Can you mix in too much "bacteria"

[legos14]

Setting up a new tank and was thinking of the skip cycle.
Figured i would use dry rock and sand in the DT and get some actual live rock from a LFS(80% dry/20% live).
Does it make sense to still dose nitrating bacteria? Microbacter7, Tims One And Only, or Fritzturbo start?
Would it make sense to then add some live sand (aquabiomics sand for seeding)?
What about adding AF bio sand and/or AF life source?
What about adding all of them? Would that create a balanced diverse biome?

 

[brandon429]

No that would be a waste you're not setting up a low bacteria system that needs additional bacteria

 

[brandon429]

80% live rock carries all bioload the tank will ever see on day one, just like instant start reef tanks at huge reef conventions

The uncycled dry rock simply doesn't matter. It takes on free bacteria over time and doesn't impact your start date ability. Simply move the rock home wet, set in tank, you're cycled.

 

[legos14]

80% live rock carries all bioload the tank will ever see on day one, just like instant start reef tanks at huge reef conventions

The uncycled dry rock simply doesn't matter. It takes on free bacteria over time and doesn't impact your start date ability. Simply move the rock home wet, set in tank, you're cycled.

agreed but with it being 80% dry would it not help to add more bacteria?

 

[brandon429]

Oh I see i read it backwards. Agreed

And if you didn't want to buy any that live rock will contact cycle the dry rock within 20 days free of charge. If you want day one fish it's not bad to add the bacteria from a bottle. The biome will be plenty good from the left lr component

 

[legos14]

Oh I see i read it backwards. Agreed

And if you didn't want to buy any that live rock will contact cycle the dry rock within 20 days free of charge. If you want day one fish it's not bad to add the bacteria from a bottle. The biome will be plenty good from the left lr component

I guess I am curious to know at what point is it truely wasteful or harmful?

 

[brandon429]

In your case it's OK the live rock was the smaller load, I'd thought you said it was the 80% portion on first read.

It wouldn't be harmful to use in either setting, and with 80% as the dry rock portion it will speed up your 20 day wait time that would be required if you weren't using bottle bac to cycle the dry portion

 

[DMattisonMHR]

Setting up a new tank and was thinking of the skip cycle.
Figured i would use dry rock and sand in the DT and get some actual live rock from a LFS(80% dry/20% live).
Does it make sense to still dose nitrating bacteria? Microbacter7, Tims One And Only, or Fritzturbo start?
Would it make sense to then add some live sand (aquabiomics sand for seeding)?
What about adding AF bio sand and/or AF life source?
What about adding all of them? Would that create a balanced diverse biome?

Did you end up using multiple different bottles of bacteria? If so what was the outcome? Thinking of doing the same

 

[betareef]

You have to feed the bacteria or it will die off. It will settle at a level appropriate for the amount of "food" it receives from the bio-load (number of fish etc) that are in your tank. So, if you add too much, or take too long to add fish, it will die back, so that's money wasted.

 

[legos14]

So I ended up doing 40lbs of live rock from an LFS. Had been in their system for 9 months. Used the Fritz turbo and MicroBacter7. Tbh I think it was more of the live rock that helped. I waited 2 weeks and all my corals did well went switching them over. Very little of the ugly stage. Also added 8 bottles of the algaebarn eco pods. I think the mix of everything helped establish pretty quickly.

Did you end up using multiple different bottles of bacteria? If so what was the outcome? Thinking of doing the same