Tank Cycled

kathya0321

kathya0321

Member
My tank has cycled.

PH 8.0 would like it between 8.2 - 8.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0

However for some reason my salinity is 1.030, so need to get that down. What is an acceptable Nitrate level if I plan on having invertebrates?
Also I have an Instant Ocean Hydrometer, that I am not impressed with, everytime I measure the salinity it comes up with a different number, any ideas?
 
Newjack

Newjack

Member
kathya0321 said:
My tank has cycled.

PH 8.0 would like it between 8.2 - 8.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0

However for some reason my salinity is 1.030, so need to get that down. What is an acceptable Nitrate level if I plan on having invertebrates?
Also I have an Instant Ocean Hydrometer, that I am not impressed with, everytime I measure the salinity it comes up with a different number, any ideas?
Click to expand...

I have the exact same one and don't have a problem with it. so either you got a bad one or your not getting the bubbles off the float. Sometimes you gotta flick it really hard to get the bubbles out and it will read the same everytime for me
 
D

DaveK

Well-Known Member
Before you worry about SG, throw away your Instant Ocean Hydrometer and get a refractometer. The aquarium grade hydrometers just are not accurate, as you have seen.

Until you do that, don't worry about SG.

Since your tank is new, don't mess with pH for awhile. You'll do more harm than good chaseing a number.
 
Snid

Snid

Active Member
Mind if I piggy back this thread rather than starting a new one?

I too have an Instant Ocean Hydrometer that I was looking to replace with a Refractometer when I could. In the meantime, however, I had an older Hydrometer that I found from my early days of a Salt Water aquarium and have been using the 2 Hydrometers at the same time. I have been getting the same reading from both, which are different designs. Would this be reliable enough until I can afford a fancier Refractometer? I was assuming so, but I just don't want to be making assumptions when it comes to handling the lives of living organisms.
 
Newjack

Newjack

Member
I am not going to say its ok because I don't want your tank to have issues from it. I would say you have a better chance of being more accurate. Just make sure ur flicking all the bubbles off of them and keep testing until u get 3 of the same readings in a row.
 
S

SleepCasualty

Member
kathya0321 said:
My tank has cycled.

PH 8.0 would like it between 8.2 - 8.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0

However for some reason my salinity is 1.030, so need to get that down. What is an acceptable Nitrate level if I plan on having invertebrates?
Also I have an Instant Ocean Hydrometer, that I am not impressed with, everytime I measure the salinity it comes up with a different number, any ideas?
Click to expand...

About your salinity... It might be worth mentioning how it may have started to prevent it. When I started out and as my tank cycled I did not do a water change until nitrates spike. If you followed this you prolly had to add water for evaporation or you may do it between water changes. When I did this I made a big mistake. I was adding saltwater instead of testing salinity. When the water evaporates it leaves behind salt and then you add more salt water this will keep it climbing each time you add more salt water. So I started to test it first then add either RO or salt depending on where I was at.
 
kathya0321

kathya0321

Member
SleepCasualty said:
About your salinity... It might be worth mentioning how it may have started to prevent it. When I started out and as my tank cycled I did not do a water change until nitrates spike. If you followed this you prolly had to add water for evaporation or you may do it between water changes. When I did this I made a big mistake. I was adding saltwater instead of testing salinity. When the water evaporates it leaves behind salt and then you add more salt water this will keep it climbing each time you add more salt water. So I started to test it first then add either RO or salt depending on where I was at.[/QUO

I did exactly the same thing, didn't even think that could be it. Thanks for the tip, guess I should have tested first.
Click to expand...
 
Newjack

Newjack

Member
I don't know if someone mentiond this. I don't think so. Its important to slower salinity slowly. when you do your WC you want to mix the salinity just a little lower than what your tank reads. It will take time but halt any shock to live stock... If you don't have any live stock then I don't think it would hurt much to do it faster.

Also on the + side with a salinity that high it may kill any unwanted hitchhikers!!!!
 
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