Ammonia or shrimp?

[saltyhog]

Ammonia, you can make the ammonia level whatever you want it to be. I can't think of any advantage of using shrimp. It certainly works but no real upside.

I have a bottle of Dr. Tim's ammonia (not the bacteria product) I've cycled 4 tanks with it and have most of the bottle left.

 

[hawkinsrgk]

Ammonia is what I used. Just have to be careful that you don't add too much too fast

 

[glb]

Ammonia is what I used. Just have to be careful that you don't add too much too fast

What's the right amount?

 

[DevonMeep]

If you get the doctor Tim's ammonia its a drop per gallon of water I believe. I'll be using it and one and only to cycle my new 29 gallon.

 

[alyee5]

The rock I am using is dry pukani from BRS. The rock has been through bleach bath, vinegar bath, and muriatic acid. It has been running in brutes with powerhead and heat for a while. When p04 got down to .03 in one of the cans I moved some to the sump of the new tank I am building with a deep sand bed section in one side, some marine pure blocks and a skimmer in the other side. I am running the return pump plumbed to both sides for flow.

I've only cycled on reef tank and I have a setup similar to yours. Pukani rock from BRS (bleach and acid washed and 3 months in heated SW in a tub) and dry sand (Caribsea) and used Ace Hardware ammonia for dosing. I used the calculator from this website https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/AmmoniaCycling.php for ~110 gallons and the results were pretty much spot on (using API test kit). I like the "cleanliness" of the process. It did take a very long time for the Nitrites to hit zero (6 weeks!)...maybe next time I will use Dr Tim's, but being patient is part of the hobby.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Dr. Tim's site has a good write up on it.

http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/how-to-start

 

[JOKER]

I did some test tonight and have nitrate reading of 25 with nyos test kit. Could that be true? My nitrite kit is out of date so I haven't used it. No ammonia

 

[hawkinsrgk]

What's the right amount?

I used Ammonia from Ace Hardware
1 mL of 10% Ace Hardware Ammonia will raise 5 gallons of water from 0 ppm Ammonia to 5 ppm

You usually start at 5 ppm Ammonia, and don't add anymore until Ammonia has fallen down to 0. Then, you add in 3-4 ppm Ammonia every time the Ammonia falls to 0.25-0 ppm Ammonia (shouldn't be more than once a day, and often less until the cycle is almost done) until your Nitrite reading is at 0 and your aquarium can turn that 3-4 ppm Ammonia entirely to Nitrates in 24 hours, with 0 ppm Ammonia and 0 Nitrites. Then check your Nitrates and do a water change to lower it.

Thanks
Randy

 

[glb]

I used Ammonia from Ace Hardware
1 mL of 10% Ace Hardware Ammonia will raise 5 gallons of water from 0 ppm Ammonia to 5 ppm

You usually start at 5 ppm Ammonia, and don't add anymore until Ammonia has fallen down to 0. Then, you add in 3-4 ppm Ammonia every time the Ammonia falls to 0.25-0 ppm Ammonia (shouldn't be more than once a day, and often less until the cycle is almost done) until your Nitrite reading is at 0 and your aquarium can turn that 3-4 ppm Ammonia entirely to Nitrates in 24 hours, with 0 ppm Ammonia and 0 Nitrites. Then check your Nitrates and do a water change to lower it.

Thanks
Randy

Thank you!

 

[hawkinsrgk]

Thank you!

Your welcome. There may be other Ammonia sources that will work, but they only ones that I know of are Tim's and Ace. When I was doing a cycle, I checked Lowes and Home Depot and both had additives (a detergent of some sort).

Thanks
Randy

 

[glb]

Your welcome. There may be other Ammonia sources that will work, but they only ones that I know of are Tim's and Ace. When I was doing a cycle, I checked Lowes and Home Depot and both had additives (a detergent of some sort).

Thanks
Randy

I got mine at ace too. I picked up some of the dr tims at Reef-a-palooza last weekend.

 

[Justin D]

Brs told me the dry pukani do not use bleach they said to me the bleach will never leave the rock all the way but I here people doing it all the time

 

[JOKER]

I hope it isn't a problem down the road!! I researched and several people used bleach with it with no ill effects.

 

[Justin D]

I'm debating to use bleach or not how many gallons is your aquarium and how many pounds of dry pukani did you get it

 

[JOKER]

The tank will be 140 gallon. The sump will hold right at 40 gallons (65 tank I put baffles in). I have about 100 pounds of pukani, but will only be using 70 or little more. I am using the dry BRS shelf rock also in my build, or that's the plan as of right now. I have to get the tank and see how it works out with the aquascape, but I have a nice shelf piece and a pukani piece built so far.

 

[JOKER]

Will this work ?

 

[alyee5]

I've read in multiple forums to avoid ammonia with surfactants/additives. If you shake it does it bubble? I used Ace hardware janitorial strength ammonia to avoid the possible concern of additives.

 

[cmcoker]

Will this work ?

No, don't want surfactants

 

[ReeferReefer]

I just ghost feed flake food. A few pinches the first day. A pinch or so every other day for a week. Its not an exact science but as long as there is food for the bacteria, they will grow into a mature culture.