Tank Troubles

[Adimondinthesky]

HELP!! I think that I have totally screwed up my tank!!

I started with my salt water and then I added water conditioners.

Then I read that my live rock would need calcium, which I had not received the LR yet, but I started adding calcium daily, with no test..my mistake.

So I got the live rock on Wed, Aug 8th added it to the tank, I had live substrate but was told not to add it until the live rock cycled the tank. Then Friday, Aug. 10th I decided to change 1/2 my water and I found this forum and was told to add my live substrate. I quit adding all the conditioners and calcium.

I don't think my tank is cycling though. I have had my temp set at 78 and yesterday it went up to 80. So I turned the heat down, got up this morning and it's at 76. I don't see any critters on my live rock and my pH is 7.8, 0 amonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate. I think I have killed my tank!

[coachfraley]

1. You need to check your specific gravity. Either buy a hydrometer, or get it tested at your LFS.

2. If you are really concerned about your PH, you can buy a PH buffer product, that will raise your PH to 8.3. Just follow the instructions on the label.

3. If all you have in your tank is live rock, it is pretty hard to do too much damage to it. I'm not suggesting this, but some people even dip their live rock in fresh water to remove undesirable hitchhikers. So, live rock it pretty tough stuff.

4. For your cycling, you want to get your parameters to acceptable levels, and then you just leave your tank alone and let it do its thing. You do not do any water changes until the cycle has finished. That 50% water change you made might be one reason you are getting zero ammonia.

5. For now, don't be too concerned about the temp. Set your heater to 78 and you should be good. Fluctuating from 78-80 is fine. In the long run, you will need to find a way to make sure it doesn't climb up above 83ish.

[Adimondinthesky]

Thanks so much for making me feel better...I think I have been overdoing it on everything...I just need to learn some patience!

My SG is at 1.023. I do have some Pro Buffer dKH but it says to add it daily until target alkalinity is reached, and I don't know how to check for that. My test kits are for pH, amonia, nitrite and nitrates. So I haven't used it.

Something very interesting happened after I left the post...I saw something that looked like a white-ish tube, with possibly some little hairs at the end...then the next thing I look and it is flat like a rock, so I thought I was imagining things, but later I looked and it is still flat like a rock but it has moved! That has made my day..hopefully it is something that is good for my tank and not a problem because I am already in love with it! ha!

Oh, also just to make sure I am understanding...I do not need to change my water for the next few weeks until it has cycled? Everything else says to change 50% each week, so I just want to make sure.

Thanks again for replying, you sure know your stuff...hopefully someday I will too!

[coachfraley]

Check out this site:

http://www.xtalworld.com/Aquarium/hitchfaq.htm

[gm72]

Great link there! That sea spider is creepy.

[kufan]

I have quite a few Vermitid Snails in my tank. They are all pretty cool looking.

KU

[kkyyllee]

ur liverock is fine, temperature should bearound 78-84 if it gets up above 87 then you have a problem otherwise its fine , and dont let it wsing more than 4-8 deggrees in a 24 hour period

[mariusz621]

HELP!! I think that I have totally screwed up my tank!!

I started with my salt water and then I added water conditioners.

Then I read that my live rock would need calcium, which I had not received the LR yet, but I started adding calcium daily, with no test..my mistake.

So I got the live rock on Wed, Aug 8th added it to the tank, I had live substrate but was told not to add it until the live rock cycled the tank. Then Friday, Aug. 10th I decided to change 1/2 my water and I found this forum and was told to add my live substrate. I quit adding all the conditioners and calcium.

I don't think my tank is cycling though. I have had my temp set at 78 and yesterday it went up to 80. So I turned the heat down, got up this morning and it's at 76. I don't see any critters on my live rock and my pH is 7.8, 0 amonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate. I think I have killed my tank!

Don't mess with it. Just leave the live rock to mature and make sure the temerature does not swing too much. Your SG is ok.So do not add anything now, just enjoy it...