Getting back into the game

[fishfinder22]

All advise is welcome, as i want to do it right this time. 10 years ago i had a couple aquariums but always cut corners so i had all the normal issues that come when you do that. I recently “Sunday” set up my new 90gallon drilled tank. I got 80 pounds of live agg from the fish store along with the salt water. The tank has base rock and dried live rock from my LFS as well. Heater and power heads are running. I will put the light up after the cycle is completed. Question is will the dried live rock cycle my tank with the sand or do i need to cycle it another way. I have no problem waiting as long as it takes to make sure it is done right. Thank you for all the advise and look forward to surfing the forums in the future.

 

[SlugSnorter]

All advise is welcome, as i want to do it right this time. 10 years ago i had a couple aquariums but always cut corners so i had all the normal issues that come when you do that. I recently “Sunday” set up my new 90gallon drilled tank. I got 80 pounds of live agg from the fish store along with the salt water. The tank has base rock and dried live rock from my LFS as well. Heater and power heads are running. I will put the light up after the cycle is completed. Question is will the dried live rock cycle my tank with the sand or do i need to cycle it another way. I have no problem waiting as long as it takes to make sure it is done right. Thank you for all the advise and look forward to surfing the forums in the future.

some tips:

use RODI water when mixing your saltwater, and Dr. Tims bacterial starters to seed the tank. add some fish food to the tank to create ammonia and test levels daily.

IMO Its best to just have rock as the other stuff can be hard to clean and doesn't look as good as real corals.

Make a QT tank to make sure fish are healthy before putting them into your tank and also to treat fish with medication.

Remember to keep up with 10-20% weekly waterchanges once cycle is done

get some digital test kits like HANNA testers. The money will be worth the fast and very precise readouts

 

[shakacuz]

while you wait for everything to cycle, you can start brainstorming and planning a stock list. is this going to be a fish only with live rock, or do you plan on adding corals later on?

also, welcome back!

 

[fishfinder22]

while you wait for everything to cycle, you can start brainstorming and planning a stock list. is this going to be a fish only with live rock, or do you plan on adding corals later on?

also, welcome back!

I plan on adding coral in 8-12 months, i have a skimmer and UV light to add after the cycle as well. I have a RODI set up for my water top offs and will be buying my salt water from my LFS that is also a coral store. My buddy has a reef tank and gets his water from them and his coral is always happy happy happy, but until i get to that point i will add fish and my cuc

 

[tharbin]

Welcome to R2R! The tank will eventually cycle on its own but a starter bacteria culture is not a bad idea. Dr. Tim's One-and-Only, Instant Ocean's Bio-Spira or Fritz's Turbo 900 all work.