My 10 G NANO project

[Hpimichael02]

im kinda worried about the temp because once my =gu-10 comes in should be about 2 weeks so my cycle would be well in its cycle the temp will be about normal around 80f. but im getting it tested tonight if i get off work on time .

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

What is there to worry about? It doesn't really matter if your cycle is not completed by the time you get your lights.

[Hpimichael02]

i guess your right, just being paranoid. what does increase salt level do to your cycle, if my reading is correct for a short time? does it produce more bacteria or kill my live rock ?>

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

1.028 won't really do anything to harm your cycle, but some of the micro fauna on your live rock will not like it. That's ok though, because you expect some die-off and that die-off in turn creates ammonia which helps establish your bacteria. The main issue comes when you start adding fish and corals.j That 1.028 is a bit high for them and it needs to be in the 1.023-1.026 range. However, as you eluded to, your reading with your hydrometer is likely incorrect, and your actual SG may be more like 1.030, and then you have a problem as that will kill most stuff in the tank. (personal experience with that one)

[Hpimichael02]

yea thats making me nervous, if i cant get out of work by 5pm and get to teh store by 6 then im gonna add a gallon of water to lower it becuase i dont want to take any risks. thanks for the great info

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

I wouldn't do that either. Your hydrometer may also be reading high, and if that is the case, and your SG is actually down around 1.023, adding a gallon of FW will drop your SG into the hypo-saline range. Don't do anything to your water until you have that hydrometer calibrated. Also, 1gal of FW added to 7gal of SW is going to drop your SG move than just 0.003, it will drop it quite a bit more than that. You need to take this is in much smaller steps. Nothing good happens fast in a marine tank.

[Hpimichael02]

So I got my wTer tested, my hydrometer read 1.028 and the LCD refractometer read 1.025, so it's off by .03

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Glad you didn't add that fresh water? LOL

[Hpimichael02]

Yep so I made water yesterday before I got tested and now it's filled up, thanks for the advice, and at 80f it evaps allot! But went to the lfs and saw the zoas I'm gonna get when cycled :)

[Hpimichael02]

tested my water today 5th day running
ammonia-0.25ppm
trite-0ppm
trate- 5ppm

what is the other most important test kits to get ? KH, MAG, CA, phosphate?