Microbacter start xlm

Qasim · Jan 21, 2020

Hello,

So I am starting a new tank and wanted to get your ideas since I have tried calling Brightwel aquatics but they didnt care to respond always on intercom.

I have a 104 gallons custom aquarium, I have added dry rock and dry sand with 0 tds water I have added salt and the salinity is 1025. I have dosed Microbacter start xlm as instructed on the tank but before dosing my water was claudy.

Microbacter start xlm suggests adding fish after dosing. With this claudy water shall I add any fish?

Quietman · Jan 21, 2020

Cloudy can be bacteria bloom, which makes sense with the MB. The key before adding fish is cycling adequately. Are you checking for ammonia and/or nitrates?

Qasim · Jan 21, 2020

I dosed today and I can see ammonia 0.25ppm brightwel aquatics start xlm claims a quick cycle as little as 7 days.

Qasim · Jan 21, 2020

However the claudynes was there before dosing the bacteria, check the last photo.

Reef Monster · Jan 22, 2020

Did you rinse your sand? I wouldn't worry about it too much. It should settle in a day or two.

Qasim · Jan 23, 2020

Yeah washed it very well and dried it before hand. I did the same for the rock with RODI water.

C. Eymann · Jan 23, 2020

Either add small amounts of ammonia chloride or ghost feed for a week while dosing XLM, if by day 7 your tank is able to fully process 1ppm of ammonia into nitrite-->nitrate within24hrs, you should be ready for a few hardy fish.

Qasim · Jan 26, 2020

For the time being I can only see ammonia which is sitting at 1 ppm. SO I dont know if the Bacteria is working at all. but no detectable Nitrite for now.

Qasim · Feb 18, 2020

Tank update, its two day no ammonia is detected and I have a chromis hanging out there. The question is as far as I remember with my firsttank I saw nitrite formation after ammonia. But now I dont see anything in terms of nitrite. Woukd this be normal? The fish is doing fine and swimming breathing normaly. Do you guys suggest adding another fish to the tank or not?

One week ago when I had ammonia in the tank I did a nitrate test and it was showing 25ppm? Shall I start doijg water changes? Shall I start skimming? Oh my god I have forgotten all the basics