Water test

[rebelson]

I just started cycling my tank 4 days ago with LR from an established tank and live sand. Anyway, every time I fill a test tube with aquarium water and add the appropriate amount of drops; the water turns cloudy. I am used to having the water being transparent when performing water tests (freshwater tank). Does this happen to anyone else or is it just me?

 

[jcs11236]

What test kits are you using?

 

[rebelson]

Api

 

[pauliwalnuts]

Api

Not a good choice. Even tough you got cured live rock and sand, let the tank cycle for at least 6 weeks. I know that's tuff, but try doing some reading on what type of livestock you want to put into your system. I will be around your area in about two weeks, so if you want I will bring some of my test kits with me and see what your parameters are like, Because you shouldn't be testing for ammonia in a reef tank, only on start-up. So I still have a very full ammonia test kit. LMK

 

[KathyC]

Not a good choice. Even tough you got cured live rock and sand, let the tank cycle for at least 6 weeks. I know that's tuff, but try doing some reading on what type of livestock you want to put into your system. I will be around your area in about two weeks, so if you want I will bring some of my test kits with me and see what your parameters are like, Because you shouldn't be testing for ammonia in a reef tank, only on start-up. So I still have a very full ammonia test kit. LMK

I am absolutely clueless about what you are talking about here...

API kits are fine for the more simplistic tests we run.
Running an ammonia test 4 days after starting a cycle is the correct thing to do, he should be tracking his cycle daily by running tests..even though the tank has live rock in it (it does die off to a certain extent due to the moving of the rock from one tank/store to another).
The potential for his to have a cycle is still there although it may be smaller than a cycle with rock that is less 'live'.
He should also start testing for Nitrites to see where they are at and as his ammonia peaks and starts to drop his nitrites will rise and then eventually fall of when his Nitrates start to rise.

Why do you fell he should have no knowledge of this - this IS the Nirtogen cycle he is looking for so he is sure his tank has cycled.

To the OP - yes, the water will & should get 'cloudy' as you add the chemicals (bottle 1 & bottle 2) that are in an API Ammonia test kit. I'm not sure why you would think they shouldn't? The colors you are to match them up to in order to see your numbers are need to come from somewhere Do follow the directions to the letter, and do post and ask if you find anything you don't understand

..and they also get cloudy when you are testing FW as well
I know of no test kits that don't turn some color so that we can read the results..how else would you know them? lol

 

[rebelson]

..and they also get cloudy when you are testing FW as well
I know of no test kits that don't turn some color so that we can read the results..how else would you know them? lol

LOL! No, I wasn't asking if the color change is a concern, I was asking if it was normal that the liquid in the tube becomes cloudy. I even left a tube filled with water and ammonia test drops over night. Checked it in the morning and only half was cloudy while the rest was transparent, lower half was cloudy while the upper was not.

I have been testing for Ammonia since I started the cycle and it's still coming in at 0.50. The wait isn't killing me, after all, I quit smoking on August 3rd and purchased my setup on August 5th. It was a present to myself heh, anyway. Thank you VERY much to those who have responded. In the mean time I am still reading up on the different fish SW offers and which ones are compatible with which.

 

[KathyC]

LOL! No, I wasn't asking if the color change is a concern, I was asking if it was normal that the liquid in the tube becomes cloudy. I even left a tube filled with water and ammonia test drops over night. Checked it in the morning and only half was cloudy while the rest was transparent, lower half was cloudy while the upper was not.

I have been testing for Ammonia since I started the cycle and it's still coming in at 0.50. The wait isn't killing me, after all, I quit smoking on the August 3rd and purchased my setup on August 5th. It was a present to myself heh, anyway. Thank you VERY much to those who have responded. In the mean time I am still reading up on the different fish SW offers and which ones are compatible with which.

lol, you are talking about the TUBE itself..you had me going there..

Yes, the tubes do tend to get 'cloudy' after a time (best to rinse them immediately after use in fresh water or you can permanently discolor them)
You can clean them by soaking the INSIDE with white vinegar. Do NOT get it on the outside of the tube or the 'fill to' line will wipe off (been there, done that)

Not unusual for it to sit at one particular level for a little bit, it will soon change. Have you tested for nitrites yet?

Congrats on the quitting - not easy to do, I haven't been succesful YET.

 

[pauliwalnuts]

I am absolutely clueless about what you are talking about here...

API kits are fine for the more simplistic tests we run.
Running an ammonia test 4 days after starting a cycle is the correct thing to do, he should be tracking his cycle daily by running tests..even though the tank has live rock in it (it does die off to a certain extent due to the moving of the rock from one tank/store to another).
The potential for his to have a cycle is still there although it may be smaller than a cycle with rock that is less 'live'.
He should also start testing for Nitrites to see where they are at and as his ammonia peaks and starts to drop his nitrites will rise and then eventually fall of when his Nitrates start to rise.

Why do you fell he should have no knowledge of this - this IS the Nirtogen cycle he is looking for so he is sure his tank has cycled.

To the OP - yes, the water will & should get 'cloudy' as you add the chemicals (bottle 1 & bottle 2) that are in an API Ammonia test kit. I'm not sure why you would think they shouldn't? The colors you are to match them up to in order to see your numbers are need to come from somewhere Do follow the directions to the letter, and do post and ask if you find anything you don't understand

..and they also get cloudy when you are testing FW as well
I know of no test kits that don't turn some color so that we can read the results..how else would you know them? lol

So, why don't you give him some assistance ( the way that I peronaly offered him to) and stop trying to knock me when all I was trying to do is help the guy. And oh yeah, why don't you also erase my post like you always do. Thanks Kathy

 

[rebelson]

Knowing me I'd probably soak the tubes over night in white vinegar LOL.

As I type this I am waiting the 5 minutes for the color to develop for the Nitrite test.

Thank you!!!! It wasn't easy, the first 3 days we're the WORST! I work in a very stressful environment but I made it through. It's all mental, the patch, pills etc. don't help at all IME. Keep trying though, this is the first time that I have gone smoke free for over a month, before I couldn't make it an hour LOL.

So it took me 5 minutes to type this message (got sidetracked) and the results for the Nitrite test are in: 0 PPM.

 

[KathyC]

All good as long as the vinegar is only on the inside

A month - go you! That's awesome! Cold turkey?

The nitrites may not come up yet..but soon

Forgot to ask - the live sand..where did it come from - an established tank? How old is it? Or whatever you can tell us about it?

 

[rebelson]

Thanks! Well, I used the patch for the first 12 days. It messed with my sleep schedule so I dropped it. I felt the same way I did when I had it off as I did when I had it on.

The live sand is new 'Ocean Direct' - 60lbs. worth.

Is it normal for me to have to top off my sump with roughly 2 gallons of RO water a day?

 

[KathyC]

What size is the tank?
The bigger the tank the more top off you will use.

Also - if you have a fan blowing across the top - to keep the tank (or sump) cool, you will evaporate more water.

One other way reefers evaporate higher amounts of water is when they have a very high flow rate running through the sump -- as opposed to having a 'decent' flow of water through the sump but confining the higher flow strictly inside of the DT by use of strong powerheads (like Vortechs) where it really counts.

---

Bagged live sand?

 

[rebelson]

75 gallon with a 30 gallon sump.

No fan is blowing across the DT or the sump. Two Koralia 3's are in the tank.

The sand is just that...bagged live sand.

 

[Boomer]

Something Katy tells me I'm gong to like you allot Nice post.