Quick Question: add ammonia during 72 day fallow?

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MNscoe

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I'm only a few months into my first reef tank and already got ich, so am treating the surviving fish (singular) in a QT with copper first then PraziPro. Meanwhile, DT is fallow with snails, crabs, ten small softie & LPS frags, and one coral-banded shrimp.

I'm worried my DT is "too clean": I'm on fallow day 48 with consistent NH3 zero, NO2 zero, and NO3 < 5 the whole time. I'm "feeding" my DT CUC every 2 to 3 days: a bit of seaweed one time, a shot of mysis or brine the next time, a pinch of PE pellets sometimes... I went thru a diatom phase during this too, but after a 3-day lights-off experiment, it's all gone.

Am I giving my bacteria enough to thrive, or should I dose a few drops of Dr Tim's ammonia? Or feed more (any specific food)? Thanks!
 
I've ran no fish, tanks before. I just added 1 drop per gallon per day of reef nutrition live phyto.
 
Since you have livestock in the tank that was fed periodically you should be fine. Even if you had no livestock you would probably be okay. The microbiome is very resilient in an aquarium once they gain a foothold.
 
I have reef roids and used them about once a week when fish were in. Is that similar, or sufficient?
I don't know if that will give you enough nitrates. I believe it's mostly phosphates. But give it a try
 

IF YOU HAD TO OPERATE EVERYTHING ELSE MANUALLY, WHICH AUTOMATED SYSTEM WOULD YOU KEEP?

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  • Mechanical filtration / roller filter

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  • Automated water testing

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  • Automatic feeding

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