Cycling Tank Help

icehood24 · May 23, 2022

I am planning to be cycling a new tank, since mine right now was done wrong and is unsavable. I want to cycle with live rock (not dry rock) and have some questions. Would I be able to cycle it with a live rock with coralline algae? And if so would it be better to order online (since my lfs doesn’t have any live rocks for sale with it)? Would I need to keep tank lights on for the cycle or turn them off the whole time? Please help me!!

blaxsun · May 23, 2022

First, don't panic - not an emergency. Second, if you go with live rock you don't really need to cycle since you have all of the beneficial bacteria already. Third, you don't need tank lights on.

Cell · May 27, 2022

Sufficient live rock gives you a skip cycle.

But please share why you think your tank is unsavable. Unless you bombed it with chemicals or something, I bet it can be saved.

MnFish1 · Jun 2, 2022

icehood24 said:
I am planning to be cycling a new tank, since mine right now was done wrong and is unsavable. I want to cycle with live rock (not dry rock) and have some questions. Would I be able to cycle it with a live rock with coralline algae? And if so would it be better to order online (since my lfs doesn’t have any live rocks for sale with it)? Would I need to keep tank lights on for the cycle or turn them off the whole time? Please help me!!

The answer is - (IMHO) - in the olden days - we often used 'old' live rock (your rock is live rock - its just covered with stuff you dont want). as 'base rock'. If your're going to order live rock - use some of your old rock as base - and stack the new rock on top. You should not need to 'cycle'. Depending on where/what kind of 'live rock' you're talking about. And - yes - if you want to order 'live rock' I would order it online

52728299 · Jun 9, 2022

blaxsun said:
First, don't panic - not an emergencySecond, if you go with live rock you don't really need to cycle since you have all of the beneficial bacteria already. Third, you don't need tank lights on.

Wait, I am cycling right now with 26lbs of live rock in a 53 gallon tank. Your saying I don't have to cycle for a month? I used 40lbs of dry sand btw

LaloJ · Jun 9, 2022

Aluco said:
Wait, I am cycling right now with 26lbs of live rock in a 53 gallon tank. Your saying I don't have to cycle for a month? I used 40lbs of dry sand btw

It just has enough bacteria working in the live rock, after a while they will give the cycle stability, but the time is much less than the start with dry rock, just compare the levels constantly.

52728299 · Jun 9, 2022

LaloJ said:
It just has enough bacteria working in the live rock, after a while they will give the cycle stability, but the time is much less than the start with dry rock, just compare the levels constantly.

Kk I did also use Dr Tim's Aquatics one and only live nitrifying bacteria along with fishless fuel liquid ammonia solution. I'll have to check levels for a bit. I still need to set up my ato, do some cable management clean the glass and situate the inside of the tank a bit better so don't mind waiting a bit longer. That's good to know tho

icehood24 · Jun 9, 2022

Aluco said:
Wait, I am cycling right now with 26lbs of live rock in a 53 gallon tank. Your saying I don't have to cycle for a month? I used 40lbs of dry sand btw

I just got a small amount of live rock for my new 10 gallon last week and it took about a week to cycle, nitrates are a bit high but it was definitely fast.

MnFish1 · Jun 9, 2022

Aluco said:
Wait, I am cycling right now with 26lbs of live rock in a 53 gallon tank. Your saying I don't have to cycle for a month? I used 40lbs of dry sand btw

It depends on a couple things - your definition of 'live rock' and the bioload your planning. In general you should not need to do much of anything - with live rock - UNLESS - its rock with a lot of 'stuff on it' that may die up front. in that case - the 'cycle' may take longer. If its rock from one tank to another - its basically no cycle. In either case - it should not take 30 days.

52728299 · Jun 9, 2022

icehood24 said:
I just got a small amount of live rock for my new 10 gallon last week and it took about a week to cycle, nitrates are a bit high but it was definitely fast.

Yea sounds good mine will be a week on Sunday. During testing my ph is about an 8 so maybe kind of high? I have an ammonia tester coming tomorrow i believe but my nitrates/nitrites have been undetectable..

52728299 · Jun 9, 2022

MnFish1 said:
It depends on a couple things - your definition of 'live rock' and the bioload your planning. In general you should not need to do much of anything - with live rock - UNLESS - its rock with a lot of 'stuff on it' that may die up front. in that case - the 'cycle' may take longer. If its rock from one tank to another - its basically no cycle. In either case - it should not take 30 days.

It's live rock from the lfs.. one of those deals where they have it sitting in a large tub with water running through it. it's been in there since last Sunday and no nitrates or nitrite spikes. Will be testing for ammonia soon. Not planning on placing live stock in a tank not ready this whole build I'm trying to do everything right.

If your curious on the bioload I'm considering fish list is as follows:

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MnFish1 · Jun 9, 2022

Aluco said:
Yea sounds good mine will be a week on Sunday. During testing my ph is about an 8 so maybe kind of high? I have an ammonia tester coming tomorrow i believe but my nitrates/nitrites have been undetectable..

A pH of 8 is normal (in fact some would say a little low). Without ammonia levels - its hard to say whats happening. But - if your not putting any 'food' into the tank - I would expect your nitrites and nitrates (and ammonia) would all be zero at this point. The time to be checking is when you start adding/feeding fish

EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal · Jun 9, 2022

MnFish1 said:
In general you should not need to do much of anything - with live rock - UNLESS - its rock with a lot of 'stuff on it' that may die up front. in that case - the 'cycle' may take longer. If its rock from one tank to another - its basically no cycle. In either case - it should not take 30 days.

^^^This.

Dburr1014 · Jun 9, 2022

THREAD HIJACK, EMEGENCY.

Back to @icehood24, why do you think your tank can't be saved?

icehood24 · Jun 9, 2022

Dburr1014 said:
THREAD HIJACK, EMEGENCY.

Back to @icehood24, why do you think your tank can't be saved?

That was mainly me being dumb, but I set up a new tank now that my fish will be added in while i let the old one fully cycle out on its own.

MnFish1 · Jun 9, 2022

Dburr1014 said:
THREAD HIJACK, EMEGENCY.

Back to @icehood24, why do you think your tank can't be saved?

I think the question has been answered. LOL - what is the emergency?

MnFish1 · Jun 9, 2022

In general you should not need to do much of anything - with live rock - UNLESS - its rock with a lot of 'stuff on it' that may die up front. in that case - the 'cycle' may take longer. If its rock from one tank to another - its basically no cycle. In either case - it should not take 30 days.