Okay, now my water reads 0 ammonia, .25 ppm nitrites and 0 nitrates. How can I have zeros on the ammonia and ates and still have ites? I've run the test 3 times and it always comes up the same. I have little to no algae growth, no diatoms, the tank looks almost like it did when the cycle started. Yes, there is some coraline growth as well as other things I have yet to identify, but it looks almost the same.
A brief review:
Week one, added sand to 2 1/2 inches as well as 20 lbs of base rock. Mixed water and let it mature then over the course of three days, due to limited RODI production and space, I added it to the tank. Tested water, all zeros as expected.
Week two, (yes the water ran in the tank for a week without anything else being done.) added 25 lbs cured live rock to the tank and 5 lbs to the sump. Topped of daily with RODI. Added a little salt mix to up the salinity to 1.023. A little later in the week I added another 25 lbs of live rock and 20 lbs of dry rock. Tested and was getting low readings but no spike of any parameter. Started skimmer.
Week Three, added 20 lbs of dry rock. Topped of daily with RODI, added salt to bring up salinity to 1.025. Got "sand" looking stuff in the sump. Skimmer is cleaning up something as it is emptied twice a day. Took sample to LFSs to confirm my results. Tested today, last day of week three, and have the above readings.
I am frustrated. Its as if the tank never cycled. Only minor elevations and now going down. Only why are they not all reading zero? I was expecting the tank to at least look dirty or something.
A brief review:
Week one, added sand to 2 1/2 inches as well as 20 lbs of base rock. Mixed water and let it mature then over the course of three days, due to limited RODI production and space, I added it to the tank. Tested water, all zeros as expected.
Week two, (yes the water ran in the tank for a week without anything else being done.) added 25 lbs cured live rock to the tank and 5 lbs to the sump. Topped of daily with RODI. Added a little salt mix to up the salinity to 1.023. A little later in the week I added another 25 lbs of live rock and 20 lbs of dry rock. Tested and was getting low readings but no spike of any parameter. Started skimmer.
Week Three, added 20 lbs of dry rock. Topped of daily with RODI, added salt to bring up salinity to 1.025. Got "sand" looking stuff in the sump. Skimmer is cleaning up something as it is emptied twice a day. Took sample to LFSs to confirm my results. Tested today, last day of week three, and have the above readings.
I am frustrated. Its as if the tank never cycled. Only minor elevations and now going down. Only why are they not all reading zero? I was expecting the tank to at least look dirty or something.
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