Asking for help, how to properly cycle water tanks

[Renroc]

Salt mix usually buffers to around 8.2, to better match sea water. If you have any shells or coral in the pool, that will up the pH as well.

I've got a bit of rock in there but its not marine rock. I'll test again in a week or so and see what's happening. Thanks for the advice. I have been quite successful with growing mangroves in both my fresh and salt pools. Haven't found any lately though and the crabs tend to eat the seed pod and also the leaves so they don't last more than a month or so after shooting leaves. I figured that they wouldn't grow unless the water was OK and that they would help keep the water good.