Maintaining cycle in empty Tank

[DJW]

In case you are wondering where I dreamed up the 2 ppm/day, I go backwards from nitrate increases.

If you change 50% of the water daily and the nitrate is 10 ppm before WC and 5 ppm after, then the filter is producing 5 ppm per day of nitrate. Do a bit of math with the weight of nitrogen and you get about 1.5 ppm of ammonia per day.

or...

If you change 50% of the water daily and the nitrate is 14 ppm before WC and 7 ppm after, then the filter is producing 7 ppm per day of nitrate. Do the math for nitrogen and you get 2 ppm of ammonia per day.

I figure its somewhere in this range, and that its safer to be on the high side to avoid a mini-cycle.

[Neptune]

I know there is a lot of controversy about BB in a bottle but I've used TetraSafe and Stability on three tanks. Have not had any problems with any of them.
My new 65 ran for only two weeks before I dumped in TetraSafe and Stability on the same day I added my little discus and no problems yet!

I have been doing daily WC's and adding Stability with each WC as per directions in the 65.

I've found it to save a lot of the monkey business of the fishless cycle.

[Flow Tamer]

Thanx Neptune! I have used Dr. Tim's stuff (bottled BB) with success in smaller tanks and less pricey fish, never had the nerve to try it with discus, but that stuff seems to work. I was wondering how you arrived at 2ppm Dan, thanx for the very cerebral and scientific explanation- math is the only honest thing theft on the planet, it Don't lie! Lol!

[Ryan925]

I know there is a lot of controversy about BB in a bottle but I've used TetraSafe and Stability on three tanks. Have not had any problems with any of them.
My new 65 ran for only two weeks before I dumped in TetraSafe and Stability on the same day I added my little discus and no problems yet!

I have been doing daily WC's and adding Stability with each WC as per directions in the 65.

I've found it to save a lot of the monkey business of the fishless cycle.

I've had great luck with stability as well.

[Flow Tamer]

For what's it's worth, with everyone's help l am dosing my tank for cycle maintenance with Austin's clear ammonia (much weaker than ACE hardware ammonia). I have arrived at 2ppm daily by adding 60ml. to my 125 gal. tank. I measured my 2ppm dosing threshold using the API Master Test Kit. In 24 hrs. I have no trace of ammonia. Now according to Dan's ammonia per discus, per 10 gallons of water formula this should have my colonies large enough to to take a 12 adult discus restocking right in the chin! I know these are ballparks and approximates and l could tweek any shortcomings with water changes until bioload matches BB colony size. Thanks for everyone's help, very good thread, for me anyway!