Stocking new tank scientifically-ish

[BHReefer]

Hi all-

Back in to the hobby after a two decade break. Wow have things changed. Question about initial stocking. I started with dry rock and crushed coral seeded with several types of bacteria in a bottle some crushed live rock. Dosed water with ammonium chloride. Cycled for a couple months until about 350mg/day ammonia could be processed repeatedly. Started tank with that rock and gravel, with new water of course, immediately added a couple small clowns. Never saw an ammonia spike. A week or so later added 2 more fish, again did not see ammonia spike at all, but nitrate is increasing as you would expect. I do not want to pause and have a bacteria die-off but of course I do not want to spike ammonia. Is there any rule of thumb for how much ammonia a fish releases for a given size? If that is known I should be able to stock to my current bio filtering capacity. I can roughly calculate ammonia content of food so that can be deducted.

Thanks, BHR

Current tank parameters
75g (150g+ with sump and piping)
2 small clowns
1 small royal gramma
1 small zebra dartfish
6 various hermits

Last test results
NH3 11 ppb (really pushing the low end of my testing capability, non detect with Salifort kit)
NO2 <0.1 ppm
NO3 1.1 ppm
PO4 0.6ppm
Ca 400 ppm
Mg 1310 ppm
dKH 9.0
DO 7.9 ppm
pH 8.2

 

[bnord]

That is a plenty large size sump - do you have additional rock/substrate? Mechanical filtration?
Seems you should be solid for cycle with a slow increase in livestock…

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

You can also add some bottled bacteria with the addition of new fish... One bottle should go a long way.

 

[BHReefer]

That is a plenty large size sump - do you have additional rock/substrate? Mechanical filtration?
Seems you should be solid for cycle with a slow increase in livestock…

Yes the sump is my old 90g with a 20g plumbed in for cheato and/or a mantis shrimp, that along with 150' of 1.5" pipe gives me a lot of volume. Reef Octo 200 skimmer, filter socks, etc. And (pls dont burn me at the stake) an old school wet dry.

 

[bnord]

No burning here..

ammonia per fish would certainly vary by species and feeding rates

i for one would think your cycle is solid, add fish and more CUC slowly based more on social constraints. I like to add a diversity of bacteria in a bottle and IF you can get a piece of Gulf/Keys rock for the sump

lots of folks believe (as do I) that easy coral are a good biome enhancer

Best of luck with your new reef world

 

[BHReefer]

No burning here..

ammonia per fish would certainly vary by species and feeding rates

i for one would think your cycle is solid, add fish and more CUC slowly based more on social constraints. I like to add a diversity of bacteria in a bottle and IF you can get a piece of Gulf/Keys rock for the sump

lots of folks believe (as do I) that easy coral are a good biome enhancer

Best of luck with your new reef world

Thanks. I may or may not have put in a chunk of GSP and Xenia already LOL