Converting 20g from Fresh W. to Salt W.
- Thread starter Zdunmeister
- Start date
I would run some carbon just to clear up the water and keep the smell down. It will likely get exhausted fairly quick but I would use a couple of cartridges/bags at least while it's cycling. Its a heck of a lot cheaper to buy a jug of carbon and a media bag that you can add to your filter instead of the cartridges. Not sure if a bag will fit, thought i'd mention.
Hey there. My tank has been up and running for about two weeks now. I took some readings last week (1/16) and they were: pH 8.2, Nitrate 0, Phosphate 0.5, Calcium 180, Ammonia .5, kH 10 degrees (179), Salinity 1.023. I also took some today: pH 8.4, Nitrate 5, Phosphate 0, Calcium 200, Ammonia .25, kH 9 degrees (161.1), and Salinity ~1.022. Can you please inform me as to where I am in my cycle and when I would be able to add a clean up crew. I haven't had a brown algae bloom, but I read somewhere that if you have cured live rock (which is what I have) that you might not get the bloom. Not sure if that's right or not. Oh, also thought I'd mention that I went with the AquaticLife 24" T5HO fixture 
Thank you!
Thank you!
Alright. Where am I in my cycle though? How much longer is it going to be? What do you think about the brown algae bloom not happening yet?
What is your nitrite reading? When your ammonia and nitrites gow to 0 in a 24 hr period and you have high nitrates, then you can do a large wc and add your cleanup crew
So when I check my water tomorrow and I have 0 ammonia and nitrites I can change some of my water? Does that mean the cycle is done then?
Yes if there is no ammonia and there is no nitrite, but there is nitrate then you are cycled do a 40% w/c and put in a cleanup crew.
I would observe you CUC for a few days/week before adding fish and I would only add one (unless you are adding a pair of clowns or something similar). Don't add a massice CUC. I would say a 12-15 various snails and hermits (if you want hermits) total would be a good start. How's the tank looking? Algae, diatoms, etc. ever show up?
