Should I be adding Micro bacteria?

[khankn32]

Currently have a 120g with 30 or so Nems and recently added 15 clowns.

Tank has been up for about 4 or so months.

Here are my test results:

Phosphate 0.06 ppm
Nitrite ULR 7 ppb
Nitrate 0.03 ppm
Magnesium 1320 ppm
Calcium 428 ppm
Ammonia 0.07 ppm

Forgot to mention I'm running a bag of carbon!

Few days ago Ammonia was at 0.09 ppm

Should I been adding micro bacteria or anything daily or weekly?

Thanks!

 

[bvanfish]

Cool tank!

 

[dvgyfresh]

Nice tank, was the rock new or live ?

 

[khankn32]

Nice tank, was the rock new or live ?

85% new!

 

[Idech]

Don’t add anything if it’s doing well !

 

[khankn32]

Forgot to mention I'm running a bag of carbon!

 

[Techie_]

Looks great, I'd ditch the mag & cal tester if they're hanna ones. Switch those to salifert and keep as a backup. Over time I've found the Hanna checkers to be finnicky with how many steps are there; people here love to debate the accuracy of them.

Since your tank is cycled and looks phenomenal, you don't need to test Nitrite or Ammonia either. The ammonia reading you're getting is likely just noise. Ammonia is nice to have in the back pocket if you suspect something is really wrong. Nitrites don't really need to be tested after the cycle in marine tanks.

Phosphate looks right on point. Nitrates are low, I'd get those to 5-10ppm with feeding. If you're still struggling long term, try dosing it as a last resort. If anything I would be adding copepods, live phyto, or bringing in live bacteria from maricultured rock.

Again, tank looks great man. I hope mine looks this good in a couple of months, I just started back up again.

 

[Moe K]

Tank looks great. As long as the corals are happy you shouldn't do much to disturb them. As Techie said I think it is a higher priority to keep your nitrates in the 5-10ppm range.

Another alternative to getting more live bacteria in there that is more natural than any bottled bacteria is get you some Ocean direct sand. The type that is harvest from the ocean. You can either mix a little of that into your sand or put some in a tub, tucked away somewhere for a few months to seed. With the sand you are less likely to get any crazy hitchhikers.

 

[khankn32]

Thanks for the helpful feedback! You guys are great!

 

[khankn32]

Tank looks great. As long as the corals are happy you shouldn't do much to disturb them. As Techie said I think it is a higher priority to keep your nitrates in the 5-10ppm range.

Another alternative to getting more live bacteria in there that is more natural than any bottled bacteria is get you some Ocean direct sand. The type that is harvest from the ocean. You can either mix a little of that into your sand or put some in a tub, tucked away somewhere for a few months to seed. With the sand you are less likely to get any crazy hitchhikers.

Adding this on top of my sand now will help? Should I be worried about hitchhikers?

 

[Moe K]

Adding this on top of my sand now will help? Should I be worried about hitchhikers?

No, not all of it. You can get something like this -

If you have high flow then drill a bunch of holes in the lid. Set them down somewhere they are out of site preferably in the display. Then just give it time. 6 months and you can probably remove them. You can sprinkle some of it it around would probably help but you dont want to smother your sand with it. Its pretty fine.

 

[slingfox]

Adding this on top of my sand now will help? Should I be worried about hitchhikers?

There is pretty much zero risk of hitchhikers with this sand. This is just sand where some bacteria has been added. In contrast, there are sellers of live sand from the ocean which is sand and rubble from the actual ocean. That kind of live sand is much more biodiverse and has some risk of hitchhikers. The cost is also much higher.

Your tank looks great. I don’t think any bacteria dosing is needed if the tank is stable. If you want to dose bacteria look into Microbe Lift Special Blend. During my first year in the hobby i spent several hundred dollars on bottled bacteria and tried all the major brands. Most of that cost occurred during and after two bouts with Dino’s. The only bottled bacteria I buy every so often now is Microbe Lift (I used it recently to help stabilize tank after I replace my entire aquascape).

 

[MBruun]

Another way to add bacteria from the ocean is from the "AquaForest Life Source" Which is mud from Fiji and should contain bacteria from the ocean, as I understand it

 

[Moe K]

There is pretty much zero risk of hitchhikers with this sand. This is just sand where some bacteria has been added. In contrast, there are sellers of live sand from the ocean which is sand and rubble from the actual ocean. That kind of live sand is much more biodiverse and has some risk of hitchhikers. The cost is also much higher.

Your tank looks great. I don’t think any bacteria dosing is needed if the tank is stable. If you want to dose bacteria look into Microbe Lift Special Blend. During my first year in the hobby i spent several hundred dollars on bottled bacteria and tried all the major brands. Most of that cost occurred during and after two bouts with Dino’s. The only bottled bacteria I buy every so often now is Microbe Lift (I used it recently to help stabilize tank after I replace my entire aquascape).

BRS and the manufacture state that is harvested directly from the ocean without drying to preserve the ocean bacteria. There were also the tests BRS did with the live sand which resulted in skipping the "ugly stage" compared to other methods. Granted maybe if they held on long enough it would have come anyway. But at the end it seems pretty natural and you get a lot of it for the price. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/original-grade-ocean-direct-live-reef-sand.html

Here is the BRS test -
Not super diverse but it has the right stuff for a healthy reef.

But ultimately you are right and I agree that OP doesn't really need to do anything as his tank looks great. Just keep an eye on the nutrients and don't let them bottom out.

Not sponsored by BRS lol.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not know how you measured ammonia, so it may just be test error, but that low level may be more beneficial than detrimental and I would not do anything designed to lower it.

It should not be a goal to lower ammonia as much as possible. I dose ammonium bicarbonate to my system.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/ammonia-is-our-friend.1062/

 

[CHSUB]

Tank looks great, no changes needed…..especially not “playing” a numbers game with no3.

What test kit to get .03ppm no3 reading?

 

[khankn32]

Tank looks great, no changes needed…..especially not “playing” a numbers game with no3.

What test kit to get .03ppm no3 reading?

Hanna master kit

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

No your nutrients aren’t at a level you need to add bacteria. Also I wouldn’t add anything that’s going to compete with your biome

 

[CHSUB]

Hanna master kit

That’s the Hanna high range which is very inaccurate at low levels of no3…I would guess your no3 is much higher, however that is only a guess. Regardless, 15 fed clowns is more than enough nutrients. I would suggest trying to maintain your nutrients levels where they are because they are likely going up…

 

[chasetexas]

Currently have a 120g with 30 or so Nems and recently added 15 clowns.

Tank has been up for about 4 or so months.

Here are my test results:

Phosphate 0.06 ppm
Nitrite ULR 7 ppb
Nitrate 0.03 ppm
Magnesium 1320 ppm
Calcium 428 ppm
Ammonia 0.07 ppm

Forgot to mention I'm running a bag of carbon!

Few days ago Ammonia was at 0.09 ppm

Should I been adding micro bacteria or anything daily or weekly?

Thanks!

What are nems? I need whatever those corals are ASAP

And dang you must love clownfish! lol

That tank is incredible. How is your sand so clean? We've been struggling with keeping algae off ours