Dry Rock / Live Sand Amonia

[Symplistik]

Hello all,

Getting back into the hobby after about 12 years away (Kids). Will be starting up a nice little nano AIO (Waterbox 25). I hope to take much more time and research with my setup and cycle this time around. Much better being older with the funds to buy all the right equipment the first time and plan out.

My question is: I will be using Marco shelf dry rock and CaribSea ocean direct live sand. Will these items naturally produce ammonia over time to begin the cycle. Or do I have to dose ammonia to get it started?

Second question: Once ammonia becomes present will it be beneficial to begin dosing a micro bacteria like MicroBacter Start XLM or MicroBacter7?

Once cycled and all reading 0 I plan to add Copepods before firing on my light (AI Prime) to get a head start of any Diatoms or algae.

Thank you in advance for your time and help!
Cheers,

 

[Dan_P]

My question is: I will be using Marco shelf dry rock and CaribSea ocean direct live sand. Will these items naturally produce ammonia over time to begin the cycle. Or do I have to dose ammonia to get it started?

Unlikely to produce any ammonia. You might try adding a few tenths ppm ammonia to see just how live the live sand is. It might take a week to show activity.

Second question: Once ammonia becomes present will it be beneficial to begin dosing a micro bacteria like MicroBacter Start XLM or MicroBacter7?

Save your money. You bought live sand and if the live sand isn’t dead, you are finished. Give the live sand time to wake up after adding ammonia.

Once cycled and all reading 0 I plan to add Copepods before firing on my light (AI Prime) to get a head start of any Diatoms or algae.

That is a current fad. I haven’t seen any evidence that it helps. It won’t do any harm though. The diatoms and all other algae will just wait to grow until the lights are on. By the way, with the aquarium near the window, it will receive plenty of light.

Good luck. There is nothing like starting up an aquarium.

Dan

 

[Subsea]

Yes to introduction of ammonia.

Consider biodiversity when starting up a new system. Instead of adding dry rock and bacterial inoculated Caribbean live sand. Add diver collected real live sand and live rock

Gulf Live Rock.com

gulfliverock.com

Gulf Live Rock.com

gulfliverock.com

Gulf Live Rock.com

gulfliverock.com

 

[Symplistik]

That is a current fad. I haven’t seen any evidence that it helps. It won’t do any harm though. The diatoms and all other algae will just wait to grow until the lights are on.

Good luck. There is nothing like starting up an aquarium.

Dan

Thank you for the reply and info! I watched a very interesting Seminar/Study yesterday related to Biom diversity and Copepods related to their play in getting ahead of the ugly stage. 27ish Min mark they explain the difference it made on the tanks they introduced them to.

 

[Subsea]

Thank you for the reply and info! I watched a very interesting Seminar/Study yesterday related to Biom diversity and Copepods related to their play in getting ahead of the ugly stage. 27ish Min mark they explain the difference it made on the tanks they introduced them to.

While it’s true that Copepods graze on the uglies, I suggest you broaden biodiversity to include competitors of the uglies, not just consumers. That why I included hitch hikers of live rock in my post.

HITCHHIKER IDENTIFICATION

---

​

Cerith Snail​

​

​

Coralline Alga​

​

​

Medusa worm​

​

​

Oculina Robusta​

​

​

Sea Cucumber​

​

​

Watercress Halimeda Alga​

​

​

Feather Duster​

​

​

Cup Coral​

​

​

Red encrusting sponge​

​

​

Rose Coral​

​

​

Bristle Worm​

​

​

Jewel Box Clam​

​

​

Tube Coral​

​

​

Red Berry Sea Grapes​

​

​

Long Spine Urchin​

​

​

Limpet​

​

​

Blushing Star Coral​

​

​

.

Tunicate​

​

​

Tiger Goby​

​

​

Brittle Starfish​

​

​

Gorilla Crab​

​

​

Dwarf Octopus​

​

​

Mantis Shrimp​

​

​

Flower Anomie​

​

​

Astraea "Turbo" Snail​

​

​

Hermit Crab​

​

​

Coffee Bean Snail​

​

​

Reef Starfish​

​

​

Royal Sea Goddess Nudibranch​

​

​

Light Bulb Anomie (NOT Aiptasia!)​

​

​

Sea Grapes​

​

​

Spider Decorator Crab​

​

​

X-Mas Tree Worm​

​

​

Porcelain Crab​

​

​

Sea Cucumber​

​

​

Serpent Starfish​

​

​

Red Cling Crab​

​

​

Welk Snail​

​

​

Codium "Dead Mans Fingers"​

​

​

Decorator Crab​

​

​

Turkey Wing Clam​

​

​

Gorgonian​

​

​

Copyright © 2019 G - All Rights Reserved.
Powered

 

[Symplistik]

While it’s true that Copepods graze on the uglies, I suggest you broaden biodiversity to include competitors of the uglies, not just consumers. That why I included hitch hikers of live rock in my post.

​

Copyright © 2019 G - All Rights Reserved.
Powered

This is great and very informative! Appreciate your time and reply.

 

[Dan_P]

Thank you for the reply and info! I watched a very interesting Seminar/Study yesterday related to Biom diversity and Copepods related to their play in getting ahead of the ugly stage. 27ish Min mark they explain the difference it made on the tanks they introduced them to.

I would guess BRS played a role in the copepod fad. Total disclosure: I am not a fan of BRS experiments. To me they are poorly controlled, poorly designed, not replicated and generate with messy results that can mean anything. I am pretty sure they could not reproduce their results. Also there is a serious conflict of interest: they are vendors of the things they are studying.

As I said, I feel adding copepods probably does no harm other than being a waste of money and raising false hopes.

 

[Subsea]

I would guess BRS played a role in the copepod fad. Total disclosure: I am not a fan of BRS experiments. To me they are poorly controlled, poorly designed, not replicated and generate with messy results that can mean anything. I am pretty sure they could not reproduce their results. Also there is a serious conflict of interest: they are vendors of the things they are studying.

As I said, I feel adding copepods probably does no harm other than being a waste of money and raising false hopes.

I also have little faith in BRS marketing. While I don’t have more degrees than a thermometer, I do have 50 years of hands on Reefing with a Marine Engineering BS degree from Texas Maritime Academy.

However, I don’t feel that buying pods is a waste of money, unless you continue buying them instead of cultivating them in your system as one component of the microbial food web.

 

[Dan_P]

I also have little faith in BRS marketing. While I don’t have more degrees than a thermometer, I do have 50 years of hands on Reefing with a Marine Engineering BS degree from Texas Maritime Academy.

However, I don’t feel that buying pods is a waste of money, unless you continue buying them instead of cultivating them in your system as one component of the microbial food web.

Good idea

 

[Symplistik]

Thank you all. Sharing your experience and knowledge is appreciated.

Tank arrives tomorrow and I will be finishing off the build and then onto aqua scaping. I will be firing up a nano build thread once I am ready and will continue to post my progress!