Caribsea Life Rock and Fuji Live sand...Cycling with Tim's?

AL210

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Ok,

Finally got my tank filled and ready to cycle.

I have the dead Caribsea Life rock and 60lbs of the fiji live sand. I have one block of Marine Pure in my sump.
I have a bottle of the Dr Tim's one and only nitrifying bacteria.

Can I just remove my filter socks and add this for 48hrs like Dr Tim says and add a pair of Clowns at the same time in my 120 gallon.
Or would it be better to use something else for the ammonia such as a single shrimp?
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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That will work but skipping fallow and quarantine can be a disease headache
 

MattDaReefer

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I would give it 4-5 days IMO just to be on the safe side. Make sure that you are at least checking for the ammonia spike. I'm sure the fish can hold off for a day or 2. Give em a better success rate,
 
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AL210

AL210

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I would give it 4-5 days IMO just to be on the safe side. Make sure that you are at least checking for the ammonia spike. I'm sure the fish can hold off for a day or 2. Give em a better success rate,
How will I get ammonia spike without a source?
 
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AL210

AL210

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I wouldn't believe them - but that's just me.
I trust him. Plus I don't have a quarantine tank as of yet. I'm out of $$$ after setting this one up:(
He has his own company out of his house. He has a 2000 gallon system of tanks at his business.
 

SPS247

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How will I get ammonia spike without a source?
Dr. Tim's Aquatics Ammonium Chloride Solution for Cycling Aquariums, 2-oz bottle

Or Fritz powder version.

I just did this fish less cycle. Worked great. I followed Dr Tim’s instructions.
 

MattDaReefer

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I have a local professional tank maintenance company that will sell me 8 week quarantine fish. He has several pairs of clowns ready.
Thats an awesome resource to have for fish. I had asked a LFS to hold a fish for me just 2 weeks so i could make sure it was all good. His response was "I'm in business to make money and can hold a fish that long" Meanwhile there have been fish in there for over a month now still swimming in the same tanks in saw them in when the first arrived.

Go figure. I thought that they needed people to come back repeatedly to stay in business.

Why by livestock from a place that I don't feel is giving my the best product they can????
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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humblefish too sells qt fish its the wave of the future. A dry start w bottle bac is indicated here, thats a zero vector situation.


**still need another tank though for fallowing your hardscapes, snails w shells, corals etc* that is unless he's got a fallow setup to sell from. Someone should certainly be doing this for cash its a great idea.


the specific proof your bottle bac isnt dead before adding fish is to dose ammonia to about 1 ppm. see if it goes down overnite, doesn't have to reach zero just go down. if so its proof bac are ready. I do believe all bottle bac is legit it is very rare to have a dead bottle, but zero ammonia moved overnite would cause an alarm. doesnt hurt to pre test.
 

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1DC86ECA-B909-4E86-8533-D4DABA73D4E5.png
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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additionally, at about two weeks of submersion the liferock becomes fully active for a delayed kick.
 

rustyreefer

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I used Dr Tims Ammonia to kick off the cycle. But I didn't rush to put fish in the tank. Instead I waited for 4 weeks until the cycle was complete and then added a 2 clowns. One thing I have learned in this hobby is.> don't rush things.
 

brandon429

why did you put a reef in that
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its already live and can likely process standalone ammonia by itself. my lfs has kept a 2o gallon full of baby clowns running that sand only plus a powerhead. the sand is ready, the dry portions have already been coated in bac, ammonia test is final proof
 
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AL210

AL210

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its already live and can likely process standalone ammonia by itself. my lfs has kept a 2o gallon full of baby clowns running that sand only plus a powerhead. the sand is ready, the dry portions have already been coated in bac, ammonia test is final proof
I had the same dead rock live sand. Your tank is still going to cycle.
So I should not even use the Dr Tim's bacteria and just dose the ammonia drops?
 

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