Possible New Saltwater Tank

Okay, so I have a freshwater tank that doesn't have anything in it but a few plants. It's 29 gallons, would that make an okay starter saltwater tank? Would the same heaters on it work for saltwater? It doesn't have a sump or anything so would I need to look into getting one? I have an extra 10 gallon I could use as a quarantine or sump. I also have an extra 5 gallon, if it could be used for anything. I got the 29 gallon as a starter kit, so I know I would need to get a different lid probably, how would I go about that? Also, I want to eventually get corals so would getting lights for corals be a good idea to get at the start? I know I want two clowns. What would be the max number of fish for a tank this size? I also like firefish. I kinda want to do a Nemo themed tank, basically just the same colors of fish. So the two clowns, a purple fish, a yellow fish, a black and white striped fish, a blue and white striped fish, a cleaner shrimp (yes I know I can't have all of those, just the types of fish I may be interested in) Any suggestions? I also know I need to get new substrate, rock, possibly a RODI machine or RODI water, something to measure salinity and salt. Any suggestions or advice welcome, I have read the beginners guides on here but just want to get as much info as I can.

 

Not sure if it matters but the tank dimensions are 30 inches long, 12 inches deep, and 18 inches tall.

 

Yay!!! Your tank will be perfect for an eventual reef with corals and the fish you want. This is very exciting! Give me some time and I will answer all of your questions as best I can. Just wanted to immediately let you know that this can happen, and we can help. Congratulations!!!

 

I'm with Stella; don't be afraid to jump into the salty side!

29 gallons is a perfect starter size, as it'd allow for quite a few fish, parameter stability, and also not be so large as to be unmanageable.

The same heaters do work in saltwater, yes.

Sumps aren't necessary in saltwater tanks, and while they're nice, I personally think it's just an added layer of complexity for a beginner. I'd skip on it for now, and possibly add one later if you decide you'd like one.

Keep the 10 gallon as a QT for sure!

Since you're eventually going to have corals (and are going to need a light), I'd suggest getting a glass/plexiglass lid cut for your tank. It'd be saltwater-safe, cut down on evaporation, and be clear so that light can get through. You can probably get one cut at lowes for a few bucks, or cut it yourself if you'd rather cut notches out for your filter and have more complete coverage.

Since you DO want corals, you can either start out with your light, or start the tank out as FOWLR (fish-only with live rock) and then upgrade lighting later. If you go with the latter route, any old aquarium light would be fine until you got corals. If you need some recommendations, I'm sure stella1979 has something up her sleeve, as she's running a 20 long (same dimensions of a 29, just a bit shorter).

As for stocking, it sounds as if you've got a pretty good idea of what you want. Personally, I'd do something like this:

2x False Perc Clowns
Royal Gramma
Canary Blenny (I have a cousin of this guy - love it!)
+ whatever CUC and inverts you like

I'd personally skip on the firefish for this tank, simply due to how aggressive some of these fish can be. I'd have to really look around for fish that match the colors you want, but if you find some fish that you like, don't be afraid to list them here for compatibility advice. We'd love to help you!

For substrate, I'd either recommend going barebottom or going with plain ole' aragonite, or maybe crushed coral. Any substrate with silica in it should be AVOIDED.

You should be looking at 20-40 lbs of rock with a 29 gallon, with more being better, IMO. If you find buying all live rock to be a bit pricy, I might suggest you to buy 25% of your rock as live, and the rest as base rock, which will become live over time.

I'm in the minority when I say that I don't use RODI water - however, it's a worthwhile investment for most people. For a 29, I'd go with a unit if you can. Buying water from your LFS, even at $1 per gallon, will build up FAST.

As for measuring salinity (specific gravity), we use refractometers as much as we can. The hydrometers you often see in stores are pretty inaccurate, and a good refractometer off ebay isn't that much more.

For salt, you're going to get a lot of different recommendations. I've used Instant Ocean Reef Crystals forever, and haven't had any issues. That said, I don't think you can really go wrong with most commercial salt mixes. Red Sea is a good brand, and also the only one that comes to mind, but as long as reviews are good online, I wouldn't fret too much about it unless you begin to see issues while using it.

 

I'm with Stella; don't be afraid to jump into the salty side!

29 gallons is a perfect starter size, as it'd allow for quite a few fish, parameter stability, and also not be so large as to be unmanageable.

The same heaters do work in saltwater, yes.

Sumps aren't necessary in saltwater tanks, and while they're nice, I personally think it's just an added layer of complexity for a beginner. I'd skip on it for now, and possibly add one later if you decide you'd like one.

Keep the 10 gallon as a QT for sure!

Since you're eventually going to have corals (and are going to need a light), I'd suggest getting a glass/plexiglass lid cut for your tank. It'd be saltwater-safe, cut down on evaporation, and be clear so that light can get through. You can probably get one cut at lowes for a few bucks, or cut it yourself if you'd rather cut notches out for your filter and have more complete coverage.

Since you DO want corals, you can either start out with your light, or start the tank out as FOWLR (fish-only with live rock) and then upgrade lighting later. If you go with the latter route, any old aquarium light would be fine until you got corals. If you need some recommendations, I'm sure stella1979 has something up her sleeve, as she's running a 20 long (same dimensions of a 29, just a bit shorter).

As for stocking, it sounds as if you've got a pretty good idea of what you want. Personally, I'd do something like this:

2x False Perc Clowns
Royal Gramma
Canary Blenny (I have a cousin of this guy - love it!)
+ whatever CUC and inverts you like

I'd personally skip on the firefish for this tank, simply due to how aggressive some of these fish can be. I'd have to really look around for fish that match the colors you want, but if you find some fish that you like, don't be afraid to list them here for compatibility advice. We'd love to help you!

For substrate, I'd either recommend going barebottom or going with plain ole' aragonite, or maybe crushed coral. Any substrate with silica in it should be AVOIDED.

You should be looking at 20-40 lbs of rock with a 29 gallon, with more being better, IMO. If you find buying all live rock to be a bit pricy, I might suggest you to buy 25% of your rock as live, and the rest as base rock, which will become live over time.

I'm in the minority when I say that I don't use RODI water - however, it's a worthwhile investment for most people. For a 29, I'd go with a unit if you can. Buying water from your LFS, even at $1 per gallon, will build up FAST.

As for measuring salinity (specific gravity), we use refractometers as much as we can. The hydrometers you often see in stores are pretty inaccurate, and a good refractometer off ebay isn't that much more.

For salt, you're going to get a lot of different recommendations. I've used Instant Ocean Reef Crystals forever, and haven't had any issues. That said, I don't think you can really go wrong with most commercial salt mixes. Red Sea is a good brand, and also the only one that comes to mind, but as long as reviews are good online, I wouldn't fret too much about it unless you begin to see issues while using it.

I love the Royal Gramma's but I thought that they could be aggressive. I don't like barebottom at all, I don't know why but I don't like the look of it lol. Where have you found the best places to purchase this stuff at? I have 1 super small fish store that has saltwater supplies so I won't be able to find much around me. What do you use for water?

 

Royal Grammas can be aggressive, but so can clownfish. They're more semi-aggressive than anything, with clownfish just being territorial.

Barebottom is definitely an acquired taste, but the amount of work that it alleviates without the sandbed is pretty great. Not for everyone, though.

I personally have one small store that's actually near me, and that's where I go for my immediate needs. Anything else I either order online or make the drive to Louisville to where most of the stores are. I'd suggest ordering whatever you can't find near you.

I use dechlorinated tap for my water. But, my water is pretty near pristine (as far as tap water goes), so I don't have many issues with it. Most people would definitely need at least RO, though.

 

Royal Grammas can be aggressive, but so can clownfish. They're more semi-aggressive than anything, with clownfish just being territorial.

Barebottom is definitely an acquired taste, but the amount of work that it alleviates without the sandbed is pretty great. Not for everyone, though.

I personally have one small store that's actually near me, and that's where I go for my immediate needs. Anything else I either order online or make the drive to Louisville to where most of the stores are. I'd suggest ordering whatever you can't find near you.

I use dechlorinated tap for my water. But, my water is pretty near pristine (as far as tap water goes), so I don't have many issues with it. Most people would definitely need at least RO, though.

Yeah, the super small store I have is a half hour away, I think anything else would probably be at least two hours. I have well water so I'm assuming it wouldn't be good but I have never tested to see what's in it besides the normal freshwater parameters.

 

Yeah, the super small store I have is a half hour away, I think anything else would probably be at least two hours. I have well water so I'm assuming it wouldn't be good but I have never tested to see what's in it besides the normal freshwater parameters.

This is the trouble... there could be things in the water that you are unable to test for. One of the things I've heard sad stories about are low levels of heavy metals, that aren't so dangerous in the tap, but somehow build to toxic levels in a tank. The aquarist never knew about it, was left shocked when the tank crashed and everything died, and only later found that there was tin in his water. To each their own, but you'll never have to worry about any of the things that can be present in water and will hurt your reef if you use RODI.

 

I get RO water at y supermarket for like 25-30 cents a gallon.

 

This is the trouble... there could be things in the water that you are unable to test for. One of the things I've heard sad stories about are low levels of heavy metals, that aren't so dangerous in the tap, but somehow build to toxic levels in a tank. The aquarist never knew about it, was left shocked when the tank crashed and everything died, and only later found that there was tin in his water. To each their own, but you'll never have to worry about any of the things that can be present in water and will hurt your reef if you use RODI.

I definitely wouldn't use my water unless I was 150% sure that it was safe lol.

I get RO water at y supermarket for like 25-30 cents a gallon.

That's pretty cheap! I doubt I could find it that cheap though. All my local stores are SUPER over priced, other than that I only have Walmart

 

So what I have is a 29 gallon and 10 gallon tank, heaters, two HOB filters for the 29g, polyester filter floss, ceramic biomedia, filter foam pads. After that, what are the first things I should look into getting?

 

Substrate, rocks, salt and a powerhead or two would be next on my list. Following that would be test kits and an ammonia source so you can start that cycle.

 

I could be safe using tap water, because using polisher salts, and having no chlorine in my tap really benefits a lot of things.

 

Substrate, rocks, salt and a powerhead or two would be next on my list. Following that would be test kits and an ammonia source so you can start that cycle.

What are the best brands/types? I can check out my local store but I don't think they have much so I'm going to mostly be ordering online.

 

Well then, I'd suggest you look at MarineDepot (awesome rewards program, fast and sometimes free shipping), Bulk Reef Supply, (fast and free shipping), and Amazon of course.

I would go with live sand, one of the offerings by CarribSea. You can pick the one you like the look of, just be careful to get a varied size and nothing too fine. Light-weight/small grain sand will blow around and cause headaches in a saltwater tank.

The rocks will be a personal choice too. Both live and dry have their benefits and drawbacks. Live rock will cycle your tank faster but may carry pests and algae. Dry rock is easy to work with because you don't have to keep it wet, so you have plenty of time to work with it outside of the tank to create the scape you like. Dry rock can also contain dead organics, which will break down and leech ammonia and phosphates, leading to unsightly algae. This is where you hear about curing rocks, which just means that they are exposed to flowing saltwater somewhere other than the tank. Light is limited and water is changed until tests show little to no ammonia, nitrates or phosphates.

A third option would be to go with a man-made type of rock. They will not leach anything, and you can get them in purple if you want. They have all the benefits of dry rock with none of the drawbacks and come in interesting shapes and sizes. The downside is usually the cost.

Personally, I would recommend going with Reef Saver rocks by Bulk Reef Supply. They are cheap, look nice, very porous so good for holding a strong cycle, and best of all, will not leach much at all. They are man-made, but a natural product so may still contain some dead organics. Most report that no curing was needed though, and a quick cure can be done in the tank, during the cycle, with little algae growth... I didn't turn the lights on at all during my cycle, and my dry rock was cured by the time the cycle was done. No algae during that time.

Powerheads - Well, you could go with a decent budget option like Hydor Koralias. If you are planning corals, however, I would suggest looking for a powerhead with a controller, so you can set the speed and flow pattern. Corals do better under varied flow rather than the constant, same directional flow that you get from using a Koralia. I use two Jebao SW2's on my 20 gallon long, which you may recall is close to the dimensions of your tank, just 6 inches shorter.

 

Well then, I'd suggest you look at MarineDepot (awesome rewards program, fast and sometimes free shipping), Bulk Reef Supply, (fast and free shipping), and Amazon of course.

I would go with live sand, one of the offerings by CarribSea. You can pick the one you like the look of, just be careful to get a varied size and nothing too fine. Light-weight/small grain sand will blow around and cause headaches in a saltwater tank.

The rocks will be a personal choice too. Both live and dry have their benefits and drawbacks. Live rock will cycle your tank faster but may carry pests and algae. Dry rock is easy to work with because you don't have to keep it wet, so you have plenty of time to work with it outside of the tank to create the scape you like. Dry rock can also contain dead organics, which will break down and leech ammonia and phosphates, leading to unsightly algae. This is where you hear about curing rocks, which just means that they are exposed to flowing saltwater somewhere other than the tank. Light is limited and water is changed until tests show little to no ammonia, nitrates or phosphates.

A third option would be to go with a man-made type of rock. They will not leach anything, and you can get them in purple if you want. They have all the benefits of dry rock with none of the drawbacks and come in interesting shapes and sizes. The downside is usually the cost.

Personally, I would recommend going with Reef Saver rocks by Bulk Reef Supply. They are cheap, look nice, very porous so good for holding a strong cycle, and best of all, will not leach much at all. They are man-made, but a natural product so may still contain some dead organics. Most report that no curing was needed though, and a quick cure can be done in the tank, during the cycle, with little algae growth... I didn't turn the lights on at all during my cycle, and my dry rock was cured by the time the cycle was done. No algae during that time.

Powerheads - Well, you could go with a decent budget option like Hydor Koralias. If you are planning corals, however, I would suggest looking for a powerhead with a controller, so you can set the speed and flow pattern. Corals do better under varied flow rather than the constant, same directional flow that you get from using a Koralia. I use two Jebao SW2's on my 20 gallon long, which you may recall is close to the dimensions of your tank, just 6 inches shorter.

I hope it's okay if I keep coming back as I look into things lol. I used CaribSea for my freshwater substrate and really liked it. My question is, there is Crushed Coral, Aragonite, Arag-Alive, Special Grade Reef, Ocean Direct Live, etc. Can I mix them? Are the only live ones the ones that say things like Arag-Alive? Do I need the special grade reef sand?

 

Also, how in the world do people create the aquascapes that have tunnel like things? Does the rock just stack like that? The rock on bulk reef supply seems like it would be hard to stack lol

 

I hope it's okay if I keep coming back as I look into things lol. I used CaribSea for my freshwater substrate and really liked it. My question is, there is Crushed Coral, Aragonite, Arag-Alive, Special Grade Reef, Ocean Direct Live, etc. Can I mix them? Are the only live ones the ones that say things like Arag-Alive? Do I need the special grade reef sand?

Of course, it's okay. So, I also used CaribSea for freshwater, but when you're looking at their sand on a salty site like Marine Depot, they are all live unless it says dry. And yes, you can mix them. For instance, people like the look of FijI Pink, but it's a little fine to use as the only sand in the tank, so they'll mix it with a coarser option, like the Special Grade Arag-Alive.

It can seem confusing, but those options generally refer to the grain size, and more specifically to the color. Aragonite is a term used for sand that is made of the same thing that coral skeletons are made of, calcium carbonate. This is what natural marine sand is made of and what you want in your tank. The special grade isn't anything fancy, just a good coarse mix, and is what I have throughout my tank. FijI and BiminI Pink refer to the color, though they have a finer grain than the special grade. Crushed coral refers to a large grain size, almost like little pebbles. Oolite is very fine and spherical, so not as rough, and not one that I would recommend for now. All of these options are still made of aragonite though. Make sense?

Also, how in the world do people create the aquascapes that have tunnel like things? Does the rock just stack like that? The rock on bulk reef supply seems like it would be hard to stack lol

Hmmm... people use chisels and hammers to try to break rocks into different shapes and sizes. People also drill holes in rocks so they can insert acrylic rods and attach another rock at a gravity-defying angle. That's what the pros do, lol. Most of us might still break out the chisel if we need the rocks smaller, but generally, we just make them work. They stack a lot better than you might think actually. It's best to measure out a tank sized piece of cardboard and just play with the rocks there until you find something you like. If necessary, reef epoxy and super glue can be used to attach rocks together to form an arch or ledge. There are also special pieces you can buy for this. Check out shelf and tonga rocks.

Also, you can look to Nart 's profile for his IM25 Round 2 thread. You'll see some easy early structures he created right on the first page, but if you go to page 16 (I think!) you'll see where he started creating his gravity-defying scape. I'm pretty sure he used a TON of epoxy, lol, but you can't tell from the front when it's done. If you keep looking, you'll see it get covered up in coral.

 

Of course, it's okay. So, I also used CaribSea for freshwater, but when you're looking at their sand on a salty site like Marine Depot, they are all live unless it says dry. And yes, you can mix them. For instance, people like the look of FijI Pink, but it's a little fine to use as the only sand in the tank, so they'll mix it with a coarser option, like the Special Grade Arag-Alive.

It can seem confusing, but those options generally refer to the grain size, and more specifically to the color. Aragonite is a term used for sand that is made of the same thing that coral skeletons are made of, calcium carbonate. This is what natural marine sand is made of and what you want in your tank. The special grade isn't anything fancy, just a good coarse mix, and is what I have throughout my tank. FijI and BiminI Pink refer to the color, though they have a finer grain than the special grade. Crushed coral refers to a large grain size, almost like little pebbles. Oolite is very fine and spherical, so not as rough, and not one that I would recommend for now. All of these options are still made of aragonite though. Make sense?


Hmmm... people use chisels and hammers to try to break rocks into different shapes and sizes. People also drill holes in rocks so they can insert acrylic rods and attach another rock at a gravity-defying angle. That's what the pros do, lol. Most of us might still break out the chisel if we need the rocks smaller, but generally, we just make them work. They stack a lot better than you might think actually. It's best to measure out a tank sized piece of cardboard and just play with the rocks there until you find something you like. If necessary, reef epoxy and super glue can be used to attach rocks together to form an arch or ledge. There are also special pieces you can buy for this. Check out shelf and tonga rocks.

Also, you can look to Nart 's profile for his IM25 Round 2 thread. You'll see some easy early structures he created right on the first page, but if you go to page 16 (I think!) you'll see where he started creating his gravity-defying scape. I'm pretty sure he used a TON of epoxy, lol, but you can't tell from the front when it's done. If you keep looking, you'll see it get covered up in coral.

Okay, that sounds simple enough for the sand! I really liked the BiminI Pink when I saw it, I thought it seemed like it was bigger pieces though? I'll do some more research though. How many pounds of sand do I need? And for rocks is it the typical 1 pound per gallon?

 

20 lbs. of sand gave me a little more than an inch throughout the tank.

The pound per gallon rule is imperfect because different types of rocks have different weights. For example, I have FijI rock that is rather dense and heavy. 20 lbs. was perfect for my 20 gallon tank. But a rock type like reef saver is much lighter, so 20 lbs. would provide more volume than the same weight of Fiji.

Extra rock sure can come in handy down the line though. For example, perhaps you'll want some green star polyps, which can grow like a weed and behind invasive, or a galaxea coral, which is beautiful but mean. Either of these options are best kept on an island, or its own rock away from the main scape. What I'm trying to say is, I doubt you'd regret ordering say... 25 lbs. of reef saver, even if you don't use it all right away.

 

20 lbs. of sand gave me a little more than an inch throughout the tank.

The pound per gallon rule is imperfect because different types of rocks have different weights. For example, I have FijI rock that is rather dense and heavy. 20 lbs. was perfect for my 20 gallon tank. But a rock type like reef saver is much lighter, so 20 lbs. would provide more volume than the same weight of Fiji.

Extra rock sure can come in handy down the line though. For example, perhaps you'll want some green star polyps, which can grow like a weed and behind invasive, or a galaxea coral, which is beautiful but mean. Either of these options are best kept on an island, or its own rock away from the main scape. What I'm trying to say is, I doubt you'd regret ordering say... 25 lbs. of reef saver, even if you don't use it all right away.

So the 20 lb bag of CaribSea sand would be enough? I'm glad I asked about the rock because I probably would've ended up with A LOT more than I needed lol. I'll plan on 25 pounds of reef saver rock

 

We have the same footprint, so yes, I'd say 20 lbs. of sand would be enough as long as you don't want it deeper than 1.5 inches or so. You can safely have a bit of a deeper sand bed if you'd like, and certain sand dwelling creatures may appreciate it... but yeah, the sand dwellers that I'm thinking of are a bit more advanced and there are other sand dwellers that do fine in a shallower substrate. My thinking is, a deeper sand bed means more to clean, lol, and I wouldn't want that. I have a couple of small sand dwelling snails and a sand dwelling pistol shrimp that are happy with what I'm providing, so... I think you'd be happy with the same.

I'm going to call on Culprit about the pink sand, as he has personal experience with it, and I do not.

 

We have the same footprint, so yes, I'd say 20 lbs. of sand would be enough as long as you don't want it deeper than 1.5 inches or so. You can safely have a bit of a deeper sand bed if you'd like, and certain sand dwelling creatures may appreciate it... but yeah, the sand dwellers that I'm thinking of are a bit more advanced and there are other sand dwellers that do fine in a shallower substrate. My thinking is, a deeper sand bed means more to clean, lol, and I wouldn't want that. I have a couple of small sand dwelling snails and a sand dwelling pistol shrimp that are happy with what I'm providing, so... I think you'd be happy with the same.

I'm going to call on Culprit about the pink sand, as he has personal experience with it, and I do not.

I’m like jumping for joy I’m just so excited lol. I may go with the sand you said you use because I looked at the size difference and it seemed like it might blow. I really don’t want to deal with that lol

 

I’m like jumping for joy I’m just so excited lol.

I love it!

Culprit will probably be around soon if you really like the pink sand and want his take on it. I know he uses one of them, I just can't remember if it's the BiminI or FijI and I don't have personal experience with either, so I don't want to pass on bad info.

That said, I do really like my sand. It's amazing what a pistol shrimp can do with it. The little guy uses individual pieces of sand, which are not very large, and arranges them just so to build little caves and tunnels for his burrow. Yet it's still light enough that my firefish can swish it with his tail to maintain his own burrow. Works for me.

 

So the 20 lb bag of CaribSea sand would be enough? I'm glad I asked about the rock because I probably would've ended up with A LOT more than I needed lol. I'll plan on 25 pounds of reef saver rock

Yes, it'll be enough. Personally, I'm going to get another 20 lb bag and distribute it between my tanks as its a bit shallow on both, especially as on my JBJ the current sand is pretty coarse and thin and I need enough for burrowers. In a 20 long though a 20 lb bag is about perfect. Mabye a little on the thin side, but I've kept a YWG and pistol shrimp in and they had no problems.

Hold on... stella1979 I thought you used FijI Pink? Huh. I currently have BiminI Pink in my 20 long. Its a really nice sand, doesn't blow around, and has a really cool texture, lots of little bits of shells and pink stone stuff. I like it. However... now I've had it for a while its not really the look I was going for. If you don't keep it stirred at least once between water changes, the larger bits work their way up and the sand grain looks bigger then it is.

FijI Pink is very uniform, and a good quality sand that also won't blow away. It's finer, so if you decide to get any kind of burrowing fish, you'll want to get some fine rubble. This is the sand I will be getting my second 20 lb bag of. They're about the same price.

 

Hold on... stella1979 I thought you used FijI Pink? Huh.

You have a fine memory my friend, and I appreciate the love, but you're maybe just a little mixed up. I have FijI rock, but the sand is just the standard AragAlive Special Grade... which sounds like it's something special doesn't it? I wouldn't say so. It's got lots of bits of shell and rock with tiny pores, with varying sizes, but nothing very fine. I don't think about the sand a whole lot, but not having to think on it makes it perfect for me.

 

Thanks for the info guys!

 

So in order to mix the salt, I need a refractometer, right? What's a good brand for that? Do I also need to get a skimmer? And what are good test kits?

 

Yes. Any $20 refractometer off of Amazon will work. Just make sure it has ATC. No, you do not need a skimmer, but an aquaclear 50 or 75 filter modded into a chaeto refugium is an awesome nutrient reduction.

Test kits, most people like Red Sea and Salifert. I really like salifert, necer tried red sea. I'd highly recommend the salifert nitrate test kit, its super easy and accurate. You can use your API freshwater test kit if its the liquid tests (if you have it) for ammonia and nitrite to cycle. Only other one I'd suggest you get to start would be KH.

 

Yes. Any $20 refractometer off of Amazon will work. Just make sure it has ATC. No, you do not need a skimmer, but an aquaclear 50 or 75 filter modded into a chaeto refugium is an awesome nutrient reduction.

Test kits, most people like Red Sea and Salifert. I really like salifert, necer tried red sea. I'd highly recommend the salifert nitrate test kit, its super easy and accurate. You can use your API freshwater test kit if its the liquid tests (if you have it) for ammonia and nitrite to cycle. Only other one I'd suggest you get to start would be KH.

I do have an API freshwater kit, so I'll just plan on getting the Salifert nitrate test. I have the freshwater KH liquid test, would that work or should I get a different one? Also, what's the best source of ammonia to start cycling?

 

You'll hear us talking about alkalinity levels and testing... KH is the same thing. You can use the KH test for that, that is, until you're deeper into things and maybe want a little more precision. At that point, you'd want to look at RedSea or Salifert to replace that API KH test kit.

+1 on Salifert's nitrate test. I love it! I get highly annoyed by API's nitrate test kit, even for freshwater, so I use Salifert's for freshwater and saltwater tanks.

Pure Ammonia is what you want for cycling. The only ingredients should be ammonia and water, but the ingredients aren't often listed. You can get it at ACE Hardware if you've got one nearby. I don't have an ACE, so had to go looking. The way to tell if it's pure ammonia in a bottle is to shake it and look at the bubbles. Are they soapy? If so, it has added detergents and you don't want it. If watery bubbles form and quickly pop, like a shaken water bottle, then you're good to go. I had to use this test in stores and found that the one at the dollar store was pure.

 

Agreed on the Alk. I used API alk for a long time, until now when I need more precision and need my big three - calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium.

I love love love the salifert nitrate test as well especially after using API nitrate test for fw for so long.

I got Dr. Tims as I couldn't find pure ammonia anywhere.

 

I'm partial to Red Sea myself, but really any test besides API is a good choice. I actually started with saltwater and so I got used to Red Sea and then when I got Freshwater and tried API, I couldn't believe what a piece of junk it was by comparison. Leaky caps, measuring line that doesn't measure 5mL, a nitrate test where you can't tell the difference between 10-20 and 40-80 and the occasional false positive for Ammonia are among my complaints.