New tank - do I need to add anything?

[chelsnfish]

A bit confused .. bought a 50gal tank with live rock and live sand. Set up with a protein skimmer and was told by seller to just let cycle for few weeks before adding any invertebrates. I have not added any food or ammonia to start a cycle - do I need to? He didn’t explain that very much and don’t want to mess up when I add my fish later and it’s not ready. Seeing a lot of info online and hard to understand it all. Thank you!

 

[chickendirt]

You have to add ammonia. And make sure it’s enough. Dr Tim’s come with instruction. I didn’t use enough my first go round and lost six clowns.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Dr Tim's will help you.you can add additional products e.g aquavitro seed but in my experience it's unnecessary.ammonia & a good test kit is all you need.patience
Lots of that too

 

[Nano_Man]

If you have LIVE rock just let it cycle the good bacteria is on your live rock . Just keep testing rise and fall of ammonia nitrite then you should get a reading of nitrate which you control with WC ect . You could add a little bottle bacteria if you want to but I have never done it. If you had a dry rock cycle then you would need to kick start your good bacteria because there is none in your new tank .

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

If you have LIVE rock just let it cycle the good bacteria is on your live rock . Just keep testing rise and fall of ammonia nitrite then you should get a reading of nitrate which you control with WC ect . You could add a little bottle bacteria if you want to but I have never done it. If you had a dry rock cycle then you would need to kick start your good bacteria because there is none in your new tank .

It may well be live sand but is it LIVE rock or LIFE rock the OP is referring to I wonder?
The bacterial spore claims of such manufactured products is dubious IMO.

 

[Nano_Man]

It may well be live sand but is it LIVE rock or LIFE rock the OP is referring to I wonder?
The bacterial spore claims of such manufactured products is dubious IMO.

Yep I’ve never used dry rock since starting this hobby in the 90s . If it is good live rock no problem but if it’s dry rock need to add bacteria and something to feed it. There was a thing in the early 2000 were you added a drop a day until your nitrite was sky high then add good live rock. Again food for the good bacteria to thrive . Can not remember the name of it.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

You will also need a good test kit to follow the cycle (not the API master saltwater test kit), you should be able to track the increase of ammonia, then watch it drop to zero. Then nitrite will rise and drop, then nitrates will increase. When the nitrates start increasing, the tank is cycled. It means the tank is capable to convert dangerous ammonia into not-so-dangerous nitrate.

 

[Dburr1014]

A bit confused .. bought a 50gal tank with live rock and live sand. Set up with a protein skimmer and was told by seller to just let cycle for few weeks before adding any invertebrates. I have not added any food or ammonia to start a cycle - do I need to? He didn’t explain that very much and don’t want to mess up when I add my fish later and it’s not ready. Seeing a lot of info online and hard to understand it all. Thank you!

You bought a whole system?
If you broke it down, moved it, and set it back up in one day, it's cycled already.

Add a small fish and start reefing.

 

[chelsnfish]

Thank y’all very much! Super helpful. I bought all of my equipment from the store separate so it’s all it’s own new ecosystem. The rock is live with a good amount of bacteria growing already so I will give some time and just wait it out with some testing until it’s good to go for the fish.