water conditions?

i started my tank roughly 3+ weeks ago.. salinity is 1.024 ph is between 7.8-8.4 the nitrites are 0.0ppm and the nitrates are at 5-10ppm... i was wondering if this means my tank has cycled and or what the correct parimeters are.. aquairumwiki sez nitrates can b 20 or less and nitrites less then 50.. yes i understand closer to 0 the best. Just wondering if my tank is good now?

 

now would be a good time to add your clean up crew.

 

i think i did that a week ago.but i didnt have all the test kits... 7 crabs 5 turbo snails and 1 shrimp im running a 75 gallon tall tank. it that good for a cleanup crew or should i get more?

 

This isn't enough information for us to say whether or not you have cycled.

I'd also say for as unspecific as your numbers are (pH 7.8-8.4) I'm concerned you are using test strips which are as effective as guessing.

Hopefully you've been testing all along for the past roughly 3+ weeks... did your ammonia go up at all? Is it 0 now? Same with the nitrites.

The cycle goes on forever, of course - so with every addition to the tank you may register a mini-cycle... as the tank gets older this happens less and less. So move slow in adding any livestock initially - which it sounds like you are doing!

Anyway, for some perspective I keep 150-200 snails (6 species) and about 15 hermits in my 55g. I wouldn't call that a large CuC, but some would. I haven't had die off and my tank is very clean... just to give you something else to consider

Good luck!

 

i agree, more CUC needed. i would get many different kinds of snails to ensure that all kinds of algae are eaten. i have a 36 and have 15 astrea, 2 turbos, 8 hermits, one large brittle star.

 

I think about 90-100 of my snails (so the majority) are dwarf ceriths - smallish snails that stay in the substrate mostly and fit nicely into tight areas the bigger snails can't reach.


I have about 10 FL Ceriths. Several of these gave up their homes to the crabs

Another 30 or so dwarf planaxis (tiny tiny snails that really get into the tight spots)

20-30 nerites.

Couple limpets that more ornamental than useful, IMO.

6 Nasarius snails (I find I don't need as many as these, 6 works well for me).

Had some Chitons but those died off when all the LHA was gone... my only die-off.

That's all I can think of right now.

 

Peredhil....have you had any trouble keeping the nerites? I heard they are good about traveling out of the tank.

 

What is your ammonia? Have your nitrates risen then fell? Why is the PH so unstable? What did you use to cycle?
Also, nitrites HAVE to be at 0, not "close to zero". Anything else can and will kill, regardless of what you read in "aquairumwiki sez" whatever that is?

 

They are very good about landing on the floor ;D

The first several months, I found I was putting on average one snail back into the tank every two or three days. I would just check the floor every morning and each night... they always survived.

None have fallen out in the last two weeks though... not sure if they're wising up

Hasn't really been any 'trouble' as I'm always checking on the tank anyway

I think the pH isn't 'unstable' but not being tested well(???). When I read this OP it gave me the impression that strips are being used... My gut says this tank is still cycling.


To address the question "what the correct parimeters are" [post cycle]

Ammonia 0. This stuff is deadly. I don't mean close to 0, I mean 0.
Nitrites 0.

You also want to make sure both of those sit at 0 for a couple of weeks. Cycles don't just end... it'll take a while for them to stabilize at 0 and stability is what you're after. Always err on the side of more time.

Nitrates... you'll get a large spike here and they'll drop slowly. Once they've dropped to 20 that's OK... but you're still aiming for 0 here.


It took me several weeks for ammonia and nitrites to stabilize at 0. It took several months before Nitrates 0'd out and stabilized there.

 

yes the ph was tested by strips and the nitrates and nitrites were tested by liquid test kit..... Really that many snails..cool.. and the reason with the variations is well im color blind guys sorry.... them colors are really close to tell.. lol sorry guys.
BUT I WANNA SAY THANKS TO ALL THAT HAVE BEARED WITH ME I HAVE MANY QUESTIONS AND YES I KNOW I JUMPED THE GUN LETS HOPE IT ALL LIVES..... THANKS AGAIN MUFASSA