Request: Those with Tonga Branch

[jonny bolt]

Hi everyone. I was wondering if any of you had Tonga Branch, and if so, could you post up some pics? I just finished putting together my latest tank and added 25 lbs. of Tonga Branch. I was curious to see what others had done with theirs

 

[vinsaltank]

Hi, I use alot of TONGA rock, It is a little more of a pain to stack, but it give the fish alot of hideouts and places to call home.

 

[jonny bolt]

Nice lookin. How long did it take before your tonga branch started to grow out???
Here is a pic of mine. Only 2 weeks and 3 days old...

 

[vinsaltank]

Some of the light green and blue TONGA coraline algea will start to show in a month or 2.
Are you using a calcium mix? and adding iodine?

 

[jonny bolt]

I used Marc Weiss Bacter-Vital to help cycle, and I added some SeaChem stuff, but no Iodine? Should I?

 

[effloresce]

jonny, your tank si not done cycling yet, is that a clam in the first picture you posted on the sand? please research what you are getting into. the "cycles in a bottle" never work, please research everythign you buy and want.

 

[jonny bolt]

Its an artificial clam. HAHA, fooled ya

J/K
I know how people feel about "cycles in a bottle". But Marc Weiss' Bacter-Vital isnt really one of those gimmicks. I have seen 7 tanks (of which 2 are my best friends) that were cycled using Bacter-Vital, and out of almost 2 dozen fish, only 1 has died since the first tank was started last April. I followed my best friends tanks for 8 months before I even purchased my tank and equipment. Thats 8 months of close monitoring and study.
I have also seen my ammonia and nitrite spike on paper, as I have been recording all of my test results while using the Bacter-Vital. At this moment, my Nitrate is spiking, but still under 0. When using Bacter-Vital, your Ammonia result is multiplied by .0009, and your Trite and Trate results are multiplied by .000912. Your levels still spike during the cycle, they are just suppressed.