Fishless cycle question

lion king · Sep 11, 2016

Dr. Tim's

Brew12 · Sep 11, 2016

Some days I wish there was just a simple, black and white answer to at least one part of reef keeping!

Seems like the only thing everyone agrees on is that it takes salt water!

saltyfilmfolks · Sep 11, 2016

Brew12 said:
Some days I wish there was just a simple, black and white answer to at least one part of reef keeping!

Seems like the only thing everyone agrees on is that it takes salt water!

I think you'll find its much like life. And it's just as easy.

reeferfoxx · Sep 11, 2016

Brew12 said:
Some days I wish there was just a simple, black and white answer to at least one part of reef keeping!

Seems like the only thing everyone agrees on is that it takes salt water!

There is one simple answer to everything. K.I.S.S

zoomonster · Sep 11, 2016

K.I.S.S is exactly right. I had a tank of dead rock, dead sand with some live and simply added the Bacter Gen M daily until it was gone. No shrimp or ammonia added and water ammonia and nitrite free in less than 2 weeks. I don't remember testing details but at some point I had ammonia and nitrite slightly register and then gone. Added some cleanup crew critters to start and days later started with fish and the rest is history. One benefit of a clean cycle like that is when done nitrates were close to zero. It could not be any simpler and it sure beats the old days of using damsels to cycle a tank which took forever. One thing though if your using an ORP probe. Most of the products will screw with it by leaving bio film on it. Nothing a little vinegar wash won't take care of though.

Brew12 · Sep 11, 2016

zoomonster said:
K.I.S.S is exactly right. I had a tank of dead rock, dead sand with some live and simply added the Bacter Gen M daily until it was gone. No shrimp or ammonia added and water ammonia and nitrite free in less than 2 weeks. I don't remember testing details but at some point I had ammonia and nitrite slightly register and then gone. Added some cleanup crew critters to start and days later started with fish and the rest is history. One benefit of a clean cycle like that is when done nitrates were close to zero. It could not be any simpler and it sure beats the old days of using damsels to cycle a tank which took forever. One thing though if your using an ORP probe. Most of the products will screw with it by leaving bio film on it. Nothing a little vinegar wash won't take care of though.

Keep it simple by just adding a shrimp?
Keep it simple by using a bottle of bacteria?
Keep it simple by dosing Ammonia?
Keep it simple by adding a fish?
Keep it simple by using fresh live rock/sand?

So many ways to keep it simple!

I'm thinking I should have gone the route you did though without adding the shrimp. Thought I was doing it the easy way. And it really isn't hard. I just have no idea what is happening in my tank right now. Kinda frustrating!

reeferfoxx · Sep 11, 2016

Brew12 said:
Keep it simple by just adding a shrimp?
Keep it simple by using a bottle of bacteria?
Keep it simple by dosing Ammonia?
Keep it simple by adding a fish?
Keep it simple by using fresh live rock/sand?

So many ways to keep it simple!

I'm thinking I should have gone the route you did though without adding the shrimp. Thought I was doing it the easy way. And it really isn't hard. I just have no idea what is happening in my tank right now. Kinda frustrating!

Just keep the shrimp in there. Wait a couple weeks. Test water. Done. Simple lol