Need advice on establishing a healthy biome

[Tayreef93]

So ive been cycling my 20 gallon for about 2 weeks now. Im using caribsea arag alive special blend sand and marco dry rock with the exception of 1pound of live rock from my lfs, i got it mainly to help introduce more diversity in microbes and coralline algae, not using a light tho just some indirect sunlight from my kitchen windows. Anyway, im currently dosing microbacter7 and fastart-m daily. I heard that microbe lift special blend has the most diverse blend of microbes on the market. Would it be a bad idea to add this in addition to what im currently adding or would it be counterproductive. Since im starting with dry rock aside from the 1pound from my lfs, I understand that the diversity in the microbes are not nearly as high as it would be if I started the tank with live rock. Thanks for any advice!!

 

[Spare time]

I haven't heard that about special blend. Where did you read that (out of curiosity)?

That 1lb will bring a lot, but don't forget that corals, snails, crabs, fish, etc. all bring in some set of microbes. If you would like to buy some products, aquabiomics rock or sand would be good, as well as other bacterial products such as PNS, eco balance, etc. I'd like to try reef bugs and live rock enhance by reef brite

 

[Tayreef93]

I haven't heard that about special blend. Where did you read that (out of curiosity)?

That 1lb will bring a lot, but don't forget that corals, snails, crabs, fish, etc. all bring in some set of microbes. If you would like to buy some products, aquabiomics rock or sand would be good, as well as other bacterial products such as PNS, eco balance, etc. I'd like to try reef bugs and live rock enhance by reef brite

Someone one my askBRS page mentioned it so thats what I was wondering too if anyone else heard that aswell.

 

[Jekyl]

Huge fan of live phyto. It's the life blood of the ocean.

 

[Tayreef93]

Huge fan of live phyto. It's the life blood of the ocean.

Any particular products you recommend?

 

[Jekyl]

Any particular products you recommend?

Started using the algae barn product and ended with making my own.

 

[Spare time]

Someone one my askBRS page mentioned it so thats what I was wondering too if anyone else heard that aswell.

I'm curious what is in it. I do know that it smells like there is no tomorrow lol

 

[Jekyl]

Forgot to mention places like gulfliverock.com , Tampa and KP. They sell rock and sand direct from the ocean.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So ive been cycling my 20 gallon for about 2 weeks now. Im using caribsea arag alive special blend sand and marco dry rock with the exception of 1pound of live rock from my lfs, i got it mainly to help introduce more diversity in microbes and coralline algae, not using a light tho just some indirect sunlight from my kitchen windows. Anyway, im currently dosing microbacter7 and fastart-m daily. I heard that microbe lift special blend has the most diverse blend of microbes on the market. Would it be a bad idea to add this in addition to what im currently adding or would it be counterproductive. Since im starting with dry rock aside from the 1pound from my lfs, I understand that the diversity in the microbes are not nearly as high as it would be if I started the tank with live rock. Thanks for any advice!!

Microbe lift is a great pond product, not so much aquaria.
the indirect sunlight will produce algae and unwanted algae in tank quickly as UV is very strong even with indirect. This is a non-conventional appraoch to cycling that many of us have seen and should bve revisited for best protocal

 

[Tayreef93]

I'm curious what is in it. I do know that it smells like there is no tomorrow

Microbe lift is a great pond product, not so much aquaria.
the indirect sunlight will produce algae and unwanted algae in tank quickly as UV is very strong even with indirect. This is a non-conventional appraoch to cycling that many of us have seen and should bve revisited for best protocal

Ya I understand the indirect sunlight may cause algea, i just want to keep the caralline algea alive from the piece of live rock I bought from my lfs.

 

[ABQ_CHRIS]

You're fine to add more bacteria according to this: https://www.aquariumfocus.com/can-y... is it possible to,will die or become dormant.

 

[KrisReef]

Forgot to mention places like gulfliverock.com , Tampa and KP. They sell rock and sand direct from the ocean.

And the mud king (imo) for diversity, get some mud or sand here :