Cycling with predator tank

[bronzewhaler22]

Just wondering am looking at a 950g what will I need to cycle am thinking fish but probably will not be able to catch out after wondering any predators that are hardy enough to be in cycle

 

[TonyD1988]

Just wondering am looking at a 950g what will I need to cycle am thinking fish but probably will not be able to catch out after wondering any predators that are hardy enough to be in cycle

Several raw jumbo shrimp and bacteria in a bottle. Micro bacter is what I used. I cycled my 300 and other large tanks like this and have strong bactera colonies. Do not use fish to cycle the tank.

 

[bronzewhaler22]

Ok cool but the amount of bacteria that is recommended is way too expensive but will cycle with shrimp or food

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Can I ask where in the world did you find a 950g aquarium?? Thats huge!
You may be able to cycle with some large fully grown damsels and just catch them before introducing any predators.

 

[brandon429]

This way will work

add one bottle of biospira for eight dollars and four large pinches of grinded up flake food.

wait a month, the whole system is cycled, dont have to test for anything. It can’t not be cycled, we used triple wait time to equalize a low initial input

also an option, even cheaper, skip the bottle bac add the feed and double the wait time to 60 days, you’re still cycled and the cost is fish food. No parameter testing is required this arrangement will cycle any reef. Your issue is the simplest cycling challenge ever pondered. You specifically do not have to buy bottles of bac equal to your volume, that assumed bac can’t get in unless we add them for cost, not true. They get in free given time and your gallons don’t matter. This approach will cycle a pond or a pico reef.

 

[brandon429]

Also very important in all cycles not just this one

you specifically do NOT have to simulate the bioload of eventual fish loading during the cycle, that is something completely made up in forums.


your surface area present during wait times, rock and sand, are so far beyond the needs of the tank as the sole filter that the above method works because it prepares a typical initial coating of filter bacteria and then the degree of surface area contact spreads it out which amplifies it’s power. It means specifically on the dates stated above, though you only got the trace ammonia from degrading fish food, on the start date your system will handle big fish, better quarantine those guys as cycling is the completely easy and nearly free part.

 

[Azedenkae]

Ok cool but the amount of bacteria that is recommended is way too expensive but will cycle with shrimp or food

You don't need to add exactly the amount of nitrifiers specified on the products. Adding less will result in less microbe to begin with, but of course they'd multiply anyways.

Personally I'd buy a bottle of FritzZyme TurboStart 900 and just dump it into the tank, and that'll be the bacteria you'd need.

And then use ammonium chloride for a more controlled cycle.

 

[bronzewhaler22]

cool

 

[elysics]

Why not cycle with feeder fish and shrimp if it is going to be a predator tank anyway?

 

[bronzewhaler22]

That is true but there is no place that sells live saltwater bait

 

[brandon429]

take all concern and focus on feeder fish here, and apply it to reading the fish disease forum on disease prep and qt

with one seven dollar bottle of bac and two cents worth of fish food, cycle is done.

 

[elysics]

the reason we wouldn’t cycle that way elysics is because it accomplishes nothing above feed and wait. They are both equal cycling outcomes and the way mentioned in post 5 doesn’t introduce disease immediately

take all concern and focus on feeder fish here, and apply it to reading the fish disease forum on disease prep and qt

with one seven dollar bottle of bac and two cents worth of fish food, cycle is done.

Does it make a difference whether you introduce disease immediately or later? You can quarantine or not quarantine at all times.

But it's a nonstarter if op can't get feeder fish

 

[bronzewhaler22]

What feeders do you recommend

 

[Gp!]

What feeders do you recommend

You can use mollies, guppies, and ghost/grass shrimp. Freshwater feeders will not introduce saltwater diseases. Mollies and guppies can convert to saltwater and stay in your sump or use a freshwater holding tank. There is a predator fish subforum here that you can read through for all sorts of information