Using the NutraCycle Bacteria in a bottle

[TheEelKing]

I've been cycling my 300 gallon tank using Nutrafin Cycle and 3 silver dollars. I have a few questions:

1) Do I pour this on the bio balls in my sump tank or do I pour it in the main tank itself? Would it be better if I poured half over the bio balls in the sump and the other half in the main tank itself?

2) The silver dollars have been in the tank for almost a week and are doing very well. I dosed the bio balls with the NutraFin Cycle the night before I added the silver dollar trio. I was thinking of adding my other fish to the tank gradually. Next, I wanted to add my large severum to the tank. When will it be safe to do so? I was told to gradually add my other fish to the tank weekly. Since I put the silver dollars in the tank last Sunday, I was thinking of doing a water chance, dosing the tank again with another bottle of NutraCycle and adding the severum to the tank this coming Monday or Tuesday.

3) I was basically thinking of adding one or two fish a week till I move all of my fish into the 300 gallon while doing weekly changes and dosing the tank with Nutracycle weekly. This way, I was hoping to avoid a dangerous ammonia spike. The final week, I am planning to add my shoal of 7 clown loaches hoping that there would be enough beneficial bacteria build up to safely add them without overloading the available bacteria in the tank. Sound like a good plan to you guys?

 

[Juxtaroberto]

Sounds like a good plan, assuming NutraCycle works as advertised.

A foolproof approach would be to closely monitor ammonia levels after you add each fish, in order to get a feel of what your tank can and can't handle.

 

[TheEelKing]

Thanks. Here is how I plan to do it:

Week 1: Add 3 Silver Dollars
Week 2: Add the Large Severum and the Jade/Fat Sleeper Goby
Week 3: Add the Clown Knife and Thinbar Datnoid
Week 4: Add the 7 Clown Loaches

Each week, I will do a water change and dose the bio balls with a bottle of NutraCycle Bacteria the day prior to adding the new fish. If adding the severum and goby is too much to add at once, let me know. Maybe I can add the severum Monday and the goby Thursday. If I have to, I can wait a whole week before I add the goby to the tank after adding the severum.

 

[tableau]

I would dose with cycle at the same time as I introduce new fish; don't want to had bacterias and let them starve to death.

 

[TheEelKing]

I would dose with cycle at the same time as I introduce new fish; don't want to had bacterias and let them starve to death.

Okay. So you think my 4 week time table is a good plan? Also, do I put the bacteria in the sump tank over the bio balls or in the main tank itself?

 

[tableau]

I think it is a good plan, just monitor the params to make sure everything is ok. In case of an emergency, you could always dose the tank with prime. I don't think that there is a great difference between adding cycle in the sump or in the tank; the bacterias will finish in the sump.

P.S. I always have good results with the new formula of cycle.

 

[PufferFace11]

I think ur plan is a good plan IMO.

It doesnt really matter if u add the NutraCycle to the tank or the sump.

U could try one or the other and see which gives u better results.

Just make sure to be testing ur water at least one a week if not twice being that ur in the cycling stage.

I personally use the API Master Test Kit and it produces accurate results.

And the biggest of all is water changes, u should be doing a 15-20% water change every 2-3 days IMO.

This will keep ur ammonia and nitrate levels as low as possible.

And i would test the water each time before adding any new fish to the tank.

 

[KaiserSousay]

I was hoping to avoid a dangerous ammonia spike.

I`m a little concerned that this was the only mention of ammonia in your posts.
You are testing your water for ammonia/nitrites, right?

 

[SCGeordie]

I was hoping to avoid a dangerous ammonia spike.

I`m a little concerned that this was the only mention of ammonia in your posts.
You are testing your water for ammonia/nitrites, right?

+1 Took the words right off my keyboard!

 

[TheEelKing]

I was hoping to avoid a dangerous ammonia spike.

I`m a little concerned that this was the only mention of ammonia in your posts.
You are testing your water for ammonia/nitrites, right?

Yes, I am.