Neptune Aquatics

Brandie's 210 Upgrade

LoL, John, well a lot has happened :p

Heated my tank, added my salt and added a bottle of Biospira last night. Unfortunately they only has a bottle for up to 75 gallons so I grabbed some shrimp and threw four in my jerry rigged net after taking the carbon out. I'm reading .25ppm ammonia today. ^.^ at least something is happening!!

.25ppm ammonia
0 nitrites
20ppm nitrates


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There is no live rock in the tank so the bacteria had to come from somewhere. And notice how I didn't say that I assumed it instantly cycled and out my first batch of fish in. I did this exact same thing with my 90 and I was fine. I did need something to jump start the cycle though; everything is brand new.


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goldielocke76 said:
There is no live rock in the tank so the bacteria had to come from somewhere. And notice how I didn't say that I assumed it instantly cycled and out my first batch of fish in. I did this exact same thing with my 90 and I was fine. I did need something to jump start the cycle though; everything is brand new.


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I think the comment was more geared towards the bacterial strains used, the poor shelf life and the wide availability if much better bacterial products on the market. I'd use Fritz way before Biospira or Cycle. Dr Tim's is the best we have available to use currently.
 
This is true. But due to availability, I got it to at least get it started. :)

Going to order dr Tim's as soon as I get paid. That'll finish it! LoL


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So I've been doing daily tests and today I've seen a definite drop of the nitrites! I am definitely on my way. But because I did use less bacteria than recommended, I'm going to be adding groups of fish with several days at the least, to two weeks at the longest in between each batch. I haven't decided if I want to add some of the Dr Tims with each batch or not. If anyone has any thoughts on this I gladly welcome them. I'm just afraid it will start a mini cycle? But I've never used it Dr Tims that way either. But it would make adding my fish go by faster! LOL So close!! :D

Nirite was reading between 0 and .25ppm today. :D
 
I've used Microbacter7 and Dr. Tim's to keep new quarantine tanks from cycling. I've also added both at various times to my main tank as part of carbon dosing. Adding more of either of those products isn't going to start a mini-cycle, it just provides more bacteria to colonize the rocks and surfaces (and theoretically outcompetes nuisance bacteria when you are carbon dosing). Microbacter7 is significantly cheaper, so you may not have to wait until your next paycheck to buy some for your tank.
 
I used Dr. Tim's. Never really noticed a cycle. Of course I only have 4 fish in my 120g !!

These products require some ammonia source to keep the bacteria alive and working. On my tank I used Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride. Adding some fish would do the same.

If it were my tank, I'd start adding the hardy, less aggressive fish now. I see little advantage to adding more bacteria. Them pooping fish will do the job!!
 
Thanks guys!

Out of curiosity, how big of a bottle would you add for each batch of fish?

And John, you know me, every single fish is precious and I do have a plan in adding batches of fish :p picking out the most hardy least aggressive (my first thought would be clowns, until I remember my female) and I just can't do it out of order. Not while I know how nasty she is lol. Anthias are out too. I don't want to loose any more of my girls.

I'll jump on my computer and post my batch list.




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First group to be added:
-2 firefish **
-2 purple firefish **
-1 yellow goby **
-1 green goby
-1 black goby (?)
-1 citrinus goby

Second Group to be added:
-1 orange spot goby
-1 tiger pistol shrimp
-1 Tiger Watchman goby **

Third group to be added:
-4 neon cleaner gobies **
-1 mated pair of jawfish **

Fourth group to be added:
-1 midas blenny **
-1 starry blenny

Fifth group to be added:
-5 anthias
-2 mandarins

Sixth group to be added:
-2 Darwin Clowns
-2 Fancy Clowns
-2 damsels

Seventh group to be added:
-1 Springeri Dottyback **
-2 Melanurus wrasse

Eighth group to be added:
-1 Flame angel
-1 Bicolor angel
-1 Pygmy angel
-1 Coral Beauty angel **

Ninth group to be added:
-1 Purple tang
-1 Yellow Tang
-1 Kole tang
-1 Blue tang
-1 Achilles tang **

Here are my batches. No wisecracks about how many fish I have ok. :p Most of them are on the tiny side. The ** indicates that I need to buy that one, with the exception for the firefish. I have one of each, maybe two of the red. I just intend to have pairs.
 
Kensington Reefer said:
My oh my what a list!
IMHO that is a HUGE fish load!
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Good thing I have a big tank and a skimmer rated for 500 gallons :) smarty pants.

At least 12 of those fish are three inches or less, and at least 8 are under two. The gobies make up a huge part of my fish list, but they are also the smallest.

Also, most of them I already have and are in the 90 or my ten :p only a small handful of additions ;)

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Kensington Reefer said:
Feed the fish, change some water
It's easy!
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Haha of course! But the 32 gallon weekly water changes are becoming a beast. I'm going for bi-weekly or monthly in the 210. We'll see :) no promises though. LoL

Oh man, just finishing up work on the puffer tank. Been working on it for hours! Had a bag of carbon break in it a while back and it's been a beach cleaning it out of the sand. Now I'm waiting on two more gallons of RODI water so I can plug the sump pump back in = /
 
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