as a pH tester?

I think those would be on the expensive end. Probably a little better quality, so if you got the budget, then go for it. But I have a Milwaukee one from Ebay that was 25 bucks and has always been fine. Most people spend around 25-30 bucks for theirs.

[steelhead77]

Originally Posted by Tuscaquatics

I think those would be on the expensive end. Probably a little better quality, so if you got the budget, then go for it. But I have a Milwaukee one from Ebay that was 25 bucks and has always been fine. Most people spend around 25-30 bucks for theirs.

+1 on this. Ph is very difficult to measure using a test kit. A probe is the only way to go.

Start to add things slowly. Get a small CUC and let them go for a couple weeks, then add a small fish or two (Stay FAR FAR away from Damsels!!) and let them go for a couple more weeks, then add a few more hermits and snails. After that, if everything looks hunky-dory, you should be good to go and ready to add a couple "easy" corals (xenia, frogspawn, leathers, Kenya trees, GSP, etc).

Good luck