He king the beneficial bacteria

[Alfredomeinhardt]

I have a question.

I have been running my new tank fallow for the last month to make sure it’s disease free after a few fish died in it.
The tank was fully cycle and I have a few CUC in it, two zoas and a small Duncan.
The tank is been running with 0 PO4 and 0 NO3 since I set it up. I have been feeding even though there is no fish in it and even some of the fish that died must have discomposed in it since I couldn’t find them, but still the Nitrates and Phosphate are 0.

I’m worry that the beneficial bacteria might be starving and before I put fish in it I want to check if there is still bacteria in it.

Can I add 2ppm of ammonia to the tank and check a day later to see if it is gone?? That could tell me that there is beneficial bacteria there. But I’m worry that the ammonia can hurt the CUC and /or the coral.

Any advise??

 

[jonelder68]

Good article to read if you haven’t yet…

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/ammonia-is-our-friend.1062/
I dose my tank a ton of ammonium but it’s small hourly doses every hour as it’s consumed rapidly.

I’d start off by following this dosing chart. Measure and test for nitrate not ammonia.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-chart.1123913/
You might consider dosing phosphate to a detectable level as well.

 

[CHSUB]

Not to worry, bacteria can go to the moon and back…

https://hms.harvard.edu/news/how-dormant-bacteria-return-life
https://news.mit.edu/2013/how-quickly-can-a-bacterium-grow-0827

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Thank you all

 

[jonelder68]

I would think your bacteria would still be fine. Stock fish back slowly as normally would. But I would definitely dose nitrate and phosphate to detectable levels and keep them before you have a Dino’s outbreak. That’s the last thing you want to deal with.

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

I would think your bacteria would still be fine. Stock fish back slowly as normally would. But I would definitely dose nitrate and phosphate to detectable levels and keep them before you have a Dino’s outbreak. That’s the last thing you want to deal with.

Thanks. I will do that. I will be using neophos and neonitro from Brightwell

 

[jonelder68]

Thanks. I will do that. I will be using neophos and neonitro from Brightwell

You can mix your own and save money if you want.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/miami-reef’s-reef-chemistry-articles.1070325/

 

[mcarroll]

I think Seachem's Flourish products may be more concentrated as well. Brightwell's work fine, but are strangely (IMO) marketed toward LOWERING nutrient levels....so concentration levels make sense from that angle.