New salty, water quality issues and cycling

voidg · 12/02/2012, 01:47 PM

Hey guys,

I just setup a 54G 4 weeks ago, in terms of basic parameters the water quality is decent; 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, < 5 ppm nitrates, PH 8.0, SG 1.025. I never really had a significant ammonia spike... I think in week 2 it may have "jumped" between 0.25 and 0.5 ppm. I'm using an API test kit, which I understand aren't all that accurate.

Anyway, my concern is the quality of the water I used to start the tank. I committed, what many of you would consider a cardinal sin, and used Prime'd tap water. Later I found out that the TDS in my area is around 350 ppm! I have an RODI unit on order and have been using RO to top up. What should I do with my tank?

I was considering changing out 1/2 the water when my RODI arrives to knock down the TDS in the tank to closer to normal levels, then doing 20 percent changes every week or so until the the calculated TDS based on volume and changed volume would drop the tank to sub 10ppm.

I have no livestock in the tank, just 15lbs of LR, 40lbs of dry rock and a couple mushroom coral that hitchiked on my LR.

Am I freaking out about my TDS too much? Is my plan too aggressive for a new tank or not aggressive enough? What do you think I should do?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

thegrun · 12/02/2012, 01:52 PM

A large water change before you add livestock is a good idea, but if you are not having major algae issues now I wouldn't get overly concerned. If you haven't started running your lights I would wait until after that 50% water change. Getting a clean up crew in the tank soon would be a good idea, better to stay on top of algae before it becomes a problem.

voidg · 12/02/2012, 02:00 PM

Thanks. We're just coming out of a major diatom outbreak and now there is a little pink on my dry rock in one area that I am concerned could be some cyano starting up. There's also some very minor green algae and hair on one rock that I am not too concerned about. I have started running my lights due to the mushroom coral that came with the LR, as I read they are mostly photosynthetic.

Painted skin · 12/02/2012, 02:01 PM

I use tap and have done so for years with no problems, what works for me does not necessary will work for you. Even though my tap is extremely good comparing to yours. I don't just put prime and use it in my DT. I further treat it for phosphate and medals.

If you are using RO right now instead of waiting, you can start swapping tap for RO which is cleaner. Keep in mind that if you are using your TDS meter in the display tank or even after you have mixed salt or any other additive, you're still going to get a fair amount of reading on your tds. TDS= total dissolved solids, so anything you mix in pure water it's going to register.

That pink stuff maybe just Coraline algae which is good, but if it's a burgundy or like a dark red and some what slime like then it's cyano.

voidg · 12/02/2012, 02:21 PM

Thanks. I know about TDS readings straight from the tank so calculating my pre salt TDS reading in my DT is strictly a mathematical exercise. Also concerned about what else may be lurking in the water that the TDS meter isn't picking up, so definitely looking to clean up the water quality before stocking.

12/02/2012, 01:47 PM	#1
voidg Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 95	New salty, water quality issues and cycling Hey guys, I just setup a 54G 4 weeks ago, in terms of basic parameters the water quality is decent; 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, < 5 ppm nitrates, PH 8.0, SG 1.025. I never really had a significant ammonia spike... I think in week 2 it may have "jumped" between 0.25 and 0.5 ppm. I'm using an API test kit, which I understand aren't all that accurate. Anyway, my concern is the quality of the water I used to start the tank. I committed, what many of you would consider a cardinal sin, and used Prime'd tap water. Later I found out that the TDS in my area is around 350 ppm! I have an RODI unit on order and have been using RO to top up. What should I do with my tank? I was considering changing out 1/2 the water when my RODI arrives to knock down the TDS in the tank to closer to normal levels, then doing 20 percent changes every week or so until the the calculated TDS based on volume and changed volume would drop the tank to sub 10ppm. I have no livestock in the tank, just 15lbs of LR, 40lbs of dry rock and a couple mushroom coral that hitchiked on my LR. Am I freaking out about my TDS too much? Is my plan too aggressive for a new tank or not aggressive enough? What do you think I should do? Thanks in advance for your opinions!

12/02/2012, 02:01 PM	#4
Painted skin Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Canada Posts: 679	I use tap and have done so for years with no problems, what works for me does not necessary will work for you. Even though my tap is extremely good comparing to yours. I don't just put prime and use it in my DT. I further treat it for phosphate and medals. If you are using RO right now instead of waiting, you can start swapping tap for RO which is cleaner. Keep in mind that if you are using your TDS meter in the display tank or even after you have mixed salt or any other additive, you're still going to get a fair amount of reading on your tds. TDS= total dissolved solids, so anything you mix in pure water it's going to register. That pink stuff maybe just Coraline algae which is good, but if it's a burgundy or like a dark red and some what slime like then it's cyano. Last edited by Painted skin; 12/02/2012 at 02:08 PM.

12/02/2012, 01:52 PM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	A large water change before you add livestock is a good idea, but if you are not having major algae issues now I wouldn't get overly concerned. If you haven't started running your lights I would wait until after that 50% water change. Getting a clean up crew in the tank soon would be a good idea, better to stay on top of algae before it becomes a problem.

12/02/2012, 02:00 PM	#3
voidg Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 95	Thanks. We're just coming out of a major diatom outbreak and now there is a little pink on my dry rock in one area that I am concerned could be some cyano starting up. There's also some very minor green algae and hair on one rock that I am not too concerned about. I have started running my lights due to the mushroom coral that came with the LR, as I read they are mostly photosynthetic.

12/02/2012, 02:21 PM	#5
voidg Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 95	Thanks. I know about TDS readings straight from the tank so calculating my pre salt TDS reading in my DT is strictly a mathematical exercise. Also concerned about what else may be lurking in the water that the TDS meter isn't picking up, so definitely looking to clean up the water quality before stocking.