API Test Kit

incloud · 03/17/2018, 10:02 PM

I recently got my tank back up and am thinking about adding a clown pair. I started the tank up with rock from an established 180 gallon that someone had up for 12 years. He took down his tank and let me tell you when I went to see his system I was in awe! Awesome to say the least, probably the coolest setup I've seen in person. Anyway, after the rock cycled for 2 weeks I added a couple snails, an emerald, 2 hermits and a CBS. They've been in there now for 2 weeks and the tank is doing great with tons of copepods and small traces of diatoms. I've been leaving the lights off for the most part as there is no real real reason to have them on other than to see how things are doing.

I have a hard time telling on API test kits if the colors are what they should be or I'm just seeing what I want to see. I'm attaching an image I took tonight after testing in hopes that someone may be able to tell if my tests are okay and it would be safe to add a clown pair. I put the tubes over a paper towel to try and make the colors as accurate as possible. I've been out of the hobby for a couple years so want to be sure I don't jump the gun. I am certainly a lot more patient this time than my first time around. My goal is to eventually have a nice cluster of BTA and some hardy corals, nothing too difficult to care for. Any and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated and Thanks in advance for your time. Good to be back!

65 Gallon by the way with 20 gallon sump and skimmer.

incloud · 03/17/2018, 10:03 PM

Guess I can't add the picture.

2_zoa · 03/17/2018, 10:34 PM

Personally I’d wait 76 days before adding the clowns to the display tank. Or anything really. This will give your inverts time to quarantine.

In the mean time, I’d setup a proper QT for the clowns to come home to. With tank transfer method to start off the QT process. I’d also look very heavily into an invert quarantine process also.

Some don’t like the tank transfer method and that’s fine. We all have our opinions and methods that fit us best. IF you do decide to quarantine your tanks inhabitants. Please research what ever method you choose so you’ll know the in’s and out’s of said method.

If you don’t interduce the pests then they won’t exist in the display. You still get to deal with the pests in the QT but they are in much smaller numbers and much smaller gallons to treat.

incloud · 03/17/2018, 10:49 PM

Thanks, I didn't realize inverts needed QT. Call it luck but before I took my tank down it was healthy and no problems for 6 years with coral, fish and inverts. I never did anything but drip acclimate for 15 minutes when I brought something home.

2_zoa · 03/17/2018, 11:01 PM

Yeah, it’s good practice to QT everything. Coral, crabs, rock, algae, snails, etc.... can carry the encrusted cyst of ich. Lots of folks get lucky for years, I know I did. I’ve since changed my ways with my new tank and I must say so far I’m very happy I did.
I’d so much rather fight pests in my 20 gallon QT than in my display.

As to your original question,
Do you use RODI water? I ask cause if your using tap water or using an ammonia binding product for any reason. The API test will show that bound up ammonia. Look at it and you’ll see it tests both the 3 and 4 ammonia. If a ammonia detoxifier is being used, you have no way of knowing which ammonia is being shown in the test result.

incloud · 03/21/2018, 08:13 AM

I'm not using any detoxifier and set the tank up with tap water after sitting for 48 hours. I don't seem to be having ammonia readings and a small trace of nitrates. I am leaving the lights off for a while as I'm getting diatoms on my sand and rock work.

incloud · 03/21/2018, 08:17 AM

Oh and I have replacement filters and di resin coming for my RO/DI system. Also bought a new 150 gallon gallon Rubbermaid stock tank for a sump. I'm hoping having a larger water system will provide more stable water conditions and control down the road.

RCS82 · 03/21/2018, 09:50 AM

If your snails, emeralds and hermits are alive and well after 2 weeks then I see no reason why adding a couple clowns would be a problem. Qt or not, everyone has a different opinion on but its really up to you

alton · 03/21/2018, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by incloud

I'm not using any detoxifier and set the tank up with tap water after sitting for 48 hours. I don't seem to be having ammonia readings and a small trace of nitrates. I am leaving the lights off for a while as I'm getting diatoms on my sand and rock work.

you might want to buy test strips that test for free and total chlorine just in case some where in your water supply chain chloramines is not used?

Scott07 · 03/21/2018, 02:00 PM

Hi incloud, I'll give you my interpretation of the api kits you're likely using. They're not the greatest test kits, but for the purposes of cycling a tank and determining if it's ready for fish, they're just fine IMO. Ph and Ammonia can be a little flaky.... the colors you come up with don't always look just like the card. Ammonia should show a reasonably firm yellow though when you're at zero. IME, you can drive yourself crazy starting at the chart and vial for too long. I look at them under the brightest light around for only a few seconds.... if I stare too long, I can start to convince myself I'm seeing other colors, and question the reading. The nitrite kit is easy.... I've never had a problem with that color change. And the nitrate kit I treat more as ballpark... but with nitrates I've never found a problem doing so. Probably the most difficult is ammonia.... but as long as you're 95% sure what you're seeing is meant to be interpreted as "yellow".... i wouldn't worry about it. The 0.25 reading should be a little bit more obviously green tinted.

incloud · 03/21/2018, 11:49 PM

I hear ya, the colors are very vague and it is very easy to see what you think. I'm fairly convinced that nothing is suffering in my tank. Just watching out for diatoms now. Small patches on rock and sand. I'm sure they'll pass. Keep your eye out on the forum as I'm going to start a new thread on my new sump buils and would love some feedback and suggestions. I'll come back here and post a link when it's up. Thanks!

03/17/2018, 10:02 PM	#1
incloud Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 125	API Test Kit I recently got my tank back up and am thinking about adding a clown pair. I started the tank up with rock from an established 180 gallon that someone had up for 12 years. He took down his tank and let me tell you when I went to see his system I was in awe! Awesome to say the least, probably the coolest setup I've seen in person. Anyway, after the rock cycled for 2 weeks I added a couple snails, an emerald, 2 hermits and a CBS. They've been in there now for 2 weeks and the tank is doing great with tons of copepods and small traces of diatoms. I've been leaving the lights off for the most part as there is no real real reason to have them on other than to see how things are doing. I have a hard time telling on API test kits if the colors are what they should be or I'm just seeing what I want to see. I'm attaching an image I took tonight after testing in hopes that someone may be able to tell if my tests are okay and it would be safe to add a clown pair. I put the tubes over a paper towel to try and make the colors as accurate as possible. I've been out of the hobby for a couple years so want to be sure I don't jump the gun. I am certainly a lot more patient this time than my first time around. My goal is to eventually have a nice cluster of BTA and some hardy corals, nothing too difficult to care for. Any and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated and Thanks in advance for your time. Good to be back! 65 Gallon by the way with 20 gallon sump and skimmer.

03/21/2018, 09:50 AM	#8
RCS82 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Sherwood Park, AB, Canada Posts: 273	If your snails, emeralds and hermits are alive and well after 2 weeks then I see no reason why adding a couple clowns would be a problem. Qt or not, everyone has a different opinion on but its really up to you __________________ After about a 16 year break from fish keeping, Wow, how things have changed. Current Tank Info: 90g, mixed reef, I hope haha

03/21/2018, 02:00 PM	#10
Scott07 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 384	Hi incloud, I'll give you my interpretation of the api kits you're likely using. They're not the greatest test kits, but for the purposes of cycling a tank and determining if it's ready for fish, they're just fine IMO. Ph and Ammonia can be a little flaky.... the colors you come up with don't always look just like the card. Ammonia should show a reasonably firm yellow though when you're at zero. IME, you can drive yourself crazy starting at the chart and vial for too long. I look at them under the brightest light around for only a few seconds.... if I stare too long, I can start to convince myself I'm seeing other colors, and question the reading. The nitrite kit is easy.... I've never had a problem with that color change. And the nitrate kit I treat more as ballpark... but with nitrates I've never found a problem doing so. Probably the most difficult is ammonia.... but as long as you're 95% sure what you're seeing is meant to be interpreted as "yellow".... i wouldn't worry about it. The 0.25 reading should be a little bit more obviously green tinted. __________________ 65 gallon mixed reef Good maintainence and husbandry is a cumulative effect, not a single event.

03/17/2018, 10:03 PM	#2
incloud Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 125	Guess I can't add the picture.

03/17/2018, 10:34 PM	#3
2_zoa Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,840	Personally I’d wait 76 days before adding the clowns to the display tank. Or anything really. This will give your inverts time to quarantine. In the mean time, I’d setup a proper QT for the clowns to come home to. With tank transfer method to start off the QT process. I’d also look very heavily into an invert quarantine process also. Some don’t like the tank transfer method and that’s fine. We all have our opinions and methods that fit us best. IF you do decide to quarantine your tanks inhabitants. Please research what ever method you choose so you’ll know the in’s and out’s of said method. If you don’t interduce the pests then they won’t exist in the display. You still get to deal with the pests in the QT but they are in much smaller numbers and much smaller gallons to treat.

03/17/2018, 10:49 PM	#4
incloud Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 125	Thanks, I didn't realize inverts needed QT. Call it luck but before I took my tank down it was healthy and no problems for 6 years with coral, fish and inverts. I never did anything but drip acclimate for 15 minutes when I brought something home.

03/17/2018, 11:01 PM	#5
2_zoa Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,840	Yeah, it’s good practice to QT everything. Coral, crabs, rock, algae, snails, etc.... can carry the encrusted cyst of ich. Lots of folks get lucky for years, I know I did. I’ve since changed my ways with my new tank and I must say so far I’m very happy I did. I’d so much rather fight pests in my 20 gallon QT than in my display. As to your original question, Do you use RODI water? I ask cause if your using tap water or using an ammonia binding product for any reason. The API test will show that bound up ammonia. Look at it and you’ll see it tests both the 3 and 4 ammonia. If a ammonia detoxifier is being used, you have no way of knowing which ammonia is being shown in the test result.

03/21/2018, 08:13 AM	#6
incloud Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 125	I'm not using any detoxifier and set the tank up with tap water after sitting for 48 hours. I don't seem to be having ammonia readings and a small trace of nitrates. I am leaving the lights off for a while as I'm getting diatoms on my sand and rock work.

03/21/2018, 08:17 AM	#7
incloud Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 125	Oh and I have replacement filters and di resin coming for my RO/DI system. Also bought a new 150 gallon gallon Rubbermaid stock tank for a sump. I'm hoping having a larger water system will provide more stable water conditions and control down the road.

03/21/2018, 11:49 PM	#11
incloud Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 125	I hear ya, the colors are very vague and it is very easy to see what you think. I'm fairly convinced that nothing is suffering in my tank. Just watching out for diatoms now. Small patches on rock and sand. I'm sure they'll pass. Keep your eye out on the forum as I'm going to start a new thread on my new sump buils and would love some feedback and suggestions. I'll come back here and post a link when it's up. Thanks!