If you buy bottled ammonia at the fish store and some bacteria that will definitely help kick start things quicker and increase your bacteria colony.
So i added a bottle of Dr. Tims bacteria when I started the cycle. If I was to go buy the ammonia would I need to buy another bottle of Dr. Tims or just add ammonia to the tank as is?
U can buy Dr Tim's ammonia and u should be fine but u can also buy another bottle if you wanted or totally different bacteria. You can't have too many or too much bacteria in your tank. But I used Dr Tim's ammonia and bacteria to start my first tank and then added some bio-spira bacteria just for giggles. But you shouldn't need more bacteria it might just make things build up quicker.
I do water changes and test twice a week. When you test you can adjust as needed and get used to dosing to keep your tank what you want it at all the time. A stabile Alk is one of the most important things for a tank IMO. Calcium and PH can fluctuate a little but keep your Alk where it is supposed to be and you're usually pretty good. Also try not to have super high phosphates.
What do you dose with? I will certainly keep up with water changes and test. Just ordered some Hanna testers so I don't have to do all this guess work with these cards haha.
I used to dose with All for Reef and I love it. I've recently be dosing with Red Sea 3 part bc my calcium was good but my Alk was going down quicker. Hoping someone else will respond and tell you what else they use. But I like All for Reef for all around dosing.
What salt do you use?
i suggest whatever you start using full time...... you check the label or website and see what it mixes too on all levels then try to keep your dosing to whatever that mixes to. It is so much easier for when you are doing water changes and stuff if you're not having to dose to get to a different number you like. I use red sea coral pro so I make all my parameters meet what my salt mixes to and I dose to keep those levels. So my salt mixes to like Alk of 10 so I keep my Alk at 10. It makes your life easier. Since all salt is about the same if you do switch look for a salt that mixes to what you want.
I would wait until your nitrites zero out then test everything. You should be cycled then. Some people then add 2ppm ammonia back in and see how long it takes to zero out but that I would say is optional. Once the nitrites are gone though that means you nitrifying bacteria have established.
