Cycling new system

[BeanAnimal]

Correct- one time ammonia dosing and initial, not continuous.

Yep, not that your post is wrong, I just like to simplify even further. Less to worry about for the same outcome.

 

[MnFish1]

I'm watching a BRS video on cycling tanks and they say it's quicker to cycle dry rock with fish than just throwing something to rot to start off the cycle. Which I guess makes sense, but putting in fish into an unicycled tank? Back in my day (LOL) when I had my system 15 years ago adding fish to an uncycled tank was anathema. Or am I making the "live rock vs. dry rock cycling" mistake here?? Back then we all used live rock. Now I'll be cycling dry rock. So... seriously add a fish and let it live there? Seems... unwise?? Am I misunderstanding their message?

It's this video and it's the second topic they discuss.

15 years ago the norm was to put fish in with nothing else. (not an angelfish in a 10 gallon - but rather a clownfish in a 10 gallon)

 

[MnFish1]

IMHO - putting fish into a tank on the first day is not cruel. Many 'cycling' bacteria manufacturers claim their products allow this. Spending 2-6 weeks waiting for certain chemical measurements to be 'ok' is a mistake IMHO

 

[BeanAnimal]

Many 'cycling' bacteria manufacturers claim their products allow this.

Many “cycling” bacteria manufacturers claim their products allow this. Some of those same vendors even sell products to neutralize ammonia, and some bottles of stuff are basically hair tonic that also cures mumps, measles, hay fever, and irritable bowel.

Citing what a bottle or marketing says is not a credible reason. Ammonia dropping toward zero predictably is. If that takes two days, or six weeks, then that is what it takes.

 

[JuanFishTwoFish]

I'll probably start cycling dry rock in Brute buckets while waiting for the tank to arrive. Just seems cruel to throw a fish in there. There'll be a thermometer and a powerhead, but probably not keeping close enough of an eye on temperature and other things (kind of a "close enough" attitude) for a fish to be happy in. If it's just rock, a 3 degree temperature swing isn't a big deal (I assume?) vs. it is with a fish.

I’m waiting for my tank from Waterbox and since the lead time is 4-6 weeks I’m also going this route. I’m going to work on the main aquascape with my daughter using about 80% Marco rock that I will then cure in a trash bin.

Once the tank is here the other 20% of the rock I plan on using will be live rock from my local fish store.

 

[MnFish1]

Many “cycling” bacteria manufacturers claim their products allow this. Some of those same vendors even sell products to neutralize ammonia, and some bottles of stuff are basically hair tonic that also cures mumps, measles, hay fever, and irritable bowel.

Citing what a bottle or marketing says is not a credible reason. Ammonia dropping toward zero predictably is. If that takes two days, or six weeks, then that is what it takes.

I have reliably used Fritz 9000 to keep ammonia down to 0 after adding a low bioload of fish. I'm not talking about adding 5 tangs into a 10 gallon tank. Of course, if you use bottled bacteria and fish on day 1, it would be prudent to check ammonia, right? So there is really no difference, in my opinion. Additionally, if one sets up a tank with live rock, the same method would apply.

There are (and the posts are all over R2R) documenting problems people have had with trying to assess 'cycled or not' using the popular method. Additionally, after reading the article and posts by Rendy Holmes Farley, it's clear that ammonia is not quite as toxic as previously thought (i.e. you don't need a level of 0) - note I'm not saying its non-toxic.

In any case it doesn't bother me if people want to dose ammonia etc. My only point is it's fairly easy to cycle a tank with a live bacterial product without doing anything with bottled ammonia.

PS - I agree with you that some products do not work as well - and may contain spores of heterotrophic bacteria as compared to obligate autotrophs.