bio filtration

[stewy14]

Just got my tideline 11.3 aio tank, it is cycling right now, all tests have been perfect, put in bacteria and have dry live rock in it(now wet XD) do I need any biofiltration, if so, what?
thanks,
stewy14

 

[Fish Fan]

Generally, most rely on their rocks and sand (if you have sand) as the main biofilter for your tank. In time, the bottled bacteria you added will grow and populate on your rocks and sand, and process nitrogenous waste. You *could* add extra biomedia in your AIO filter area, but strictly speaking it's probably not necessary.

Your bottled bacteria do need a source of ammonia to "feed" on, so to speak. How are you cycling this tank? If you have dry rock and bottle bacteria, have you added any ammonium chloride, or are you ghost feeding or doing the shrimp method?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Rocks and flow are the bio filter. Google “the Berlin filtration method “. Understanding this is an important base knowledge for this hobby

 

[stewy14]

Generally, most rely on their rocks and sand (if you have sand) as the main biofilter for your tank. In time, the bottled bacteria you added will grow and populate on your rocks and sand, and process nitrogenous waste. You *could* add extra biomedia in your AIO filter area, but strictly speaking it's probably not necessary.

Your bottled bacteria do need a source of ammonia to "feed" on, so to speak. How are you cycling this tank? If you have dry rock and bottle bacteria, have you added any ammonium chloride, or are you ghost feeding or doing the shrimp method?

i am not ghost feeding, I have not added any ammonia chloride, and I am using the

TURBOSTART 900 bacteria, for ghost feeding, im getting clowns, so what food is the best for them and ghostfeeding?(not using shrimp btw)​

 

[Fish Fan]

“Ghost feeding” is when you add fish food to a tank that has no fish in it. The fish food decays providing a source of ammonia for your bacteria.

Cycling a tank with Clownfish would a “fish-in” method of cycling, where fish metabolic waste, poop and uneaten food all add to the ammonia in the tank. It’s seemingly the least popular way to cycle a tank here on R2R as many would say that it’s cruel to the Clownfish, but this was a very popular method years ago and technically does work.

Another way would be a “fishless” cycle without with any live fish. You can either ghost feed or dose ammonium chloride.

Here’s an article from Dr. Tim’s Aquatics on fishless cycling. His ‘One and Only’ product is arguably the same as the Fritz TurboStart that you used, you would just need some source of ammonia for the bacteria:

https://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling/

As for food, Clowns will eat almost anything from pellets to frozen, they are not hard to feed. Others may have a more specific recommendation though.

EDIT: And don’t use the “shrimp” method, it literally stinks!

 

[stewy14]

“Ghost feeding” is when you add fish food to a tank that has no fish in it. The fish food decays providing a source of ammonia for your bacteria.

Cycling a tank with Clownfish would a “fish-in” method of cycling, where fish metabolic waste, poop and uneaten food all add to the ammonia in the tank. It’s seemingly the least popular way to cycle a tank here on R2R as many would say that it’s cruel to the Clownfish, but this was a very popular method years ago and technically does work.

Another way would be a “fishless” cycle without with any live fish. You can either ghost feed or dose ammonium chloride.

Here’s an article from Dr. Tim’s Aquatics on fishless cycling. His ‘One and Only’ product is arguably the same as the Fritz TurboStart that you used, you would just need some source of ammonia for the bacteria:

https://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling/

As for food, Clowns will eat almost anything from pellets to frozen, they are not hard to feed. Others may have a more specific recommendation though.

EDIT: And don’t use the “shrimp” method, it literally stinks!

with the turbostart 900, it says that it will cycle in 5 days(!), so for my 11 gal, do I have to add bacteria to it, or can I add livestock in like a week?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

with the turbostart 900, it says that it will cycle in 5 days(!), so for my 11 gal, do I have to add bacteria to it, or can I add livestock in like a week?

Technically, if you add enough turbostart 900 (~3x the recommended amount), you can add livestock immediately - just don't add too much livestock; it's generally a good idea to start very slow with adding livestock, typically adding more after a few days have passed to give the biofiltration time to adjust to the increased bioload:

Dr. Reef said:
Few years ago I conducted a massive study here on r2r. It's called bacteria in bottle myth or fact.
We studied 9 or 10 different brands.
Fritz turbostart 900 wins in every way possible.
Bio Spira and Dr Tim one and only are runner ups.
Rest I found might be hetrotrophic ammonia sludge removers.
We use instant cycles in our qt tanks in between bleaching tanks.
Never had any issues. I use fritz turbstart 900.
Bleach the tank. Air dry for 24 hrs rinse and reset. Fill up the tank and use 2 to 3 times the amount recommended and release fish.
Algae is normal phase of every tank cycle that likely can't be avoided.

As mentioned, the rocks, sand, and other surfaces in the tank (as well as any algae/plant growth) are the biofilter, helping to keep nutrients in check.

Waiting a few days after adding the bacteria (as long as you're giving the bacteria an ammonia source to feed off of) allows the bacteria time to colonize the surfaces in the tank, growing and strengthening your biofilter's ability to convert ammonia to nitrate.

All that to say, it's fine to add fish immediately with enough turbostart, but waiting a few days and ghost feeding the tank will only strengthen the biofilter (so it's technically safer). Both ways work, so pick the one you're most comfortable with and go slow with adding livestock.

im getting clowns, so what food is the best for them and ghostfeeding?(not using shrimp btw)

I'm not sure what the best would be for ghost feeding, but my recommendation for clowns and most other, non-predator fish is to pick a meaty feed from the list below and supplement it with algae/an algal feed:

Personally, my suggested feeds would be as follows (I apologize, I haven't looked into frozen algae-heavy feeds enough to have one that I would suggest at this point; I'll have to remedy that):
Frozen (Meaty) - LRS Reef Frenzy, Hikari Mega Marine, then Rod's Original.

Pellets (Meaty) - Otohime, then TDO Chromaboost.
Pellets (Algal) - NLS Marine Fish Pellets (has 8 types of algae and one terrestrial plant).

 

[stewy14]

so, i just added 2x the recommended amount(I already added the normal am(monia, hahahahhahahahahahaha, im sorry)ount of the bacteria, so you think ill be set to go with either 1 or 2 clowns either this weekend or next weekend? and thank you so much for putting in all that info and doing some research for me!

 

[Reef.]

with the turbostart 900, it says that it will cycle in 5 days(!), so for my 11 gal, do I have to add bacteria to it, or can I add livestock in like a week?

Add a tiny bit of raw prawn, clam etc and I mean tiny, or a tiny bit of flake or pellet food, the fish food will be the better option if you have added the Fitz already as the food will break down faster releasing the ammonia for the Fitz bacteria, again tiny, then you will be fine, Fitz is excellent for cycling your tank, officially I believe Fitz recommends adding fish straight away but no issue waiting 5 days as long as you add the ammonia source which is the food, this gives the Fitz bacteria something to feed on.

I’ve used it twice now.

 

[stewy14]

Add a tiny bit of raw prawn, clam etc and I mean tiny, or a tiny bit of flake or pellet food, the fish food will be the better option if you have added the Fitz already as the food will break down faster releasing the ammonia for the Fitz bacteria, again tiny, then you will be fine, Fitz is excellent for cycling your tank, officially I believe Fitz recommends adding fish straight away but no issue waiting 5 days as long as you add the ammonia source which is the food, this gives the Fitz bacteria something to feed on.

I’ve used it twice now.

ok, so i add the food, then could I add the fish after like 5 days?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

so, i just added 2x the recommended amount(I already added the normal am(monia, hahahahhahahahahahaha, im sorry)ount of the bacteria, so you think ill be set to go with either 1 or 2 clowns either this weekend or next weekend? and thank you so much for putting in all that info and doing some research for me!

Yeah, you'll be totally fine to add a clown or two.

 

[Reef.]

ok, so i add the food, then could I add the fish after like 5 days?

Yes.

 

[Reef.]

Just to add, Fitz 900 is meant to be kept refrigerated, if it wasn't some/most of the bacteria could have died…when you add the fish, if you see them with their mouths open, heavy breathing, I would add either more turbo 900, or the correct amount of Fitz 9, Fitz 9 doesn’t require refrigeration so no worries the shop didnt keep it refrigerated.

You shouldn’t have any issues tho, just adding this as a save guard, just incase.

 

[stewy14]

Yeah, you'll be totally fine to add a clown or two.

les gooooo, so, should I ghost feed for like 3 days, or can I add the clowns this weekend?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

les gooooo, so, should I ghost feed for like 3 days, or can I add the clowns this weekend?

You can add them this weekend - it really shouldn't be an issue. If you're concerned, monitor the ammonia after adding them, and do water changes or add more bacteria to keep it in check if needed.

 

[Reef.]

les gooooo, so, should I ghost feed for like 3 days, or can I add the clowns this weekend?

One lot of food will be plenty, 5 days you don’t really need the food to be honest but it can only help, adding more food wont harm the bacteria it will just add more nutrients to the tank which will help with growing algae which in a new tank you want to try and keep the nutrients down.

 

[Outlaw Corals]

Just got my tideline 11.3 aio tank, it is cycling right now, all tests have been perfect, put in bacteria and have dry live rock in it(now wet XD) do I need any biofiltration, if so, what?
thanks,
stewy14

I would add a few of the ceramic bio balls in the sump area, 2 would be plenty for that tank it would definilty improve your bio filtration

 

[Fish Fan]

One lot of food will be plenty, 5 days you don’t really need the food to be honest but it can only help, adding more food wont harm the bacteria it will just add more nutrients to the tank which will help with growing algae which in a new tank you want to try and keep the nutrients down.

I'd also suggest keeping the tank lights off during this initial cycle period. You'll only have Clownfish, which don't need the light. Having the light on at this early stage just helps to grow nuisance algae at this point. Turn your lights on briefly to observe your fish and say hello, but don't keep them on for the full photoperiod until you have things like corals or desirable algae that need the light and can themselves take up the nutrients in your tank.

 

[stewy14]

I'd also suggest keeping the tank lights off during this initial cycle period. You'll only have Clownfish, which don't need the light. Having the light on at this early stage just helps to grow nuisance algae at this point. Turn your lights on briefly to observe your fish and say hello, but don't keep them on for the full photoperiod until you have things like corals or desirable algae that need the light and can themselves take up the nutrients in your tank.

ye, im not getting a light until i have corals

 

[stewy14]

another thing, how do i make a good, inexpensive lid for the tidelineaio11.3? im thinking mesh, ducktape the ends, and then place it on top, maybe even just cardboard, maybe mosquito net or an old screen door net