Excited but VERY nervous

[TexAgReefer]

So, my tank is up and running. Salinity at 1.025, temp at 78.4 and PH at 8.1. It's now time to cycle the tank. I will be using Dr. Tim's One and Only. I have the 8 oz bottle(rated for 120 gallons, my tank is 75). I also bought the Ammonia Chloride for fishless cycling. Does anyone have experience with this? I'd kind of like to just go get a couple of hardy fish and cycle with them, but then again I thought it might be better to just use the Ammonia and cycle it fishless. From other feedback this takes 3-5 days to fully cycle the tank. Any input is welcome.

 

[reeferwanabe]

I used no chemical addition, just a raw shrimp for my 75 gallon. Took about 2 weeks, I think.

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[cabi]

I used dr Tim's one and only on my new setup and my tank cycle in 4 days, I didn't use the ammonia because I added two clownfish.. Great stuff in my opinion .

 

[Dewana]

I vote for the fishless method. It just cruel to put a fish through a cycle. Just a personal opinion, I know many people who do it though.

 

[Fish Outta Water]

We just used a shrimp. No chemicals. Why try to jump start it? Let it cycle on its own for the 2-4 weeks it takes. Being patient during a cycle pays off in the long run. In my opinion the chemicals should only be used for emergencies.


Matt

 

[DFW]

There is ammonia in Fort Worth water. I just used tap water to make my first batch of salt water. The ammonia already in the water jumped off the cycle.


David

 

[Andrew]

I have a batch of pukani that i bleached and acid washed and it is now in a thrash can cycling. Day one i used dr tims one and only, and dr tims ammonia. I also am dosing seaklear for phosphate leaching. I am 3 weeks in and still dosing ammonia every third day to keep up the bioload, but it is fully cycled and the ammonia is non detectible when I test the next day.

 

[bettalover]

the shrimp method is pretty much the same as dosing ammonia... shrimp rots, release ammonia.. so whats wrong with dosing pure ammonia into the tank?

 

[digital_gods]

I can clean my sponges to give you plenty of mulm with all the good bacteria that go with it. I will be in Fort Worth for a appointment at 4pm.

 

[TexAgReefer]

Thank you all! I decided to add the Dr. Tim's Ammonium Chloride. They have a Fishless Cycling procedure on their website and I am just following that. Should cycle in a 3-7 days. I will wait for it to cycle to add fish. I realize there may still be some "cycling" after that but the bulk of the cycle will be done prior to adding fish.

 

[Dewana]

@TexAgReefer wrote:

Like the fishless cycle idea.