Cycling a new tank question

[Msamazing]

Does anybody have any opinions, experience, or thoughts about using

DrTim's Aquatics Ammonium Chloride Aquarium and Nitrifying Bacteria to cycle a tank?​

Instead of using livestock like a couple of fish.

 

[mcarroll]

Does anybody have any opinions, experience, or thoughts about using

DrTim's Aquatics Ammonium Chloride Aquarium and Nitrifying Bacteria to cycle a tank?​

Instead of using livestock like a couple of fish.

Well, there are a ton of threads on it already....a search would be your best friend.

Something to know is that Dr Tim himself says it's unnecessary. (It's in the FAQ.)

Most folks who try it seem to have no idea what the natural method even is, which is very unfortunate.

Lots of folks who try it have nothing but trouble....make sure you look at problem threads before you look at the cheerleader threads. Cycling a tank should be the easiest thing you do setting up the tank (it's practically automatic), so this is also unfortunate. Lastly but not leastly, ammonia isn't as bad as it's made out to be by the fishless cheerleaders – look for Randy's article: "Ammonia is your friend."

IMO it's one of the more regressive trends in the hobby.

If there is some kinf of emergency that you need a tank set up "right now" then use Dr Tim's One and Only but do it according to the directions for "instant cycling".

If there's no emergency, then just set the tank up with the rock and sand and water flow, but no lights and the smallest critter you can feed a little bit....a hermit crab would work for most smaller tanks...feed it just a little. Basically pick the critter(s) based on the size of the tank you're setting up. The water volume is going to dilute the ammonia so much that your goal will be to simply avoid an ammonia spike altogether. In 30-40 days it'll be cycled after which you slowly, steadily stock the tank from smallest to biggest, ending in fish. Corals can go in at any time (even Day 1) if you're already comfortable tending to their needs, otherwise whenever you're read up and comfortable adding them.

Hopefully that makes sense. Either way I'd also recommend looking at the book "Marine Aquarium Handbook" by Martin Moe. Excellent book FULL of great fundamentals like this. Used to be standard reading for most newbies back in the day....it should still be, but we know how reading books is these days. ;)

Good luck! Post back with questions as needed!