Our tank has been up and running for 39 days now, on day 32 our ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate were all at 0. I have been monitoring very closely because in the beginning our ammonia went off the chart high. I have been testing water myself and taking to the LFS for testing about once a week and we have been getting the same readings. Well on day 35 I took a sample to one of the LFS and the guy told me that my PH was at 7.0, I am still getting the 7.8-8.0, so I became very concerned and purchased a new test kit (Red Sea Test Lab) and at this time thought I should start to get the calcium levels where we want them before adding corals, I had the same person check the calcium and he told me it was at 350 ( I remembered that he added 5 drops), so I also bought the same brand calcium kit, I check this and the PH tonight. Well, I again came up with the 8.0 PH and I did the calcium test coming out with 450 ppm. Is it normal that the calcium could be at the right level without having added anything to it? I also mention that he added 6 dropps because if that is correct he calculated wrong and came out with the same 450 that I did.
So I just want to know if it is possible for my calcium to be correct without adding anything first?
Also, I want to add a PH Buffer, being new at this I am not sure that I should use what they sold me so I want to get someone elses input about it, the LFS employee told me to use Kent Marine Superbuffer-dKH, is this good or should I take it back and get something different? and if I take it back what should I get?
And one last question, probably most important at this point, my ammonia has went back up to about .2 ppm, what could have happened? and what to do to get it back under control?
We have
55 gal. 48" x 13" x 20"
80 bls. live sand
29lbs live rock
Ammonia .2 ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
PH 8.0
cal. 450
livestock
1 domino damsel
1 four stripe damsel
2 yellow tail damsels
2 blue devil damsels
2 pep. shrimp
3 blue leg hermitts
2 algae snails
1 emerald crab
We used the damsels to cycle the tank ( I know I shouldn't have but at the time this was the advice of the LFS and I had not found this site at the time) added the 2 snails, then about one week later 1 pep. shrimp, then one week later the 3 blue leg. and another pep. shrimp and 1 emerald crab. The last addition was day 33.
Sorry about the how long this is but wanted to get everything in that might help tell me what the problem is.
Thanks to all.
So I just want to know if it is possible for my calcium to be correct without adding anything first?
Also, I want to add a PH Buffer, being new at this I am not sure that I should use what they sold me so I want to get someone elses input about it, the LFS employee told me to use Kent Marine Superbuffer-dKH, is this good or should I take it back and get something different? and if I take it back what should I get?
And one last question, probably most important at this point, my ammonia has went back up to about .2 ppm, what could have happened? and what to do to get it back under control?
We have
55 gal. 48" x 13" x 20"
80 bls. live sand
29lbs live rock
Ammonia .2 ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
PH 8.0
cal. 450
livestock
1 domino damsel
1 four stripe damsel
2 yellow tail damsels
2 blue devil damsels
2 pep. shrimp
3 blue leg hermitts
2 algae snails
1 emerald crab
We used the damsels to cycle the tank ( I know I shouldn't have but at the time this was the advice of the LFS and I had not found this site at the time) added the 2 snails, then about one week later 1 pep. shrimp, then one week later the 3 blue leg. and another pep. shrimp and 1 emerald crab. The last addition was day 33.
Sorry about the how long this is but wanted to get everything in that might help tell me what the problem is.
Thanks to all.