HELP! Will my bacteria die?/Adding Corals First?

MajikalKhat · Jun 3, 2021

I just started my tank a couple days ago. I used Fritz Aquatics TurboStart and ammonium chloride to cycle. I heard it takes about a couple days to a week to cycle so after my tank finishes cycles, I was planning on adding two clownfish. The problem is I just found out we were going on vacation at the end of the month and I can't find anyone to feed the fish everyday during that time. I thought about adding corals instead of fish after one week but I've read posts from people saying that it is better to add fish first and that corals thrive more when the water perimeters have been stable for a while. I also heard that corals produce less ammonia than fish. Should I buy corals or not? If not, what should I do instead? Should I buy fish? If I should buy corals, will the corals produce enough ammonia for my bacteria?

Sorry for the long post, this is my first tank and I really want to get everything right!

Azedenkae · Jun 3, 2021

MajikalKhat said:
I just started my tank a couple days ago. I used Fritz Aquatics TurboStart and ammonium chloride to cycle. I heard it takes about a couple days to a week to cycle so after my tank finishes cycles, I was planning on adding two clownfish. The problem is I just found out we were going on vacation at the end of the month and I can't find anyone to feed the fish everyday during that time. I thought about adding corals instead of fish after one week but I've read posts from people saying that it is better to add fish first and that corals thrive more when the water perimeters have been stable for a while. I also heard that corals produce less ammonia than fish. Should I buy corals or not? If not, what should I do instead? Should I buy fish? If I should buy corals, will the corals produce enough ammonia for my bacteria?

Sorry for the long post, this is my first tank and I really want to get everything right!

You're fine. Nitrifiers can last for a long time ammonia-starved. They'll just chill until you get back, when you can dose ammonia just to check that they are still cool (which they most likely will be), and then continue from there. No worries about your nitrifiers dying off just because they are left alone during the holiday. I mean unless your holiday lasts for a few months or something lol, but even then they just go dormant and can be readily revived.

Spare time · Jun 3, 2021

Yeah you are fine. You can always get an auto feeder and put some hermits crabs in but really it's not going to matter much.

brandon429 · Jun 3, 2021

even if you added nothing to feed the bacteria the environment will provide all feed such that these bac cannot starve.

they could if you sealed the lid off and prevented environmental exchange, but your tank isn't set up that way. you cannot starve them even if you didnt feed five years.

proof, see MSteven's posts:

Bacteria in a bottle, Myth or Fact

Did the online calc indicate to use one mil in the tank for your gallonage

www.reef2reef.com

he directly upcycles formerly dry rocks by sitting them in saltwater for two months, added nothing. full cycle.

lapin · Jun 3, 2021

if worried..... toss in a dead table shrimp before leaving on vacation.
The reason we feed bacteria is we want the population to grow. Without food they wont grow. they will just hang tight til food arrives