OK guys, I am hoping someone can give me a hand with a dilemma I am dealing with.
I believe that my "new to me" tank is cycling. I haven't really noticed a huge spike in Ammonia (have crabs/snails living in there and the LR was previously in a reef tank), and I now see a mild increase in Nitrates. I don't know if that indicates cycling, or is a result of me "feeding" the tank and not changing water. I am on day 11 since I filled the tank.
I haven't changed water yet since I have read that doing so during cycling will simply drag it out.
Anyhow, when I set it up the pH seemed to be a tad low, around 8 (maybe a little less. I picked up some IO sea buffer to increase this, and I brought it up to what I think is around 8.0-8.1. I had taken a sample to my LFS shortly after and the guy said it was around 8-8.1, but that my Alkalinity was "off the scale" (not sure if that meant too high or too low for his test kit). Anyhow, he told me I shouldn't use any more buffer and that water changes will bring the Alkalinity down. He also said I should be more concerned with Alkalinity than pH.
So the struggle is, how do I get the pH up without adding buffer? And how do I get the Alkalinity down as I am trying not to change water until I am sure everything has cycled?
Any input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
I believe that my "new to me" tank is cycling. I haven't really noticed a huge spike in Ammonia (have crabs/snails living in there and the LR was previously in a reef tank), and I now see a mild increase in Nitrates. I don't know if that indicates cycling, or is a result of me "feeding" the tank and not changing water. I am on day 11 since I filled the tank.
I haven't changed water yet since I have read that doing so during cycling will simply drag it out.
Anyhow, when I set it up the pH seemed to be a tad low, around 8 (maybe a little less. I picked up some IO sea buffer to increase this, and I brought it up to what I think is around 8.0-8.1. I had taken a sample to my LFS shortly after and the guy said it was around 8-8.1, but that my Alkalinity was "off the scale" (not sure if that meant too high or too low for his test kit). Anyhow, he told me I shouldn't use any more buffer and that water changes will bring the Alkalinity down. He also said I should be more concerned with Alkalinity than pH.
So the struggle is, how do I get the pH up without adding buffer? And how do I get the Alkalinity down as I am trying not to change water until I am sure everything has cycled?
Any input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
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