Is this a viable option for cycling a reef tank?!

[noxel56]

Hello, I’m 14 and new to this hobby. I have set up and added water, live sand, and live rock to my new 37.4g reef tank. I want to cycle my tank by purchasing the Fritz Aquatics ammonia powder. My dad wants me to cycle my tank by adding a cuc and feeding them, then add a fish every 2 weeks. I believe that the process I want to use for cycling the tank is a better/safer option for the fish. Could someone please back up my opinion or if the would recommend a better method/my fathers preferred method, explain why that would be a better option. This would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading,

- noxel56

 

[dank reefer]

Here is a link to Dr. Tim Hovanec that will give you some good tips and pointers to cycling a tank.

 

[brandon429]

what that video leaves out, possibly on purpose:

true live rock is skip cycle, ready, you dont add additional bottle bac
you mentioned live rock

does it have living things attached/algae/fanworms

if so, it means its already cycled. we want to avoid paying Dr Tim whenever possible, especially if you've already paid more for real live rock vs dry rock that has no living attachments (these attachments signify that its been underwater a long time, cycle bac take 30 days to seat online charts show)

 

[cymonous]

I would go with your idea. Cycling a tank with any sea life is just mean in my opinion. Any sea life with ammonia is torture and possible death to them.

 

[noxel56]

what that video leaves out, possibly on purpose:

true live rock is skip cycle, ready, you dont add additional bottle bac
you mentioned live rock

does it have living things attached/algae/fanworms

if so, it means its already cycled. we want to avoid paying Dr Tim whenever possible, especially if you've already paid more for real live rock vs dry rock that has no living attachments (these attachments signify that its been underwater a long time, cycle bac take 30 days to seat online charts show)

The rock was in a cycled aquarium before. I don’t think it is true live rock, as there is no coralline or any algae for that matter. I don’t think the tank was very established but still had beneficial bacteria.

 

[cymonous]

Even if you start with live rock, I would still add ammonia to see if your tank can process the ammonia within 24 hours. Live sand is nothing but a gimmick. The bacteria in live sand in a bag is most likely dead.

 

[brandon429]

Before you pay money for bottlebac you need to add a little bit of ammonia to the system and see if your tester shows it moving down within 24 hours


It doesn't have to go to zero, just move down, then you know it's cycled.

Then you'd change out water and add clean up crew, don't buy bottle bac out of principle, because times we wouldn't use it are left out of the video.

 

[dank reefer]

Here is a link to Dr. Tim Hovanec that will give you some good tips and pointers to cycling a tank.

I by no way am trying to promote any Dr. Tims products. Just thought the video more closer to the end of it was very informational.

 

[brandon429]

If the pet store had the rock underwater for 30 days then it's cycled. Google charts show

 

[SeaDweller]

If you have cycled live rock and sand, you’re done.

 

[brandon429]

His products are good I've just been noticing a lot of over use in the hobby lately it was nothing particular on your post

 

[cymonous]

Please Do not add any fish or other sea life if you still have an Ammonia reading! Even if the reading is slowly going down, it's still harmful to them.

 

[dank reefer]

His products are good I've just been noticing a lot of over use in the hobby lately it was nothing particular on your post

There has been a lot of threads on Bac lately. I just found interesting some of his tips to cycle a tank a lot faster, and some of the don't do's when cycling a tank. running, skimmer, running lights, ect.

 

[SeaDweller]

His products are good I've just been noticing a lot of over use in the hobby lately it was nothing particular on your post

I think my cyano issue was when I was adding his eco balance and MB7 weekly. Since I did a chemiclean tx and stopped dosing, it hasn’t come back.

 

[dank reefer]

I think my cyano issue was when I was adding his eco balance and MB7 weekly. Since I did a chemiclean tx and stopped dosing, it hasn’t come back.

MB7 is not a Dr Tims product BTW

 

[Nicksarge]

I'd say with your setup, you'd be good to go with a cuc. My way of justifying that is by using seachem prime, which detoxifies ammonia nitrite and nitrate.

 

[brandon429]

I have recommended his products for dry rock use and they tested viable in Dr reefs test thread.

I'm certain the new way of reef cycling doesn't factor stalls, or nitrite, ever. The new way is how every reef tank at a macna manages to start on time, with no noncompliants.

New way is about being accurate with expenditures: live rock with any inclusion that takes longer than a month to show up uses no verification, it's ready. Don't burn live animals with ammonia, they excrete it for a reason.


Suspected live rock like yours, no obvious attachments, can still be cycled but we'd verify. step two verify with liquid ammonia. 2 ppm is not required. 1 ppm is fine for most testers, watch for movement down over nite. Any down is full cycled.

No movement down, now we buy bottle bac.

 

[lapin]

The rock was in a cycled aquarium before. I don’t think it is true live rock, as there is no coralline or any algae for that matter. I don’t think the tank was very established but still had beneficial bacteria.

As brandon429 said " Add a bit of ammonia and test" Then wait 24 hours and test again. If the ammonia goes away then you are cycled.

 

[brandon429]

Nowadays I wanna see people tell me where bacteria need no help, reinforcement or purchase. If they don't, I look sideways

By following the cost adjusting steps above, all initial bioloads will live. Uncycled tanks kill bioload overnite. I'm concerned that when I watch a cycling video, the part about when not to use is missing.

Nitrifiers should never ever be thought of something we must buy, they're free. We buy only to save time


Google cycling charts are fifty years old, before bottle bac, due to natural import of the bacteria. The way we set up reef tanks vectors in bacteria when we add anything wet.


That live sand you added was wet it'll run fish right now. Fish imports are chosen only after your selected disease prevention protocol. They control time of addition, but my lfs ran twenty baby clowns in a twenty gallon no skimmer sand caribsea only surface area.

 

[SeaDweller]

MB7 is not a Dr Tims product BTW

I know, I never said it was. I was dosing both.