Water cycle.

[jackywongto]

Hi,

I dropped a market prawn into the tank today.

1. At which stage should i start to dose the nitrifying bacteria?

2. At which stage i could take out the prawn from the tank.

Thanks.

1. you can dose bacteria now.

2. leave it there to totally rot until it disappears.....

be patient.... after this cycle, your fishes will feel better after being introduced into your tank

* clap clap - thanks for doing it the right way.

[kksg2000]

OK.... i shall update again... tks.

[kksg2000]

If i am topping up water e.g only 1 litre , due to evaporation loss, do i still need to mix the water with salt?

Thks.

[comycus]

no need.

[jackywongto]

no need.

yeah don't have to.

The reason is: The water in your tank evaporates. But the salt does not. So if you keep topping off with salt water, there will be more and more salt concentration accumulated in the tank and the salinity will keep on shooting upwards.

Another way to look at it is that water evaporates (less water in tank) but the salt qty stays constant in your tank meaning the tank water is getting more salty. you are topping off water just to maintain salinity.

Remember to top off using treated tapwater or DI water... else algae will boom easily.

[Goondoo]

yeah don't have to.

The reason is: The water in your tank evaporates. But the salt does not. So if you keep topping off with salt water, there will be more and more salt concentration accumulated in the tank and the salinity will keep on shooting upwards.

Another way to look at it is that water evaporates (less water in tank) but the salt qty stays constant in your tank meaning the tank water is getting more salty. you are topping off water just to maintain salinity.

Remember to top off using treated tapwater or DI water... else algae will boom easily.

Ditto what bro jacky had mentioned, on top of that, you might want to monitor the salinity as some salt residue to crystallize around your tank, especially when you are using fan.

[kksg2000]

i am kinda confused mixing salt water. Am i right to say as long as the SG read from the hydrometer is between 1.022 to 1.028 is OK? that is to say regardless of the water temperature ?

[jackywongto]

i am kinda confused mixing salt water. Am i right to say as long as the SG read from the hydrometer is between 1.022 to 1.028 is OK? that is to say regardless of the water temperature ?

since you are cycling around 1.021 will do.

when you are ready to stock up, try to maintain it constant at 1.024 - 1.025

you can ignore the temp. (I do )

you are not doing WC yet right?

cause your tank not cycled.

[kksg2000]

No.. i was reading the hydrometer instructions... just confused how to maintain the water to 24 deg c ... since i can ignore the temp .. i am clear now. tks.

[kksg2000]

My ammonia reading shot up yesterday after introducing raw prawn 2 days ago. I got some reading on nitrite . ... nitrate remains 0. ... thank guys...

[Goondoo]

No.. i was reading the hydrometer instructions... just confused how to maintain the water to 24 deg c ... since i can ignore the temp .. i am clear now. tks.

Actually, I am not sure about yours. If you read the label on Red Sea marine salt (packet type) they have few range for different temperature.

I took a picture once but I lost it when my iPhone crashed. Strange enough, the bucket version I bought does not have the parameters.......

Speaking of which, maybe I should go google it...

Edit: I manage to find it here

[kksg2000]

yes i got manual with the recommended temp/sanilty etc. ...but as Jacky suggested just ignore the temperature... or else how to i bring down the water (water change) temperature to 24 deg c? Unless i have another chiller....

[Goondoo]

yes i got manual with the recommended temp/sanilty etc. ...but as Jacky suggested just ignore the temperature... or else how to i bring down the water (water change) temperature to 24 deg c? Unless i have another chiller....

Just use the 27 deg c 1 loh......

[comycus]

Your hydrometer only measures specific gravity. Temperature has no effect on SG. It only affects salinity.

Edit: It is only callibrated to read salinity @ 24degrees. If you don't want to read up on the difference btw salinity and SG, just follow Jacky's advice, won't go wrong.

[Goondoo]

yes i got manual with the recommended temp/sanilty etc. ...but as Jacky suggested just ignore the temperature... or else how to i bring down the water (water change) temperature to 24 deg c? Unless i have another chiller....

Bro,

You may find this link useful

[kksg2000]

hi bro,

this is my 3rd day cycling the tank with a market prawn

ammonia = 1.0

nitrite = 0.2

nitrate = High range : 25, Low range : 2.5 ** i dont know how this should be read...

From the reading Nitrate is very high, at this point do i need to do a water change?

Thanks.

[kksg2000]

and also, for Alk and Mg, the color charts show "start" and "end" . What do these mean? How do i get a value from the chart?

[ARMOURSHRIMP]

yeah don't have to.

The reason is: The water in your tank evaporates. But the salt does not. So if you keep topping off with salt water, there will be more and more salt concentration accumulated in the tank and the salinity will keep on shooting upwards.

Another way to look at it is that water evaporates (less water in tank) but the salt qty stays constant in your tank meaning the tank water is getting more salty. you are topping off water just to maintain salinity.

Remember to top off using treated tapwater or DI water... else algae will boom easily.

Oh my god, i have been topping up with salt water for past 2 month...

[jackywongto]

hi bro,

this is my 3rd day cycling the tank with a market prawn

ammonia = 1.0

nitrite = 0.2

nitrate = High range : 25, Low range : 2.5 ** i dont know how this should be read...

From the reading Nitrate is very high, at this point do i need to do a water change?

Thanks.

no need to do WC. just wait till ammonia drops to 0, you should see the next spike on nitrite a few days later.

[jackywongto]

and also, for Alk and Mg, the color charts show "start" and "end" . What do these mean? How do i get a value from the chart?

what testers are you using. They come with instructions?

[kksg2000]

what testers are you using. They come with instructions?

I'm using REDSEA testkit. On the color, it just shows "start", "end" ... no instructions.

[kksg2000]

any idea nitrate = High range : 25, Low range : 2.5 what does this mean?

[raydiative]

Oh my god, i have been topping up with salt water for past 2 month...

Pls do check your salinity! If its on the high side do adjust it slowly... else the corals and fishes will get a shock..

Good Luck!

[raydiative]

any idea nitrate = High range : 25, Low range : 2.5 what does this mean?

bro.. there should be a colour chart rite? anyway this information can be pick up from red sea website...

194.pdf

[kksg2000]

Yes. got it.