Cycling a reef tank

[Reeferfourlife]

The only way i know for peeps to setup a tank without cycle is that they use all equipment with cycled water from a currently running tank that has all the beneficial bacteria already. Its like just move a tank from one place to another. Even moving i still let the tank settle first. Also still test water before adding life stock back because of moving the sand.

 

[brandon429]

agreed moving sand is dangerous likely the most dangerous aspect of the whole move. now if you blast rinse it 100% before moving, that changes the game~ which seems opposite of how it should be. but that waste/detritus in tow, that is the cycle source its not death from the live rock. the sandbed is the hidden risk, we have good threads of doing these mass rinses/transfers they are tedious and risky events.

def is time for pics here

 

[Reeferfourlife]

Yea live rock is rarely an issue. But when you do a mass cleaning of sand can restart a mini cycle due to lost of bacteria. But not in a dangerous level as long as you don't clean out all the equipments at the same time. Anyways, op got some bad info to add a fish in 2 weeks without testing. He should use a shrimp and test perimeters.

 

[brandon429]

http://reef2reef.com/threads/the-of...ead-aka-one-against-many.230281/#post-2681445

there was the thread for comparisons if anyone was considering down and dirty sandbed work for one reason or another

 

[randy4083]

I'm testing right now and will show pictures of the test

 

[brandon429]

can we get pics of the tank and the rocks

 

[randy4083]

this is the nitrite

 

[randy4083]

This Saturday will be 3 weeks into the cycle

 

[randy4083]

this is the ammonia test

 

[randy4083]

this is the nitrates

 

[Reeferfourlife]

Is ammonia at .4? Still a lil high. Should be 0. What is your nitrite at?

 

[randy4083]

All the tests are on there it looks like the ammonia was at .2 to me but I don't know

 

[randy4083]

The nitrite was the first test and the ammonia test was the second one and the nitrates is the third test

 

[Reeferfourlife]

Only see two test on here

 

[Reeferfourlife]

Ammonia has to drop to zero then nitrite to 0. Then you can test for nitrate. Nitrate can be high. Do a water change after.

 

[randy4083]

I see three on here on page 3 so that's crazy

 

[randy4083]

It goes from nitrite to the ammonia to the nitrates

 

[randy4083]

this is the ammonia test

 

[randy4083]

this is the nitrite

 

[randy4083]

this is the nitrates