Newby questions

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
looks like things are improving. just tested water - nitrate at 30, nitrite at .05. ammonia was off the chart (was darker and more blue than anything on the chart - I think the kit may also be picking up converted ammonia - I had thrown in some ammo lock to try keep things under control)

The fact that nitrate is down to normal levels (the tap water here is 20) and that nitrite has dropped so far gives me hope that the real ammonia levels have dropped also. FINALLY.
 
glad to hear about the progress. I still think if you consider a more pure source of water that your tank will be much more stable and better off down the road.
 
quite possibly, unfortunately my partner will not allow me to get an RO unit (spend too much on fish now...) other than that not much I can do other than leave tubs out when it rains, but that is hardly reliable)
 
We don't have shops selling RO water in Australia. Only water you can buy is distilled water of spring water for drinking - and that stuff costs
 
have you tested your tap water to get readings.

Things i would test for if you can would be:

Phosphate

Silicate

Nitrate

Nitrite

Ammonia

Ph

See what these levels are and then compare to your tank to see what the difference is.

Your using rain water correct?? if so test that and see what it is. it also helps to avoid the up and down swing in nitrate phosphate and Ph by using one source of water. I don't care what anybody says lol, thats not good for the tank :)

These are big things to keep an eye on to avoid huge algae problems and Ph swings from poor surface agitation. This will keep your oxygen levels good as well. If you wanted to you could also test for copper levels. This may help if you planned on keeping coral. As coral will not handle copper very well and neither do inverts.
 
I have only tested the tap water for Nitrate (20) and PH (7) I don't have a phosphate or silicate test kit.

I have no problem with the levels in my freshwater tanks (ammonia is always 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 30+ (depending on when last waterchange was) so I don't think there is a problem there at all. It's just the new saltwater tank that I seem to be having problems with.

I use rainwater when I can, most of the time it's tap water though (does not rain very regularly here, and dont have a proper rainwater tank so I have to be home/expecting rain to throw tubs/buckets out) Rainwater here is slightly acidic and no nitrate, have never tested anything else with it though. Regardless of whether I use rain or tap water in my fresh tanks the ph is always 7.5 and the salt tank 8.4.

I do not have a copper test kit either, though one of the marine 'fertilizers' I was recommended (Seachem Reef Plus) has copper in it, although only a small amount.


Will test the levels later today and see what they are doing, if the same as last time or better will do a waterchange and see how things go from there. I am getting some brown algae atm, not sure if that is a good or a bad sign
 
checked the levels and they were the same as last time so have done a 1/3 water change. Will check again tomorrow and will see where things are at.
 
I checked and things have improved nitrate still 30 (which is normal based on my freshwater tank reading for quite some time) nitrite down to 0.02. Ammonia still way high (ammo lock false reading I imagine)

I tested the water I have had premixed for about a week (tap water + marine salt + Prime) it's levels were ammonia 0, Nitrate 20, nitrite 0.02. Will use the remainder of what I have mixed to get the ammonia readings more accurate (I have enough for 2 more 1/3 water changes) and get more salt and will try water changes with distilled water when i have a chance to distill some next weekend. Fingers crossed that will solve the nitrite levels.

When that is sorted I'll try add another piece of live rock to see if I can get things established again
 
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