1st Test readings and stocking questions

[ess17]

I set up my 29 GAL with 25 lbs of live rock, 20 lbs of live sand, premixed water, and a HOB filter (replaced carbon pad with chemi-pure and foam as stated in my other post) and here were my readings after 3 days:

PH = 8.0
ALK = High (no numbers on scale, only Low, Normal, High)
Nitrate = 2.5
Ammonia = 0 - .25 (it was in the middle of two colors)
Nitrite = .1 (I think, it was hard to tell)

I know ammonia and nitrite aren't 0, but does it look pretty normal so far? If not does anyone have any suggestions? I will check them again tonight (which will be 5 days from setup) and re-post them as well.

Also, if/when ammonia and nitrite get to 0, is a cleanup crew the first thing I should stock? My LFS recommended snails (two different kinds, one being the kind that buries itself in the sand), hermit crabs, a sandsifting seaserpent star, and a cucumber for getting started. What do you guys think?

 

[Navarre]

Things appear to be working well so far.

Yes start adding the cleanup crew whenthe cycle finishes.

Start with cerith snails (the burrowing type snail) and astrea/turbo snails. these wiol keep the sand clean and rocks/glass clean also. Redleg hermits are a good start, try not to mix hermit colours as they will tend ot fight.

Dont add a sand sifter starfish, a serpant star or cucomber to hte tank. its far too new for them to survive and they will just starve.

Try and get a ratio of 1 snail/hermit per gallon of water. If you cannot afford this in 1 go then get as many as you can and add 1 each time you visit your shop.

 

[ess17]

Ok, tested again this morning:

PH = 7.8
ALK = High
Nitrate = 2.5
Ammonia = 0 - .25
Nitrite = .1-.2

I was hoping I would be getting closer to 0 for my ammonia and nitrites, but they were about the same, and ph went down?? I didn't think it would take very long for everything to get to a good level because of the amount of fully cured live rock I used. Do you think I am doing anything wrong?

 

[Navarre]

Test for your ph later in the day if possible. The low ph might mean there is a swing at night which is not unusual for a marine tank.

 

[Ed4567]

The products of the cycling process tend to lower the pH slightly so this is nothing to worry about in my opinion.

 

[steelhealr]

Ess..keep on going and Navarre has great advice. To give you an example, I hit my 0 numbers in a little less than a week. Similar to FW, when you get 0 and your nitrate climbs, do your first water change. When you start to get some diatoms and algae, then add your cleanup crew. I have a 24G Nano and this is what I started with:

5 Astrea snails...they pour all over the rock cleaning it

5 Nassarius snails..they burrow thru the sand and clean it

2 scarlet hermits and 2 blue leg hermits..also pick at the rock

2 emerald (mithrax) crabs

1 cleaner shrimp.

Good luck. SH