Extended fishless cycling?

[drtechno]

Hey all..

I am starting to cycle my rock soon, but my tank is likely 4-6 months away still. I am doing a fishless cycle so the question is what happens once the initial cycle is "complete".. I assume I then have to continue ghost feeding the cycling tubs to keep feeding the bacteria, or else it will just die off or reduce in population. ?? How do I know how much to feed/how frequently, so as to not over feed? Is there a write up somewhere on how to maintain the conditions so that the bacterial population is maintained/continues to thrive without the introduction of fish ?

 

[kimbericson]

Following

Hey all..

I am starting to cycle my rock soon, but my tank is likely 4-6 months away still. I am doing a fishless cycle so the question is what happens once the initial cycle is "complete".. I assume I then have to continue ghost feeding the cycling tubs to keep feeding the bacteria, or else it will just die off or reduce in population. ?? How do I know how much to feed/how frequently, so as to not over feed? Is there a write up somewhere on how to maintain the conditions so that the bacterial population is maintained/continues to thrive without the introduction of fish ?

 

[Timfish]

Keep in mind you are only establishing nitrifying bacteria and this is only part of the nitrogen cycle in reef systems. Once you start adding fish and corals, and hoepfully some maricultured live rock, The show really gets going. If it was me I would get some mollies and keep them in the tubs and feed accordingly or just drop in the amount of food a couple of fish would normally recieve.

 

[drtechno]

Hmm. OK. So I won't have the diversity until fish are added. So my tank is 6 months away but I am going to attempt cycling now, and will let all know how it goes. Basically using Caribsea liferock, and after 2 weeks will add microbacter 7 and possibly some clean in at a later time. I plan on feeding the cycling tubs a small amount every day, and just run everything until the tank comes. I plan on monthly 10% water changes to bring down nitrates although I suppose I dont need this since I won't have any light for algae to grow under. I will let everyone know how it goes when I finally add the rocks into the tank

 

[Timfish]

Hmm. OK. So I won't have the diversity until fish are added. . . .

It might be more accurate to say you won't have the diversity until you add corals. And hopefully some maricultured liverock. Corals, sponges, algae and probably fungii and other benthic stuff are all manipulating the bacteria in the water. I would suggest getting Forest Rohwer's "Coral Reefs in the Microbial Seas" (kindle $10, paperback $20). It's agood introduction to the conflicting roles of labile DOC on reefs.

 

[Gaspipe]

How's it going so far?

Hmm. OK. So I won't have the diversity until fish are added. So my tank is 6 months away but I am going to attempt cycling now, and will let all know how it goes. Basically using Caribsea liferock, and after 2 weeks will add microbacter 7 and possibly some clean in at a later time. I plan on feeding the cycling tubs a small amount every day, and just run everything until the tank comes. I plan on monthly 10% water changes to bring down nitrates although I suppose I dont need this since I won't have any light for algae to grow under. I will let everyone know how it goes when I finally add the rocks into the tank