Just picked up some water for a wc later today...started talking about my tank, etc. Their advice was to remove most of my substrate so it's about an inch thick. I put in 40lbs of carib sea since im not doing live rock, im doing fake rock. So, do I have too much sand/substrate? They said that could be where my trites are coming from.
LFS Advice...
- Thread starter JKT69
- Start date
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
How deep is your sand bed now?
many like for shallow sand beds 1" or 6" plus DSBs (Deep Sand Beds)
but there are lots who run 2" sanbeds too, I do
If it were I, I would take a bit out and go for 1-2" or add more & go for 6"
as for lfs advise... I don't correlate this to nitrites... in a new tank just cycling...
see what others think
but there are lots who run 2" sanbeds too, I do
If it were I, I would take a bit out and go for 1-2" or add more & go for 6"
as for lfs advise... I don't correlate this to nitrites... in a new tank just cycling...
see what others think
Thanks...I'll take some out.
I removed some substrate and got it down to about an inch or two. Did a 25% water change and added Dr. Tim's One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria. Now, hopefully, things are getting close to being cycled...I also left the decaying shrimp in there too since it's not fully dissolved yet. What I want is a stable bio filter from the get go.
StirCrayzy
Well-Known Member
You have a test kit? After ammoniaa and Trites, When the nitrates jump up, start changing water,to get Trates down.
then yer done.
FYI bottled bacteria are basicaally worthless.
For the record, i like my 2" sand.
then yer done.
FYI bottled bacteria are basicaally worthless.
For the record, i like my 2" sand.
Just out of curiosity why fake rock?
redneckgearhead
Active Member
+1^
I also fear that with "fake" LR you will always struggle with trates, because it does not have the denitrifying bacteria in it. Here is a great read about LR. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/61875-what-live-rock-anyway.html
Hopefully the Dr. Tim's help seed the fake rock...that's the plan anyways. I did some research on that stuff and read independent reviews, etc and it is legit.
redneckgearhead
Active Member
While Dr. Tim's may help the bacteria that breaks ammonia down, I don't believe it can help the final stage of turning nitrates into nitrogen. Frequent water changes will be needed to keep the nitrates down.
StirCrayzy
Well-Known Member
Good to know there are some positive reviews, and that not all of these cycling aids are just snake oil.
Basically, stuff before was made with the wrong type of bacteria. This stuff is the nitrifying bacteria that we wait on to be created while cycling the tank. He wrote his PhD on the nitfrication process and encourages independent studies to either validate or challenge the product. At a minimum it can't hurt.
redneckgearhead
Active Member
I have used birospira twice on a qt tank and have had good luck.