cycling order of events

[iplumbsome]

I have read a lot about cycling and realize there are a thousand ways to skin a cat. My question is more of when to start other things.

Lights on or off? I am assuming off. At what point do you introduce lights?
skimmer on or off?
filter socks in or out?
start cheato in refugium?
when to add clean up crew?

I am using dry rock and live sand.

 

[Mark Gray]

I just started mine on Sunday
Lights off
skimmer off
Refugium not till after the tank cycles it will use up the nutrients you need to get the bacteria growing good
Clean up crew after you ammonia and nitrite come down to 0

 

[iplumbsome]

I just started mine on Sunday
Lights off
skimmer off
Refugium not till after the tank cycles it will use up the nutrients you need to get the bacteria growing good
Clean up crew after you ammonia and nitrite come down to 0

Start skimmer when I start fug?

 

[Mark Gray]

Skimmer after cycle is complete the fuge in my opinion I wait till I have some nitrate so it has some nutrient, and of corse after cycle you will want fish but add them slowly. Is this your first tank?

 

[iplumbsome]

Skimmer after cycle is complete the fuge in my opinion I wait till I have some nitrate so it has some nutrient, and of corse after cycle you will want fish but add them slowly. Is this your first tank?

I had one about 10 years ago. I rushed to put that one together and got bad advice from a LFS so this time I am taking my time and trying to do everything right the first time. I had a FOWLR before, but want to branch out to a reef this time around.

 

[Mark Gray]

I had one about 10 years ago. I rushed to put that one together and got bad advice from a LFS so this time I am taking my time and trying to do everything right the first time. I had a FOWLR before, but want to branch out to a reef this time around.

Cool have fun but try and remember this nothing good in this hobby happens fast. That being said you should start a build thread in Members Tanks

 

[iplumbsome]

Cool have fun but try and remember this nothing good in this hobby happens fast. That being said you should start a build thread in Members Tanks

I have a build thread, but it might be in the wrong place. Any idea how I move that?

 

[Mark Gray]

I have a build thread, but it might be in the wrong place. Any idea how I move that?

That one is above me, maybe the next time you are online ask one of the moderators that is on line

 

[Mark Gray]

post a link to your thread here also

 

[Dragon52]

Until you have stuff in the tank such as fish poop/nutrients etc the skimmer probably wont pickup anything. I had my tank setup for 6mths? before even buying one.