How to cycle a saltwater aquarium?

[erinw347]

Hey everyone! This is probably a really noob question but I’m thinking about starting my first saltwater aquarium soon and I’m wondering how do I go about cycling it? I keep freshwater and when I want to start a new tank I just seed my media, but I’m guessing that’s not really going to work with saltwater. Can I do the classic method of adding liquid ammonia? Should I add live rock before or after cycling the tank? Thanks in advanced

 

[homer1475]

Add sand, rock(dry or live), Saltwater, and pure ammonia is a fine way to cycle a tank.

As far as the cycling goes, it's really no different then FW. Live rock will speed the process up, but the new trend of everything being sterile to start, uses dry rock. While dry rock is certainly cheaper, there are plenty of benefits to starting with live rock.

Up to you witch route you want to take.

 

[WIReefer]

This might help out!

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is nowhere near simple. This task is going to take patience, a...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[erinw347]

Thanks so much guys! Helpful to know it’s at least one thing I don’t have to learn new!

 

[homer1475]

Ammonia > Nitrites > Nitrates(FWIW fish can be added before nitrites drop to 0 as nitrites aren't as toxic in saltwater)

Cycle doesn't change just because it's water with salt.

 

[erinw347]

Ammonia > Nitrites > Nitrates(FWIW fish can be added before nitrites drop to 0 as nitrites aren't as toxic in saltwater)

Cycle doesn't change just because it's water with salt.

Nitrites aren’t as toxic in saltwater? That’s a helpful tip I’ve lost too many fish to nitrite spikes in the past

 

[brandon429]

consider not testing during the cycle, its possible. use group B rock from the descriptive below. we show how to identify it in person at the pet store (it comes from a currently running reef tank and has coralline and fanworms and pods crawling all over it from a tank with fish)

get group b rock, a tank, a pump, a light for reefing and saltwater and a heater and salinity measuring device, many to choose from. assemble it all with group b rock, rinsed sand (a thread in there sublinked shows how) and have a skip cycle instant reef which isnt dangerous at all, its how we cycle today. when i mentioned not testing during the cycle, thats because whatever tests you buy arent going to show you true ammonia and nitrate and nitrite readings, so our way has been working fine for 4 years in this thread w start examples. we think its ok to not use tests that misread for 100 google pages of search returns (api ammonia at .25 for example)

 

[brandon429]

The microbiology of reef tank cycling.

You can skip your cycle. Ive been reefing online for twenty years and have never waited one second for a tank to cycle, because I buy rocks that are already cycled and move them home. Here's two: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/octo-high-end-sps-skip-cycle-build.713256/...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[erinw347]

consider not testing during the cycle, its possible. use group B rock from the descriptive below. we show how to identify it in person at the pet store (it comes from a currently running reef tank and has coralline and fanworms and pods crawling all over it from a tank with fish)

get group b rock, a tank, a pump, a light for reefing and saltwater and a heater and salinity measuring device, many to choose from. assemble it all with group b rock, rinsed sand (a thread in there sublinked shows how) and have a skip cycle instant reef which isnt dangerous at all, its how we cycle today. when i mentioned not testing during the cycle, thats because whatever tests you buy arent going to show you true ammonia and nitrate and nitrite readings, so our way has been working fine for 4 years in this thread w start examples. we think its ok to not use tests that misread for 100 google pages of search returns (api ammonia at .25 for example)

Thanks @brandon429 ! Funny that the api ammonia .25 thing happens in saltwater too... boy do I have to answer a lot of questions about that!

 

[brandon429]

the short summary of skip cycling from above: we dont have to test live rocks relocated from a working lfs reef to your home, they just transfer. we've cycled like 100 reefs there without ever testing, as that misleads.

but looking for cloudy vs clear water, smell vs no smell, attached animals vs none, doesnt mislead and thats the heart of groub B rock