Mixing salt into display after cycle.

[fishmonkey]

So I was thinking about doing the low salinity cycle like dr Tim says in his video to speed things up. The problem with this is getting the salinity back up without a 100% water change.

Since my tank will be bare bottom and I will have lots of potential flow in the tank, why can’t I just mix the salt directly into the tank after the cycle?

 

[blaxsun]

Why can't you just mix the salt directly into the tank after the cycle?

 

[brmc1985]

Why can't you just mix the salt directly into the tank after the cycle?

Because the salt has to be dissolved into the water before it becomes saltwater. If you just dump salt into the tank there will be chemical processes that undergo which will harm the inhabitants. This is why all salt companies(and everyone in the hobby) says to fully mix the salt before adding to the tank.

 

[fishmonkey]

Because the salt has to be dissolved into the water before it becomes saltwater. If you just dump salt into the tank there will be chemical processes that undergo which will harm the inhabitants. This is why all salt companies(and everyone in the hobby) says to fully mix the salt before adding to the tank.

But the only inhabitants in the tank right after a cycle will be the bacteria.

 

[fishmonkey]

Why can't you just mix the salt directly into the tank after the cycle?

That’s what I’m asking. I’m just wondering if there is something I’m missing about why I maybe shouldn’t do that. If there aren’t any fish or coral I wouldn’t see why I shouldn’t but I’m not sure if there is some chemical thing or what not that plays into this. Only thing living in the tank after a cycle is the bacteria.

 

[brmc1985]

But the only inhabitants in the tank right after a cycle will be the bacteria.

Yes, but bacteria are still affected by rapid salinity changes and chemical reactions. Your best course of action is to raise the salinity slowly until it’s where you want it. There are some videos out there about different types of nitrifying bacteria and the salinities they prefer. Changing the salinity quickly can have adverse effects on the bacteria population.

 

[brmc1985]

That’s what I’m asking. I’m just wondering if there is something I’m missing about why I maybe shouldn’t do that. If there aren’t any fish or coral I wouldn’t see why I shouldn’t but I’m not sure if there is some chemical thing or what not that plays into this. Only thing living in the tank after a cycle is the bacteria.

See above. Always best to slowly raise salinity so the bacteria can adjust to the new salinity and the chemical reactions taking place as the salt becomes saltwater.

 

[fishmonkey]

See above. Always best to slowly raise salinity so the bacteria can adjust to the new salinity and the chemical reactions taking place as the salt becomes saltwater.

Dang.. I’m thinking it might just be easier to start the cycle at normal salinity..

 

[brmc1985]

Dang.. I’m thinking it might just be easier to start the cycle at normal salinity.what size tank?

What size tank? You can always mix up a bucket of saltwater and slowly add some of that until you reach your desired salinity. Also, what are your timeframes for wanting to have 35 salinity?

 

[fishmonkey]

What size tank? You can always mix up a bucket of saltwater and slowly add some of that until you reach your desired salinity. Also, what are your timeframes for wanting to have 35 salinity?

120 gallon tank

 

[fishmonkey]

What size tank? You can always mix up a bucket of saltwater and slowly add some of that until you reach your desired salinity. Also, what are your timeframes for wanting to have 35 salinity?

And I want to add fish after the cycle. God knows how long it will take to cycle bare bottom dry rock.

 

[brmc1985]

120 gallon tank

What did you cycle at? I would just mix up a 5G bucket of saltwater and just put some in everyday until you reach what you want it to be. Bacteria multiplies quickly so depending on the bacteria strain they can duplicate as quickly as a half day or so. I know that the way I am saying how to do this might be too conservative for some people on here but “nothing good ever happens quickly in a reef tank”. You have the bacteria already so you just have to get the bacteria that can survive the higher salinity to replicate until that is the dominant strain.

 

[fishmonkey]

What did you cycle at? I would just mix up a 5G bucket of saltwater and just put some in everyday until you reach what you want it to be.

I didn’t cycle yet. Just planning ahead. I’m deciding whether I should cycle at 35 or 20. Hoping to add fish right after it’s done.

 

[brmc1985]

I didn’t cycle yet. Just planning ahead. I’m deciding whether I should cycle at 35 or 20. Hoping to add fish right after it’s done.

35. 100%. Get some media from someone you trust. Give it a couple weeks then add the fish. Don’t overthink it like I have been

 

[fishmonkey]

35. 100%. Get some media from someone you trust. Give it a couple weeks then add the fish. Don’t overthink it like I have been

Ima try the brightwell dry rock cycle kit. Then if that takes too long I might put some media from my tank and try that. It’s only around a year old but I don’t really know any other reefers. And the “live rock” I see at the Lfs is just rock in a bunch of saltwater.

 

[brmc1985]

Ima try the brightwell dry rock cycle kit. Then if that takes too long I might put some media from my tank and try that. It’s only around a year old but I don’t really know any other reefers. And the “live rock” I see at the Lfs is just rock in a bunch of saltwater.

I will die on this hill but, bottled bacteria is nowhere as good at cycling a tank as time is. Or a pice of another established tank. Bottled bacteria is “good” at “cycling tanks” for the nitrogen cycle but don’t do anything for the environment of the tank.

 

[fishmonkey]

I will die on this hill but, bottled bacteria is nowhere as good at cycling a tank as time is. Or a pice of another established tank. Bottled bacteria is “good” at “cycling tanks” for the nitrogen cycle but don’t do anything for the environment of the tank.

Yea I’m just using it for the putting in fish. The. I have some media in my old tank for helping with biodiversity

 

[brmc1985]

Yea I’m just using it for the putting in fish. The. I have some media in my old tank for helping with biodiversity

Then I would just cycle at 35 with the media from your other tank. Give that a week or so to populate the new tank. Once you start getting diatoms or algae you should be good to go as the nitrogen cycle is going. You can test for no2 to make sure the cycle is working as intended but as long as you start with 1-2 small fish your cycle will be complete. Edit: in a 120 your ammonia would be negligible with a couple fish so you can test for it but I wouldn’t let that stop you. In a 14g tank with 3 tangs and 12 anthias(which seems to be a normal stocking for a first timer) you would have to worry about ammonia but in your case you will be fine!