preparing for large bioload

[cbfreder]

I will have a 120 gallon tank setup soon. Initially, it will have a few smaller fish from a 29. I'd like to at least double the weight of the fish in one swoop.

Assuming the tank is properly cycled and I have adequate bio media available, is there anything that I can do to prevent the inevitable ammonia or nitrite spike? Of course, I'd still do water changes, but I'd like to be proactive.

I don't want to get bio-spira, but if that's my only option, then that's my only option. I was thinking about diluting some ammonia and dripping in a small amount (say 0.1 ppm) a few times a day. Would this be too toxic or risky in some other way? What about placing some shrimp in the prefilter of my wet-dry?
Brandon

 

[TheBloodyIrish]

You can always overload it with ammonia first until it stablize before introducing the fish.

 

[cbfreder]

True, but I will already have fish in there from my current tank, and I won't have a place to put them all.

Brandon

 

[CHOMPERS]

I will have a 120 gallon tank setup soon... ...Assuming the tank is properly cycled... ...is there anything that I can do to prevent the inevitable ammonia or nitrite spike?

When talking about cycling a tank, it is the filter that is actually cycled. It is the bacteria in the nitrogen cycle that needs to grow to a population that can handle the bio-load of the tanks inhabitants. When this is done, it is said that the 'tank is cycled'.

Since the tank is not set up, it can not be cycled. The fast way to cycle the filter is to add old media from your existing tank. If you have not cleaned the filter in a while, clean it and pour the gunk into the new filter. That gunk contains large numbers of benificial bacteria and is way better than anything you can buy in a bottle.

 

[cbfreder]

I will have a cycled fluidized bed filter running on the tank I will also add a wet dry. I will wait at least a month for everything to stabilize before adding the new fish.
Brandon

 

[repair]

I will have a cycled fluidized bed filter running on the tank I will also add a wet dry. I will wait at least a month for everything to stabilize before adding the new fish.
Brandon

You can use a product called stability from seachem and then you don't have to wait to add the new fish.

I have used this product many times and it waorks great!

 

[Mocha Jive]

You can also use a product called Tropical Science Nitromax it was what my LFS recommended.

 

[gomezladdams]

In a large tank with well established filters I wouldnt worry about it.The population doubling time of the bacteria is slow for bacteria,but still less than a day

 

[johnptc]

I will have a 120 gallon tank setup soon. Initially, it will have a few smaller fish from a 29. I'd like to at least double the weight of the fish in one swoop.

Assuming the tank is properly cycled and I have adequate bio media available, is there anything that I can do to prevent the inevitable ammonia or nitrite spike? Of course, I'd still do water changes, but I'd like to be proactive.

I don't want to get bio-spira, but if that's my only option, then that's my only option. I was thinking about diluting some ammonia and dripping in a small amount (say 0.1 ppm) a few times a day. Would this be too toxic or risky in some other way? What about placing some shrimp in the prefilter of my wet-dry?
Brandon

if you move all the filter media from old to new it will help.

you can start now with the smaller tank by feeding a bit more as this will also cause the bacteria population to grow.........

i dont think i would add amonia compounds to a tank with fish in it......its a good ploy with no fish.

the problem is usually the second group of bacteria which convert nitrite to nitrate as thier growth is inhibited by the pressence of amonia....

 

[StingrayFanatic]

add old filter media and some Bio-Spira and your good to go! Bio Spira is the best IMO.