DAY 12 - FISHLESS CYCLE/CHECKINg parameters

[gabrielquissak32]

Hey everyone day 12 of my fishless cycle. My readings are
Ammonia 1.2
Nitrates 50
Nitrite 0.5
Ph 7.6
Water 28d Celsius
Alk 9dkh
Salinity is high at 45 instead of 35. Should I add R/o water and take some saltwater to bring it down? If yes how many G should I take out? My tank is 88g display. 112 sump included

My question is, on day 14 Red Sea says to add 1 fish/100L I have a 88g display and I have ordered 2 clowns. They actually arriving a day early on day 13. I’ve read clowns are really hardy and people do cycles with them on. What should I do my readings don’t change by tomorrow (day 13). Do I do a bigger water change, do I don’t put the clowns in, do I put them in and put prime to block the ammonia for 24h? Any help with be great. Thanks for your time. Photo of the clowns that I got. They are a couple years old, bonded. 4’ each.

 

[gastone]

Salinity is through the roof. How are you measuring and is your device calibrated? I'd quickly remove about 23g and replace with rodi. That should get you close to 35ppt. I'd also be leary about adding fish just yet, though you may have yourself in a pickle with nowhere to house them.

 

[eliaslikesfish]

I am also wary of adding fish before your cycle has completed, I don’t think it makes much of a difference and if you just wait 2-3 more weeks you can start adding and the fish won’t need to deal with less than ideal water conditions. Either way, if you do add those 2 clowns get that salinity down asap.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Your question means the fish will not be QT'd, this means your tank needs to be in perfect condition or else any stress can easily lead to disease in your tank. Then you need to leave the tank fishless for 2 months for the disease to die out.

As per comments above, your tank is not really ready for fish just yet. Going too fast in this hobby can lead to death, disease, and unhappiness for both you and your fish.

What size is your tank? Can we see a tank pic? Lets give your new fish the best chance.

 

[gabrielquissak32]

Your question means the fish will not be QT'd, this means your tank needs to be in perfect condition or else any stress can easily lead to disease in your tank. Then you need to leave the tank fishless for 2 months for the disease to die out.

As per comments above, your tank is not really ready for fish just yet. Going too fast in this hobby can lead to death, disease, and unhappiness for both you and your fish.

What size is your tank? Can we see a tank pic? Lets give your new fish the best chance.

Your question means the fish will not be QT'd, this means your tank needs to be in perfect condition or else any stress can easily lead to disease in your tank. Then you need to leave the tank fishless for 2 months for the disease to die out.

As per comments above, your tank is not really ready for fish just yet. Going too fast in this hobby can lead to death, disease, and unhappiness for both you and your fish.

What size is your tank? Can we see a tank pic? Lets give your new fish the best chance.

it’s a Red Sea xl425. The fish has been fully QTD already . The tank here it’s empty. I will do a big water change with RO and bring the salinity down. Thanks for your answers

 

[gabrielquissak32]

Salinity is through the roof. How are you measuring and is your device calibrated? I'd quickly remove about 23g and replace with rodi. That should get you close to 35ppt. I'd also be leary about adding fish just yet, though you may have yourself in a pickle with nowhere to house them.

It’s a normal refractometer and yes it’s calibrated, when I put the solution it does show 35ppt then tank and it shows 45ppt. Any reason why salinity is thought the roof or does it happen? I will do that with the rodi. Worse case scenario I do have a fish shop that I can house my fish until tank is ready. Wasn’t sure as I saw people doing cycles with fish and I thought parameters would be all over the place with the tank is cycling so wasn’t sure. Also on day 14 of the mature reef starter it does tell you to add the first few fish. I won’t be adding anything until salinity is under control and ammonia is down. Thanks mate

 

[eliaslikesfish]

It’s a normal refractometer and yes it’s calibrated, when I put the solution it does show 35ppt then tank and it shows 45ppt. Any reason why salinity is thought the roof or does it happen? I will do that with the rodi. Worse case scenario I do have a fish shop that I can house my fish until tank is ready. Wasn’t sure as I saw people doing cycles with fish and I thought parameters would be all over the place with the tank is cycling so wasn’t sure. Also on day 14 of the mature reef starter it does tell you to add the first few fish. I won’t be adding anything until salinity is under control and ammonia is down. Thanks mate

It’s interesting, when I first got my tank and was cycling, the whole time I was also at about 45ppt, no clue why but I just got it down with RO water and since then never had an issue, potentially we were given/mixed saltwater that had a higher concentration of salt.

 

[gabrielquissak32]

It makes sense as I’ve bought all the water from the same place.

It’s interesting, when I first got my tank and was cycling, the whole time I was also at about 45ppt, no clue why but I just got it down with RO water and since then never had an issue, potentially we were given/mixed saltwater that had a higher concentration of salt.

 

[ScottJ]

As water evaporates, it leaves the salt behind, increasing salinity. You need to top off the tank with fresh water to hoop the salinity stable. An auto top off is one of the best investments you can make

 

[homer1475]

Are you replacing evaporated water with fresh water?

Water evaporates, salt does not.

 

[homer1475]

As water evaporates, it leaves the salt behind, increasing salinity. You need to top off the tank with fresh water to hoop the salinity stable. An auto top off is one of the best investments you can make

Great minds think alike!

We posted at the same time. LOL

 

[gabrielquissak32]

Are you replacing evaporated water with fresh water?

Water evaporates, salt does not.

I have not been doing that. I did replace 20l of saltwater for 20l of RODI today but it only brought it down from 48ppt to 45ppt so it definitely needs a bigger change. Someone said 23g I’ll try that. I’ll add and check add and check lol. Thanks

 

[gabrielquissak32]

As water evaporates, it leaves the salt behind, increasing salinity. You need to top off the tank with fresh water to hoop the salinity stable. An auto top off is one of the best investments you can make

Awesome thanks for the advice mate. Is that a chart somewhere or a calculation of how much water evaporates and how much RO I need to add or it depends on lots of factors?

 

[homer1475]

Depends on your evaporation rate. But water evaporates every minute of every day.

Mark a line in your sump(if you have one), or on the display, and add fresh water daily to bring it back up to that line.

 

[gabrielquissak32]

Depends on your evaporation rate. But water evaporates every minute of every day.

Mark a line in your sump(if you have one), or on the display, and add fresh water daily to bring it back up to that line.

Makes sense thanks mate. It does have a sump it’s a Red Sea xl425. It’s 88g display and 112g system

 

[homer1475]

The red sea tanks have an ATO(automatic top off) built into the sump.

Are you not using that?

 

[gabrielquissak32]

The red sea tanks have an ATO(automatic top off) built into the sump.

Are you not using that?

I’m not. Is that the white ball in the return chamber? Did not know it was an ATO

 

[homer1475]

You should have a small "tank" above the sump with a float valve attached. That should be filled with RO/DI, and as water evaporates the float valve should allow water to enter the sump from the above reservoir.

 

[homer1475]

While I'm not totally familiar with red sea tanks, a pic of the sump area could help me help you figure it out.

 

[gabrielquissak32]

The red sea tanks have an ATO(automatic top off) built into the sump.

Are you not using that?

While I'm not totally familiar with red sea tanks, a pic of the sump area could help me help you figure it out.

Here you go. Thanks for your time mate