Water Tests Help Please

[George S.]

So being a newb I'm in need of some help. I've been cycling my tank for about 4 weeks and I've been using a Hanna tester to check on the Ammonia after dosing with Dr. Tim's One and Only. I also used the Ammonium Chloride to feed the cycle as recommended. I tested after dosing and my Hanna read 3.0 even those I dosed for 2.0. I assumed I did something wrong and decided to just wait it out. I haven't bothered testing anything else because the Ammonia level wasn't dropping at all. Now I also had heater issues on the first two days after the Dr. Tim's was added. My Finnex HMH series heaters stayed on over night and never cycled off which drove the tank up to 95 degrees. I touched the power button to check the settings the next morning and as soon as I did the heaters shut off. The next morning the tank was 68 degrees because they never cycled back on (junk returned). Now since my parameters didn't change over the next two weeks at all, still reading 3.0 on the Hanna I dosed Dr. Tim's again thinking maybe the temp issues killed the bacteria. I did not however dose the ammonia again. I got the feeling something was wrong when a week later I'm still reading 3.0 and I went out and got some Salifert test kits. Now I'm reading .15 on Ammonia, Nitrate is 50 and Nitrite is .1. First off has anyone seen this issue with the Hanna? I'm wondering if the reagents are bad. When I add the second reagent it turns the water milk white almost instantly. I'm also wondering if I should dose ammonia again and see if it drops before moving forward from here? Sorry for the long read and thanks in advance for the help.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Is the checker designed for Saltwater? I think most specify for freshwater. Stop testing ammonia, you are cycled and can't get more cycled. WC to bring nitrates down.

 

[Azedenkae]

So being a newb I'm in need of some help. I've been cycling my tank for about 4 weeks and I've been using a Hanna tester to check on the Ammonia after dosing with Dr. Tim's One and Only. I also used the Ammonium Chloride to feed the cycle as recommended. I tested after dosing and my Hanna read 3.0 even those I dosed for 2.0. I assumed I did something wrong and decided to just wait it out. I haven't bothered testing anything else because the Ammonia level wasn't dropping at all. Now I also had heater issues on the first two days after the Dr. Tim's was added. My Finnex HMH series heaters stayed on over night and never cycled off which drove the tank up to 95 degrees. I touched the power button to check the settings the next morning and as soon as I did the heaters shut off. The next morning the tank was 68 degrees because they never cycled back on (junk returned). Now since my parameters didn't change over the next two weeks at all, still reading 3.0 on the Hanna I dosed Dr. Tim's again thinking maybe the temp issues killed the bacteria. I did not however dose the ammonia again. I got the feeling something was wrong when a week later I'm still reading 3.0 and I went out and got some Salifert test kits. Now I'm reading .15 on Ammonia, Nitrate is 50 and Nitrite is .1. First off has anyone seen this issue with the Hanna? I'm wondering if the reagents are bad. When I add the second reagent it turns the water milk white almost instantly. I'm also wondering if I should dose ammonia again and see if it drops before moving forward from here? Sorry for the long read and thanks in advance for the help.

@NeonRabbit221B is right, the Hanna ammonia test kit is designed for freshwater, not saltwater. I think some people managed to get conversions or something working, but I don't know how.

Regardless, I'd trust the Salifert test kits. Given nitrite is only 0.1 and nitrate is at 50, sounds like yo have plenty of nitrification going on so yeah, may be cycled. Though the end point of a cycle varies depending on who you talk to, so there's also that. If you have been following Dr. Tim's guide, then might as well follow it through to the end. I'd suggest testing the cycle by dosing ammonium chloride again to 2ppm (measure with your Salifert test kit), and if after 24 hours both ammonia and nitrite measures 0 (or close enough), you're good! Even ammonia measured at 0 or close enough after 24 hours is good enough in the opinions of a lot of people, because nitrite even at relatively high levels (20ppmish at least?) is non-toxic to marine fish (at least short term): http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php.

 

[George S.]

Is the checker designed for Saltwater? I think most specify for freshwater. Stop testing ammonia, you are cycled and can't get more cycled. WC to bring nitrates down.

Now I feel like a complete idiot! You are absolutely correct, reading the directions a bit closer the Hana Ammonia tester is designed to test Ammonia in fresh water. Now I feel like a moron. I will do a water change today and start looking at my first fish lol. Thank you for setting me straight.

 

[George S.]

@Azedenkae Yes sir, thank you. Im going to do a small water change and then test the cycle one more time before adding the first fish. Now that I know the tester is not the right one I should be back on track.