Macro during cycle?

[jsbull]

I'm cycling my new set-up, and part of it is a display refugium. Is it safe to add the macro during the cycle? Seems to me that it would thrive.

 

[rock_lobster]

yes however the bacteria bloom can be a nuissance to it if it covers it. I would personally wait till the ammonia and nitrite have been converted to nitrate then add the macro.

 

[Thoms_here]

yes however the bacteria bloom can be a nuissance to it if it covers it. I would personally wait till the ammonia and nitrite have been converted to nitrate then add the macro.

+1 To that.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Keep in mind the plants need a good soil so to speak. If there's nothing in there to eat or the phbis weird they'll fail.
How did you cycle the tank what's the fuge set up. It may be ok but would need more info.

I'm a total fuge guy btw and have a display fuge as well.

 

[Ewilson]

I have thrown cheato in my sump on the last two tanks I've started durring cycle and have seen no ill effects, but I also used raw shrimp and dr tims

 

[jsbull]

Keep in mind the plants need a good soil so to speak. If there's nothing in there to eat or the phbis weird they'll fail.
How did you cycle the tank what's the fuge set up. It may be ok but would need more info.

I'm a total fuge guy btw and have a display fuge as well.

Here's the setup.

The plan is to have predators in the DT, seahorses in the display refugium. Because of the seahorses, I planned to do a bare bottom, covered with GSP. The fake coral is there to provide yellow for the seahorses to maintain their color. Once there's some coraline, it'll look fine.

I know I want some dragons breath, but not sure about what else.

Oh yeah, the cycle is short. I pre-seeded some bio block with Bio-Spira, then added the Bio-Spira containing water to the tank. I dumped a bunch of pellets into the tank 2 days ago. Yesterday, ammonia was around .25, today is 0 again. Nitrates are 0 as well.

Bio-Spira almost cycles too fast. If you blink, you miss it.

Thanks for the help.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Here's the setup.

The plan is to have predators in the DT, seahorses in the display refugium. Because of the seahorses, I planned to do a bare bottom, covered with GSP. The fake coral is there to provide yellow for the seahorses to maintain their color. Once there's some coraline, it'll look fine.

I know I want some dragons breath, but not sure about what else.

Oh yeah, the cycle is short. I pre-seeded some bio block with Bio-Spira, then added the Bio-Spira containing water to the tank. I dumped a bunch of pellets into the tank 2 days ago. Yesterday, ammonia was around .25, today is 0 again. Nitrates are 0 as well.

Bio-Spira almost cycles too fast. If you blink, you miss it.

Thanks for the help.

it a bit of a false reading as adding the bacteria eats the ammoina immediately. the tank during the initial cycle is creating ammonia and then eating it. watching the numbers lets us know how well it doing that. thats why adding pure ammonia and testing to see how fast it goes down is how some check the progress of the bio filter.

Id go cautiously planning seahorses as a refugium inhabitant and do huge reserch there, as they do have very specific needs, mainly temperature and some would also say bacterial levels, as they are prone to infection i'm told. not a pony expert but we could tag some into the convo if you like.

On a fresh cycle there's not likely to be a lot of nutrients for coral or macros initially so you may consider seeding..fiji mud miracle mud etc, adding the ponies to the fuge does complicate that.
my usual recommendation on a display fuge or macro tank is use a dsb(oolite bottom sugar top) seeded with fiji mud and live rock. it gives rooted plants something to eat and adds nutrients to the tanks overall balance initially, but as it matures will balance it's self out.