Cycling with Stability

[rodasphoto]

I just got a 65g set up with dead rock and need to cycle it. I have Seachem Stability and have read of people having good luck with it. I have some matrix, live rock rubble, and some sand from my old biocube that I am going to add to the tank.

Instructions from bottle of Stability

Use 1 capful (5 mL) for each 40 L (10 gallons*) on the first day with a new aquarium. Then use 1 capful for each 80 L (20 gallons*) daily for 7 days. Fish and other aquatic species may be introduced at any time as long as dosage is maintained for 7 days. For optimum biofilter performance use 1 capful for each 40 L (10 gallons*) once a month or with each water change and whenever introducing new fish or whenever medicating an aquarium.

My question is do I need to add a shrimp in the tank for an ammonia source while following the dosing schedule or can I purchase a Chromis to have as a source of N2?

I do not want to harm the Chromis in anyway.

 

[mystery_me]

need some sort of ammonia to start the cycle to produce the bacteria

so u can them get nitrite then nitrate

 

[civics14]

I cycled my tank back in January with stability. Raw shrimp in the sump and followed directions of the bottle. I had dry base rock with live sand. I tested daily, after the first week I started to see my ammonia and nitrite spike, after the 2nd week everything started to level off. By the 3rd week, I wasn't seeing any trace of of ammonia or nitrite. I put in a pair of small clowns in the end of January and to this day they are doing great. Also, I added a yellow tang the following week, and then a yellow tail damsel the following week. All doing well.

 

[jbdreefs]

If the rock was used in an aquarium before, it probably has enough dead organic matter to start your cycle unless you went through some cleaning process. However, I have given rocks an acid bath before and still needed to cure the rock.

 

[rodasphoto]

JBDreefs;1018706 wrote: If the rock was used in an aquarium before, it probably has enough dead organic matter to start your cycle unless you went through some cleaning process. However, I have given rocks an acid bath before and still needed to cure the rock.

It was used in another tank but sat unheated, with the water quite cold and no water circulation. So I am considering it dead.

 

[jbdreefs]

I don't think you will need to add an ammonia source to start the cycle.

 

[rodasphoto]

I added a shrimp yesterday and was wondering two things:
How long do I leave it in the sump?
Should I run my skimmer as my tank cycles? I meant to check the ammonia levels this morning but did not have time and left my test kit at work.

My test kit is over a year old will that matter much when testing? (It's an API, which I know is junk) but it's all the LFS had in stock at the time.

 

[jennm]

There was probably enough organic matter to cycle.

If you used a dead thing, leave it there, the purpose is to let it rot.

Yes, skim. You want to remove the dissolved organics from the water.

Check the expiration date on your kit. It's probably toast. The ammonia kit is the first one to expire - you'll get a false positive even when there is no ammonia.

Jenn

 

[rodasphoto]

JennM;1019514 wrote: There was probably enough organic matter to cycle.

If you used a dead thing, leave it there, the purpose is to let it rot.

Yes, skim. You want to remove the dissolved organics from the water.

Check the expiration date on your kit. It's probably toast. The ammonia kit is the first one to expire - you'll get a false positive even when there is no ammonia.

Jenn

Thanks for your input. I was leaning in getting a new test kit. Now I will definitely go ahead and order one.