New tank, Dr Tims Ammonium Chloride and Seachem Stability cycle?

[Slammed01]

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What's the question?

 

[Slammed01]

What a wreck lol wouldn't let me edit!

Hi all, been researching and see a lot of mix/different ways to cycle. First time using dry rock, 40 lbs dry seaflor special reef sand and 16lbs arag-live live Reef sand.l for my 40 Breeder.

Plan on using seachem stability with no hob filter cartridges, only heater and power heads and HOB running free with no light.

So I dose the dr tims to 2ppm which will show after 1-2 hours after dosing? Then add SC stability to absorb the AC and keep bacteria alive? When do I re-dose or do I re-dose the dr tims ammonia?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What a wreck lol wouldn't let me edit!

Hi all, been researching and see a lot of mix/different ways to cycle. First time using dry rock, 40 lbs dry seaflor special reef sand and 16lbs arag-live live Reef sand.l for my 40 Breeder.

Plan on using seachem stability with no hob filter cartridges, only heater and power heads and HOB running free with no light.

So I dose the dr tims to 2ppm which will show after 1-2 hours after dosing? Then add SC stability to absorb the AC and keep bacteria alive? When do I re-dose or do I re-dose the dr tims ammonia?

I'd dose the bacteria first, wait a few hours for them to settle, then do the first ammonia dose. You may not need more bacteria after that, but a little more won't hurt anything.

 

[Slammed01]

Thank you Randy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome,

Good luck.

 

[Slammed01]

Also, should I leave the filter cartridges in on my penguin 350? Heard the bacteria likes to latch/grow and mix with oxygen on them.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Also, should I leave the filter cartridges in on my penguin 350? Heard the bacteria likes to latch/grow and mix with oxygen on them.

They will, but I'm not sure that is bad. They will go other places too.

Wouldn't hurt to remove them for the first hours after dosing bacteria, however.

 

[Slammed01]

Initial startup test, nothing added just rodi/salt and live sand

 

[Slammed01]

Did 120 drops instead of 180 drops . Factored in rocks and sand and water volume.


2 hours later since ammonium chloride:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Now watch for ammonia to decline.

 

[Slammed01]

Test ammonia and nitrates today!

 

[Slammed01]

Day 3 of bacteria , 1 day since ammonium add

 

[Slammed01]

Day 2 of bacteria , 1 day since ammonium add

Dunno where that came from


Yesterday's test corrected

Today's day- 3Bac and 2 AC add

.25 ammonia and .25 nitrite

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

0.25 ppm ammonia? Looks higher in the photo, IMO.

 

[Slammed01]

0.25 ppm ammonia? Looks higher in the photo, IMO.

Yea looks closer to 2 in pic [emoji3]

 

[amps]

I used Stability regularly for setting up QT tanks. My advice is to be patient with it. I consistently get cloudy water due to what I assume is high concentration of heterotrophic bacteria in the mix. It may take 2-3 weeks to develop and typically takes off once the fish are established and I need to up their food intake. The only issue with that is it can lead to oxygen deprivation. Be sure to maintain a ton of water movement and keep the surface broken by a powerhead at all times.

I've experienced this each time I've used it (6+ times) but I still like the product. It's quite good at what it does but you have to be patient to make sure the side effects are controlled.

 

[Slammed01]

I used Stability regularly for setting up QT tanks. My advice is to be patient with it. I consistently get cloudy water due to what I assume is high concentration of heterotrophic bacteria in the mix. It may take 2-3 weeks to develop and typically takes off once the fish are established and I need to up their food intake. The only issue with that is it can lead to oxygen deprivation. Be sure to maintain a ton of water movement and keep the surface broken by a powerhead at all times.

I've experienced this each time I've used it (6+ times) but I still like the product. It's quite good at what it does but you have to be patient to make sure the side effects are controlled.

Thank you! Haven't experienced cloudiness yet. Do have a koralia 850 with excellent surface movement.

 

[Slammed01]

Glad to see progress on day 5 of Bacteria and 4 after ammonia dose.

 

[Slammed01]

Progress! 8 days since 1st stability bacteria dose and 7 days since ammonia chloride dose

0 ammonia nitrite prob a little more than 5 and 20 ppm nitrate