Cyclying Bacteria Products -Need recommendation

[Dr_Hicks]

Originally Posted by FitoPharmer

If it is real live rock, I use nothing. Just slowly stock up once your numbers are good.

If it was mostly base rock and a small amount of live rock I might add a piece of shrimp then.

My question for the people using Prodibio Startup and other products. Did you add your products after your cycle to help add more fish right away? Or before to help speed the cycling process for your rocks? Or both?

Day one,

Add water,

Add Prodibio

Add Rock

Add Fish & Coral..

..... Enjoy tank.

[FitoPharmer]

Originally Posted by Dr_Hicks

Day one,

Add water,

Add Prodibio

Add Rock

Add Fish & Coral..

..... Enjoy tank.

Sounds like pretty powerful stuff. I will check it out.

Would you do that even if your rock smells very bad and is encrusted in dead stuff?

[DiverDude]

So in the end I decided to try the Prodibio Startup (largely because Red Coral had it on the shelf).

It's been 3 days now and tonight I plan on doing a full spectrum of water tests. I'll adjust params and hope to have livestock in the tank by the weekend.

I'll report back on the results.

[albert_dao]

Originally Posted by DiverDude

So in the end I decided to try the Prodibio Startup (largely because Red Coral had it on the shelf).

It's been 3 days now and tonight I plan on doing a full spectrum of water tests. I'll adjust params and hope to have livestock in the tank by the weekend.

I'll report back on the results.

Unless your rock was disgusting and you threw in a bunch of NH4, your parameters are probably going to test just fine and dandy.

Just sayin...

[DiverDude]

In theory, the params should be pretty much inline with my salt (reef crystals). And, for the most part, they seem to be:

pH 8.0
Mg 1000
NO2 0
NO3 0
Alk 2.5 meq/l
Ca 375
NH3 <0.25

Added a schwck of Mg last night and will do Alk today. Ca tomorrow and fish go in on Sunday.

Fingers crossed

[Dr_Hicks]

Originally Posted by FitoPharmer

Sounds like pretty powerful stuff. I will check it out.

Would you do that even if your rock smells very bad and is encrusted in dead stuff?

No I would not, the stuff is not magic; it's going to have limitations for sure, the instructions on the prodibio products are "best case scenario" so loading you're new tank with a bunch of rock that has been travelling to you for a few days is not ideal; in my opinion. However I believe you could follow the instructions on the product and have speed up a cycle process if you are using less than ideal rock.