Cycling tank with raw shrimp

[Poseidon]

Originally Posted by redemer123

...a one point jump from say 7 to 8 is 50 times more basic...

This is wrong, pH is a logarithmic scale, a difference of one pH unit is equivalent to a tenfold difference in hydrogen ion concentration.

So moving from 7 to 8 is a 10X difference, moving from 7 to 9 a 100X.

I know you are trying to be helpful, however it is important to be helpful and accurate. Also, I really am not trying to pick on you, it is obvious you have a great desire to be helpful, and you have a fair bit of knowledge too. :D

There are so many variables in pH, that making statements like "your pH will stabilize at...." is a virtual impossibility. What if the substrate is calcite, or silicate sand? Neither of those will have much effect on raising the pH of the tank. What if the OP is a heavy smoker? That will also have an affect on the pH.

It is much preferable to offer advice that is specific and accurate, then it is to generalize an answer using incorrect data.

[MizTanks]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

This is wrong, pH is a logarithmic scale, a difference of one pH unit is equivalent to a tenfold difference in hydrogen ion concentration.

So moving from 7 to 8 is a 10X difference, moving from 7 to 9 a 100X.

I know you are trying to be helpful, however it is important to be helpful and accurate. Also, I really am not trying to pick on you, it is obvious you have a great desire to be helpful, and you have a fair bit of knowledge too. :D

There are so many variables in pH, that making statements like "your pH will stabilize at...." is a virtual impossibility. What if the substrate is calcite, or silicate sand? Neither of those will have much effect on raising the pH of the tank. What if the OP is a heavy smoker? That will also have an affect on the pH.

It is much preferable to offer advice that is specific and accurate, then it is to generalize an answer using incorrect data.

My point exactly

[binford4000]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

This is wrong, pH is a logarithmic scale, a difference of one pH unit is equivalent to a tenfold difference in hydrogen ion concentration.

So moving from 7 to 8 is a 10X difference, moving from 7 to 9 a 100X.

I know you are trying to be helpful, however it is important to be helpful and accurate. Also, I really am not trying to pick on you, it is obvious you have a great desire to be helpful, and you have a fair bit of knowledge too. :D

There are so many variables in pH, that making statements like "your pH will stabilize at...." is a virtual impossibility. What if the substrate is calcite, or silicate sand? Neither of those will have much effect on raising the pH of the tank. What if the OP is a heavy smoker? That will also have an affect on the pH.

It is much preferable to offer advice that is specific and accurate, then it is to generalize an answer using incorrect data.

BAZINGA !

I am not a chemist so looked this up, Mikes numbers are correct.refrenced to Anthony Calfo's "the book of coral propagation". Or the reefers bible as I like to call it.

[redemer123]

haha I knew 7 to 9 would be 100x but for some reason I went and said 7 to 8 would be 50 oops studying other stuff lately in AP sort of allows one to forget the basics thanks Mike

[BarbH]

Thanks for the replies everyone. As for windows they have been closed over the last week because it has been a little bit on the cool side. I decided to start running my skimmer yesterday which helped to remove the cloudiness from the water. This morning after testing ammonia was still holding at 4.0 ppm Nitrites for the past two days had been at 2.0ppm today they were at 5.0 ppm for the past 3 days been having nitrate readings 4/12 20 ppm and then yesterday and today at 40 ppm. Plans for now are to continue to monitor parameters.

Tested pH today which was 8.0, again this is something that will continue to monitor. Substrate is argonite which from my understanding the argonite should help to buffer the water.

[Poseidon]

At this point I would shift to testing every other day, or even every third day. Since you are seeing a progression from NH3 to NO2 to NO3, you know the cycle has started, and now it is a waiting game.

[BarbH]

Thanks poseidon

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