Question about having to quarantine my fish

Deep Dive Aquatics · Dec 17, 2022

So I have removed my fish from my main display and placed them in quarantine due to flukes and internal parasites. My question stems from the fact that I've been dosing ammonia into my display tank in the meantime to help avoid recycling the tank which has happened to me before. Is dosing Dr Tim's ammonium chloride into a reef with a starfish, porcelain crab, snails and a bunch of coral a bad idea or am I doing the right thing?. I have about another month and a half before I can reintroduce fish Thank you for the help.

LovinlifeinGuam · Dec 17, 2022

Sounds like a bad idea and i doubt the benefits are worth the risk. Nitrifying bacteria can live much longer than a month and a half without you dosing ammonia which is highly toxic even in small amounts. I'd highly advise that you ghost feed instead if you're still worried about your bacterial population.

Syntax1235 · Dec 17, 2022

I just went through a 76 day fallow period and didn’t have any issue with reintroducing the fish plus a few more.

The bacteria doesn’t die off, it goes dormant and can last for months without any ammonia.

Deep Dive Aquatics · Dec 17, 2022

Thank you very much. I've jumped a bit ahead of myself. I wish the lfs I explained what I wanted to do didn't say it was a good idea. I won't dose anymore after what I already did tonight.

Syntax1235 · Dec 17, 2022

I don’t remember who on this site has done a lot of research on cycling and bacteria longevity…. You may be able to find some info through a search, “Bacteria population during fallow”.

LovinlifeinGuam · Dec 17, 2022

Syntax1235 said:
I don’t remember who on this site has done a lot of research on cycling and bacteria longevity…. You may be able to find some info through a search, “Bacteria population during fallow”.

I think it's @brandon429 you're thinking of and i can assure you based on previous posts of his that he wouldn't think you need to be adding ammonia to maintain the bacterial population for that short time period. I don't want to speak for him though which is why I tagged him.