Anyone used Red Sea's mature pro kit ?

[ScubaSteve4Life]

I just put in all my water for my new tank. Do I run my powerhead even when the sand isn't settled? Also, has anyone used Red Sea mature pro kit? I am using it to cycle my tank. I have a skimmer to use during the cycle but do I use my canister filter too? Or would that be filtering too much of the bacteria building?

 

[dakoop]

Skimmer is not needed during cycle. Run your power head and heater

 

[ScubaSteve4Life]

I was planning on running my skimmer because the Red Sea mature kit instructs me to use a skimmer when doing the 21 day cycle. But it says nothing about my filtration in the instructions which is why I was asking.

 

[Invader_Moose]

I've used the Red Sea kit and had very good results. Easy to use and my numbers stayed close to the estimated values in the manual. Keep your skimmer running as the instructions say, it might as well break in during the cycle anyway. As far the canister it depends on why you're using it. For mechanical filtration only or do you have bio media in the canister?

 

[ScubaSteve4Life]

I have the marineland c-160 . I believe it has media in it . I have bio balls in the middle.

 

[ScubaSteve4Life]

I guess I'm still very much a beginner because I'm not sure what's considered media or not

 

[Invader_Moose]

Keep and run anything that you want to establish bio, so run the canister minus filter socks, pads anything regularly cleaned or changed. Just add the water volume of the canister to your total tank volume and you'll be good to go

 

[Invader_Moose]

Media is anything that you want to establish biological filtration. Aka rocks, sand, bio balls, marine pure, the walls of the filter, etc... The concern during intial setup with filter socks or other mechanical filtration is you remove the limited portion of bio built up on it during cleaning causing a swing in chemistry.

 

[ScubaSteve4Life]

I have a polishing filter, carbon bags, bio balls and 2 filter foams in the canister. Had to look up what everything was called.

 

[Invader_Moose]

I'd run the bio balls for now, if the tank starts to smell from the cycle you can add the carbon but I can't say if it would slow the cycle. Add the filters when you add fish and start feeding. Good luck with the tank!

 

[ScubaSteve4Life]

Thanks for the help man!