Ammonia Sources for Fallow Tanks

[00Barracuda00]

I'm putting my DT through a fallow period, as of yesterday, and I am concerned with maintaining ammonia levels in the tank.

Tank now only has 7 Mexican turbo snails, and 3 cleaner shrimp. My plan was to maybe drop a squirt or two of mysis in the tank at night and feed the corals as usual.

Would it be more beneficial to use small doses of ammonium chloride instead, like using for initiating a cycle? Is it too much?

I'm out of my depth here, and I feel absolutely terrible about my fish crash. I thought I had taken all the right steps, and I feel like an absolute failure. Now I figure it's better to ask questions and sound like an idiot than assume I can figure it out on my own.

Any input? Advice? Ridicule?

Open to all of the above please.

 

[SPR1968]

You just need to maintain the bacteria in the system so you could feed small amounts as you suggest but just don’t go overboard and monitor the parameters

And never be afraid to ask any questions you want on R2R, you will only ever get positive friendly replies, and certainly you will never be ridiculed for asking a question. It’s only easy if you know the answers, and we are all here to learn

And your only an idiot if you don’t ask, so ask away whatever you need to I know

 

[rushbattle]

Your bacteria should be fine without addition ammonia dosing, but keeping coral in a fishless system can be challenging. Keep feeding the coral regularly and keep some N and P instead of letting them drop to 0.

 

[00Barracuda00]

Your bacteria should be fine without addition ammonia dosing, but keeping coral in a fishless system can be challenging. Keep feeding the coral regularly and keep some N and P instead of letting them drop to 0.

I hadn't considered this. I'll start monitoring the big P.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would just add some fish food once in a while.

 

[maroun.c]

Believe Ammonia dosing with live fish or critters in the tank can get risky?
I'd just feed the corals and add some food mysis or just few pellets every few days, it'll be fine.