cycling saltwater aquarium with ammonia drops?

Question

i am starting the cycling process of my 90 gallon saltwater tank, along with the saltwater mix, in ro/di water. to date it has live sand in it thats it. I heard you can use pure ammoina drops to create the bacteria you need to cycle, without having to use fish. has anyone done this sufficently? will it harm my sand?

Answer 1

Sounds like your doing your research. Your well on your way. You can use ammonia drops and they will work but an easier cheaper method is to throw in some raw shrimp or fish food. It will decay and keep your bacteria growing without having to buy the ammonia. They will both do the same thing. If you are eventually going to get live rock for your aquarium now would be a great time to do it. You can use the live rock to cycle your tank as well. I wouldn't add in a clean up crew of crabs, snails, and starfish until the cycle is done. I've cycled many tanks with just some live rock and fish food and dead sand. It works great. You can try the cycle starter stuff but they can be hit or miss. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.

Answer 2

surely it sounds like your tank did cycle. Algae blooms after a cycle are very consumer-friendly via severe nitrates that are the top results of the cycle. i'm assuming you probably did a large water substitute after your cycle so as that mixed with an algae bloom may be a sturdy reason your nitrates are low. you do no longer say how long your tank has been cycling or what your try outcomes have been in the time of the cycle. Did you notice a spike in ammonia or nitrites? Did you ever finally end up with nitrates? Did you employ a cycle starter or micro organism beginning product? i could use water ameliorations with the salt blend to maximum outstanding the pH over utilising the buffer stuff. it could reason wild swings in pH. it somewhat is not any longer uncommon for a sparkling aquarium or one cycling to have a low pH. Water ameliorations are the final thank you to maximum outstanding water high quality themes. in the experience that your tank has no longer totally cycled you could shop your levels proper by doing extra commonly used water ameliorations. this could make larger your cycle yet in addition will shop the ammonia and nitrites under administration in the event that they take place. additionally a newly cycled tank might nicely be very delicate. It very plenty desires those weekly water ameliorations to maintain issues in examine. i could wait a minimum of a week after your pH is under administration earlier including a million or 2 small hardy fish. Your ultimate pal is going to be time, endurance, and water ameliorations until it relatively gets customary.

Answer 3

There are many ways to begin cycling a tank and a reef tank can be a true thing of beauty if done correctly. The key is to have an arsenal of knowledge at you disposal. The best place I have found for this is the Living Reefs website.

http://www.livingreefs.com/forums/register.php?referrerid=1343

Here you will find MANY knowledgable, friendly, and helpful people in the forums and chat rooms. There are also a plethora of helpful articles geared up for everybody from the beginner to the seasoned aquarist!!! Take a look, join up, and enjoy the addiction that is saltwater aquaria!!!!!

Answer 4

You can, but it can harm the live sand. Ammonia is the key to starting the cycling process. People are even known to use raw, deceased shrimp. You can do a live cycle with hermit crabs, and this won't harm the live bacteria in the sand.
Try these two:
Biozyme: It's a cultured bacteria that kickstarts your cycling process.
Hiatt's Distributors Right Now Bacteria: for kicking starting a new, or even recycling tank. When used properly it can cycle a tank in 24 hours, believe it or not! And, when it is used in conjunction with their Tri-Pelletized Carbon, it also helps to control nitrates in your system after your biological cycle has run its course.

Answer 5

You shouldn't need to buy any bacterial additives - that what's "live" about the sand - the bacteria.

The ammonia is a "food" source for it, to keep it alive and reproducing so you have enough to convert the ammonia from your fish when you add them. As long as you don't overdo the dosing - and use a 100% ammonia product with out any additives - you shouldn't have any problems.

Answer 6

ammonia is BAD for fish