Seeding pods during 4 months cycle

[ReefBeta]

I'm starting a tank following the 4 months cycle from BRS/WWC. Since there will be couple months till I add any fish to the tank, I think it would be a perfect time to seed the tank with pods and let them establish their populations. Do you think it's a good idea? If so, I have some questions about how to do it right.

1. When should I seed the pods? At the very beginning? After ammonia reach 0? After a month?
2. How to feed the pods? How much and how often to dose OceanMagik?
3. Should I turn the light on for the phytoplankton or keep them off for first couple months as suggested by the 4 month cycle? or different spectrum/photo period?
4. How long will it take for the pods to establish when there is no fish in the tank?
5. Run skimmer or not?
6. Other things you can think of that I should pay attention to?

 

[LIreefguy]

did you use live rock or dry rock?

 

[ReefBeta]

CaribSea LifeRock. It's essentially dry rock AFAIK.

 

[CheckeredPants]

Following. About to start cycling my new tank, have pods on order, and wanna know the same thing.

 

[motortrendz]

I would wait till after the amonia is zero, I would assume they're not that tolerant. I dont feed my poss anything specific, I do dose phyto 2x a week though.

 

[DennistheMenace]

Doing the same with a new 180 build. Definitely interested in the step progression. Not even ordering my lights until the 3rd month.

 

[DennistheMenace]

I'm starting a tank following the 4 months cycle from BRS/WWC. Since there will be couple months till I add any fish to the tank, I think it would be a perfect time to seed the tank with pods and let them establish their populations. Do you think it's a good idea? If so, I have some questions about how to do it right.

1. When should I seed the pods? At the very beginning? After ammonia reach 0? After a month?
2. How to feed the pods? How much and how often to dose OceanMagik?
3. Should I turn the light on for the phytoplankton or keep them off for first couple months as suggested by the 4 month cycle? or different spectrum/photo period?
4. How long will it take for the pods to establish when there is no fish in the tank?
5. Run skimmer or not?
6. Other things you can think of that I should pay attention to?

 

[DennistheMenace]

Greg I sent A question along these lines to AB, and this was their response. Hello Dennis! A step by Step process would be : Start cycle, include cultured bacteria, ceramic biomedia, and Dry rock (+ sand if desired) in the tank Add doses of ammonia or ghost feed the tank and monitor chemistry. 3. When tank reaches 0PPM ammonia and nitrite, do first water change (50%) 4. Add Copepods, Begin Dosing Phytoplankton 5. Add first fish 6. Add first macroalgae Long term. Maintain 5PPM Nitrate and .02-.03 phosphate in the water column. If this number set drops below this point, trim your macroalgae. If this number set is higher (10PPM or more nitrate) let your macro grow out. Maintain this balance and slowly add fish and livestock, testing to ensure this number remains stable! Please let me know if you need anything else! Thank you, Customer Support [email protected] |(772) 444-7637 AlgaeBarn http://www.algaebarn.com Greg AlgaeBarn Customer Support Phone: 1-772-444-7637 Email: [email protected] https://www.algaebarn.com Visit us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram Appreciate this response · View thread history

 

[SCReef'n]

I followed a similar plan to what algae barn has stated and used their 5280 pods and ocean magic doses daily. Within a few weeks the only thing that has more pods than my refugium is my display. I have been really impressed with their products.

I would wait to add pods until it cycles and ammonia reads 0. But once it does I wouldn’t wait long. I only turned my lights on before adding coral. I had fish in the tank for a month with no lights. Turned on lights and added a few snails to combat the algae bloom which only lasted a week or so.

 

[ReefBeta]

I followed a similar plan to what algae barn has stated and used their 5280 pods and ocean magic doses daily. Within a few weeks the only thing that has more pods than my refugium is my display. I have been really impressed with their products.

I would wait to add pods until it cycles and ammonia reads 0. But once it does I wouldn’t wait long. I only turned my lights on before adding coral. I had fish in the tank for a month with no lights. Turned on lights and added a few snails to combat the algae bloom which only lasted a week or so.

Very cool. How much phytoplankton did you dose daily?

 

[smartwater101]

Yup. Once ammonia reads 0 you can do whatever you like

 

[SCReef'n]

Very cool. How much phytoplankton did you dose daily?

I just followed the directions on the bottle. 5ml/25gal for two weeks then increase. I just stuck with the original dosage the whole time though