I have been cycling my tank for only a week now and i have done 2 tests (my previous post shows the results of the first test). I am confused because on the second week the amonia level was zero and the nitrite level was less than 0.3.
These are the parameters please let me know if this is ok

S.G- 1.024
P.H- 8.0
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- <0.3
Nitrate- 25

Also, (on my test kit it measures these things in "mg/l" is that right?)

Thanks in advanced

Hi Rockthis,

Here are your previous water parameters:

S.G- 1.024
PH- 8.0
Ammonia- 1.5
Nitrite- 0.3
Nitrate- 25

So your ammonia is down to zero, nitrites are decreasing - this is all good.
You mentioned you bought a book on salt water aquariums - you might read up on the nitrogen cycle (not all the books discuss this, but many do).

I think most test kits use mg/l, so that's fine, too.

Nancy

Thanks alot Nancy, il be sure to look it up in my book. Also, i was wondering when it wouled be ok for me to add some fish?

thanks again

yeah, stick in a couple of black mollies now and let them acclimatise to salt water over a couple of hours... put them in a bowl with the water they came in and add a small amount of tank water to the bowl every 10 mins or so until they are marine.

then you will have another ammonia spike.. then it will go back down again... and the nitrite test will follow suit! That's why we only add a couple of things at a time :) so we dont get a huge ammonia spike.. until the tank filter is operating at a level suitable for the huge amounts of waste an octo is going to kick out!

Keep up the good work!

Thanks so much :notworth: im gonna go get my mollies today.
I dont have a protein skimmer yet can you perhaps give me the name of a good one and where i can find it online please :D ?

Hi Rockthis,

Colin's Equipment List has links to information on protein skimmers.
As a shortcut, try this (which I found through the Equipment List)

http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/weekly/byb/aabybproteinskimmer.htm

I believe you can find price comparisons there, too. You might also try searching on Protein Skimmer on this message board.

Hope this helps,

Nancy