I’m doing some water chemistry for oyster stuff while Jesse is out of town!

I’ll keep updating this same log and shifting the published date to the current date as I add things to it.

Notes from Jesse:

Mondays

  • Water quality test with API test strips each tank
    If nitrite is above 1 the water will need to be replaced in the next day or so
    If nitrite is above or = 3 replace it as soon as possible if you have water available

  • If all other tanks are in good shape, drain and refill right blue tank with 30 ppt seatwater
  • Replace filter bag on right blue tank. I will clean them and have fresh ones ready for the next few weeks
  • Refill any grey bins with freshwater from the hose and make new seawater
  • For 30 gallons of water (the brute grey bins hold 32 but don’t fill them up all the way) Use ~2.5 tripours full. Make sure to check the salinity after adding two full tripours because it is easy to put a little too much
  • If you do put too much you can bail out some water with a bucket and add some more freshwater from the hose

Tuesdays

  • Water quality test with API test strips each tank

Wednesdays

  • Water quality test with API test strips each tank

Thursdays

  • Water quality test with API test strips each tank
  • Make sure grey bins are filled with 30 ppt water for a full drain and replacement on the left blue tank
    In the past I’ve made 33 ppt water to mix with 0ppt DI water for the yellow tanks but I still need to check with Megan if that’s the plan moving forward

Fridays

  • Water quality test with API test strips each tank
    If nitrite is above 1 the water will need to be replaced in the next day or so
    If nitrite is above or = 3 replace it as soon as possible if you have water available

  • If all other tanks are in good shape, drain and refill left blue tank with 30 ppt seatwater
  • Replace filter bag on left blue tank

2026-09-11

API Strip testing for pH, nitrite, nitrates in the 4 tanks + ammonia testing:

Date Test Blue Tank Left Blue Tank Right Yellow Tank Left Yellow Tank Right
9/11 pH 8.0 8.5 9.0 8.0
9/11 Nitrite 10 0.5 1.0 0
9/11 Nitrate 80 20 20 20
9/11 Ammonia 80 120 300 40

The Left Blue Tank had nitrite that is above 3 so I needed to replace it with 30ppt.

I brought the salinity in the bucket outside the tank from 10 up to 30ppt by adding some instand ocean. I then drained the tank and turned on the pump to get the fresh 30ppt water into the tank.

I then refilled the grey bucket with fresh water then added instand ocean. I emptied the bag and it’s at about 28ppt, so more will need to be added before using it to refill the right tank on Monday. I’ll need to ask where more instand ocean is.

I also replaced the filter bag in the left blue tank.

Also, I forgot to test for ammonia the past couple days, so from now on it’ll be including in water chemistry testing.

2026-09-10

API Strip testing for pH, nitrite, nitrates in the 4 tanks:

Date Test Blue Tank Left Blue Tank Right Yellow Tank Left Yellow Tank Right
9/10 pH 7.5 7.5 9.0 8.5
9/10 Nitrite 5 0.5 0.5 0.5
9/10 Nitrate 80 20 0 20

2026-09-09

API Strip testing for pH, nitrite, nitrates in the 4 tanks:

Date Test Blue Tank Left Blue Tank Right Yellow Tank Left Yellow Tank Right
9/9 pH 8.5 8.5 9.0 8.5
9/9 Nitrite 0.5 0 1 1
9/9 Nitrate 20 20 0 40

2026-09-08

API Strip testing for pH, nitrite, nitrates in the 4 tanks:

Date Test Blue Tank Left Blue Tank Right Yellow Tank Left Yellow Tank Right
9/8 pH 8 8 9 8.5
9/8 Nitrite 0.5 0.5 1.0 0.5
9/8 Nitrate 20 20 20 80