TheSaltwaterGuy's 10 Gallon build (pics added)

hahahah sounds fun. i have always wanted to do a relly small tank and just over do everything. like corals coming out the top. top of ht eline LEDS hahahah that would be funny, and i have a feeling this tank will be like that

 

nitrite is at .25, but thats probably because im still using the same LR, LS, and because i'm also using the same carbon. now for nitrates... btw im getting some ro/di water from my unti to top off; dont want salinity to freaken skyrocket to 1.035 like last time!

 

well for now its just LS and a skull which i still plan on covering in coralline. i have a snail shell covered in coralline which i got from my LFS, so im thinking that could help a bit. also anyone know how i can make my water clear? its so cloudy i can hardly see the back of the tank

 

it will clear in a day or two. try adding a powerhead. dont point it on the sand though

 

Well i either have 0 nitrates or 5 nitrates but its impossible because these API test kits suck so bad XD. Well it might just be me but after pouring the liquid into my water the color is orange so i'd think that i'd have 5 nitrates, but when i lift it up to the light its yellow and yellow is 0 nitrates... wtf?

 

so here are my parameters so far.

Ammonia .25-.50
Nitrite .25
Nitrate 0
Salinity 1.023
PH 8.2
Anything else i should really worry about?

 

Sounds like your cycle is moving along nicely. Just be patient or only bad things will happen. As for the cloudiness, did you rinse the sand before adding it? It should clear up in at least a day or two. IME, it's always cleared overnight.

As for the testing, API kits aren't that bad, it sounds like you are reading it wrong. If you read the instructions, I believe it says to hold the vile next to the little cards they give you to compare the color of the vile to the colors on the card. You don't hold it up to the light. The best way to read it is to do it in sunlight because usually house lights are very yellow which can distort the reading.

 

yeah i rinsed the sand. probably because when i move around the piece of LR it stirs. as for the testing i'll try to do it in the sunlight tomorrow; it might just be that im colorblind lol

 

I was thining about getting 3 of the Boost LED bulbs. I just don't like that they are not dimmable.

The ones by Orphek are dimmable. I want these. I wonder how much they will run for. They are a sponsor now. Shall I send them a PM?

 

if u want lol