NP Bacto Balance in newly cycled tank?

[Reefer911]

Did you really add 10ppm ammonia? That’s how much it takes to make 37ppm nitrate, you ain’t gotta listen obviously.

What are you talking about? The initial post says I started the tank with turbo start and nitro cycle.

 

[Garf]

What are you talking about? The initial post says I started the tank with turbo start and nitro cycle.

Lol, Nitrocycle is ammonia. Did you throw a boat load in?

 

[Reefer911]

I followed the directions.

 

[Garf]

I followed the directions.

Directions say 3ppm max, which would equate to a theoretical maximum of 11ppm nitrate, unless you’ve used tapwater for the initial makeup. Small amounts of nitrite could also give false high nitrate readings. Just trying to determine how sure your reading is, before you act on it, that’s all

 

[sixty_reefer]

That was my understanding. It’s carbon dosing but with added nutrients to prevent them from going to zero

Bacto balance is a replacement of pollutants with beneficial nutrients that aid coral growth, if you haven’t got many corals that wouldn’t be a good choice imo

 

[Reefer911]

Directions say 1ml/gallon. I dosed 120 ml in 115 gallons, so 5ml over recommended. I don’t think that would cause problems.

 

[Reefer911]

Directions say 3ppm max, which would equate to a theoretical maximum of 11ppm nitrate, unless you’ve used tapwater for the initial makeup. Small amounts of nitrite could also give false high nitrate readings. Just trying to determine how sure your reading is, before you act on it, that’s all

Did you really add 10ppm ammonia? That’s how much it takes to make 37ppm nitrate, you ain’t gotta listen obviously.

You’re not being as helpful as you make yourself out to be. I came on here to ask questions, gain a new perspective, and learn something.
The first two responses weren’t helpful, nor did they contribute to any knowledge.

If you don’t have anything to contribute, why bother asking inflammatory questions? Move on. There are plenty of others on here who gladly help out.

 

[Garf]

Directions say 1ml/gallon. I dosed 120 ml in 115 gallons, so 5ml over recommended. I don’t think that would cause problems.

Ok, lol. The bacto balance stuff will feed heterotrophic bacteria, of which none should yet be established in your tank. So adding this before the proper microbes are established may give invasive species a head start, just my opinion obviously and I have been known to be overly cautious. You won’t know unless you try it, if you do, remember to keep your build thread updated, you got some nice kit

 

[Garf]

You’re not being as helpful as you make yourself out to be. I came on here to ask questions, gain a new perspective, and learn something.
The first two responses weren’t helpful, nor did they contribute to any knowledge.

If you don’t have anything to contribute, why bother asking inflammatory questions? Move on. There are plenty of others on here who gladly help out.

Ok, posted my previous reply same time as you, bye bye.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I added 11ml of Seachem Prime thinking it would get NO3 down but now I’m not sure that will happen after reading up on it again. It says Prime detoxifies NO3, doesn’t remove it. Unless lowering NO3 comes from it being removed by the skimmer.

Just to be 100% clear of my opinion as an unbiased expert chemist, the Seachem claim about nitrate is ridiculous marketing glitz without a single shred of believable evidence or rationale for effectiveness.

It most definitely will not detoxify ammonia (in my opinion) and even Seachem never tested it nor do they have any idea how that could possibly work. They merely heard from one or more customers (of totally unknown experience and knowledge level) that it helped them with nitrate, so Seachem decided they might as well run wild and claim it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Does anyone have an answer to the question? I’d love to hear your thoughts

What are you wanting to accomplish at this point?

 

[Reefer911]

What are you wanting to accomplish at this point?

Thanks for the insight on Seachem. I did read that on the bottle, that they don’t know how it works and received reports on the effects on those substances.

I would like to get NO3 down so I can start transferring fish into the new aquarium. I’m not trying to avoid water changes. I actually like them but I was curious and interested to see what Prime could do. And of course wondering when I should start TM carbon dosing.

I was reading further on that last night and read (on BRS Spoghtlight) that bacteria consume phosphates and then corals consume nitrates. I had never heard that before and if that’s the case, carbon dosing wouldn’t be appropriate at this point.

I’m basically taking a lot of information that I’ve gained over the last year and trying to apply it to a new system. Knowing what to do and when to implement it is a challenge sometimes. That’s where I am at the moment.

I’m not in a rush, although the wife would like the space back in the living room, which will happen when the old tank gets taken down. Other than that, I’m trying to let things run their course.

Also, in my other tank, after a fallow period and nutrients dropping very low (I never saw zero), I dealt with maybe cyano or dinoflagellates. Not sure and it was only in the sand, so not horrible. I started using SunnyX’s coral snow recommendation daily and it eventually cleared up. I just want to get a foothold in the new tank before any nuisance algae takes off.

 

[Reefer911]

I’m just going to play it safe and do a couple of 50% water changes. That should get NO3 <10ppm.
This will take a few days since each water change will be about 60 gallons.
Should I go ahead and transfer over a couple of fish to keep the bacteria fed?
I have a clown that could go in but what about a pintail fairy wrasse, kole tang, or coral beauty? Which of those would be the most hearty? If none of those, I could just move the clown alone…that is, if I should take that step.