phongluc
Active Member
I have a saltwater tank I try to setup it been running for about 1 week with 2 shrimp total volume about 200g what else can I do to have the tank cycle properly and do I turn light on or off during cycle period thanks
Cycle reef tank with dry rock
- Thread starter phongluc
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Paranoiattack91
Active Member
Lights don't need to be on during the cycle.
Are you testing for ammonia and nitrites, and nitrates?
Give the tank at least 6 weeks to cycle, if you want to speed it up just a tad you can add one of the many bacterial products, such as Dr.Tims One/Only. You still have to give the tank sufficient time to cycle though before stocking.
Give the tank at least 6 weeks to cycle, if you want to speed it up just a tad you can add one of the many bacterial products, such as Dr.Tims One/Only. You still have to give the tank sufficient time to cycle though before stocking.
Reefrookie220
Valuable Member
787will
Well-Known Member
I use janitorial strength ammonia from ace hardware and dose that to 2ppm and once the tank can cycle 2ppm to 0ppm ammonia and 0ppm nitrites in less than 12 hrs its ready. Its a very strong cycle and a lot less messier than shrimp.
Broadfield
Red Sea Reefer Consultant... Non Affiliated
Yeah, I used Dr. Tim's One and Only and I had a diatom bloom in like 4 days.
Don't let anyone tell you, you have to do this a specific way. As a recent newb and now slightly less newb but still newb, let me put the options out there for you. P.s. you should be testing Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, every day at this stage.
1) Fish-less chem cycle. Like a few of the guys above me said, you dose some ammonia, and wait for the bacteria to build up and convert it to nitrites, then nitrates.
2) "Damsel cycle" . A popular but older method is to use a damsel, which is an EXTREMELY hardy saltwater fish (pretty when they are young, too) and feed them, and they poop, and live, and introduce ammonia to the tank, and the the ammonia is cycled that way. You risk your damsels dying during this process, but mine lived through a solid day or day of .75 ppm.
3) Bacteria in-a-bottle.
There are 3 ones that are clinically proven to work - Seachem's Stability, Instant Ocean Bio-Spira, and Dr. Tim's One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria.
I've personally used bio-spira and Seachem. The Biospira, I don't care what anyone says, I had my full cycle done in less than 10 days, and my ammonia never went above .5-.75 ppm. I only saw nitrite one day, I don't even know what that buildup is supposed to look like, it got converted in my tank so fast.
The sea-chem stability is also awesome.
I did a combination damsel / bacteria in a bottle btw - put in the bacteria, then the damsels. I was able to sustain more sensitive inverts than the damsels (nerite snails and small hermit crabs) within 2 weeks. At weeks 3, I added a melanarus. Also at weeks 2-3 I Started seeing coralline pop up cuz I seeded it a bunch.
You also can *really* load up on cultured live-rock and live-sand (2lbs / gallon) and it will help it cycle a lot faster. It sorta depends how much money you have to throw at this / how impatient you are?
1) Fish-less chem cycle. Like a few of the guys above me said, you dose some ammonia, and wait for the bacteria to build up and convert it to nitrites, then nitrates.
2) "Damsel cycle" . A popular but older method is to use a damsel, which is an EXTREMELY hardy saltwater fish (pretty when they are young, too) and feed them, and they poop, and live, and introduce ammonia to the tank, and the the ammonia is cycled that way. You risk your damsels dying during this process, but mine lived through a solid day or day of .75 ppm.
3) Bacteria in-a-bottle.
There are 3 ones that are clinically proven to work - Seachem's Stability, Instant Ocean Bio-Spira, and Dr. Tim's One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria.
I've personally used bio-spira and Seachem. The Biospira, I don't care what anyone says, I had my full cycle done in less than 10 days, and my ammonia never went above .5-.75 ppm. I only saw nitrite one day, I don't even know what that buildup is supposed to look like, it got converted in my tank so fast.
The sea-chem stability is also awesome.
I did a combination damsel / bacteria in a bottle btw - put in the bacteria, then the damsels. I was able to sustain more sensitive inverts than the damsels (nerite snails and small hermit crabs) within 2 weeks. At weeks 3, I added a melanarus. Also at weeks 2-3 I Started seeing coralline pop up cuz I seeded it a bunch.
You also can *really* load up on cultured live-rock and live-sand (2lbs / gallon) and it will help it cycle a lot faster. It sorta depends how much money you have to throw at this / how impatient you are?
IMO Damsels or any other fish should not be used to cycle a tank. Try catching a Damsel in a larger tank. Ammonia is toxic and it does burn gills, just because the Damsel lives does not mean it's a humane way to treat an animal. Cycling with Damsels or Mollies is becoming a thing of the past.
