New tank start up questions

jeffrey750750 · Sep 9, 2020

Hello, this will be my fourth tank set up. Here's where I'm at: tank is up, filled with rodi water and live sand was put in a few days ago. Gyre pumps running and skimmer running with plug out to drain back in. I will be ordering florida live rock in the next day or so, probably being shipped next week some time.
When should I turn the fuge light on and put chaeto in?
When should I kick my uv light on?
Should I cycle with fish or without? If without should I shrimp it?
When do I put my microbacter7 soaked no3 plate in? I have bio Spira as well as fastart-m and start xlm?
When should I order pods?
After my rock is in, how long is the minimum light cycle good for the rock?
I plan on going slow and trying to do everything right on this one. My last tank kicked my butt. Any help is greatly appreciated, I'm sure there's more to ask but those are the major ones. Jeff

BlennyTime · Sep 9, 2020

Exciting! You mention RODI water, I assume you have mixed salt in with it already?

I wouldn’t start the fuge until there are nutrients to consume after the cycle is over and the first fish are added. Same with pods.

Light cycle will depend on what lights you have, but that isn’t really essential for cycling. More determined by your coral needs.

Your live rock and sand should give you most of what you need to cycle your tank.

jeffrey750750 · Sep 9, 2020

BlennyTime said:
Exciting! You mention RODI water, I assume you have mixed salt in with it already?

I wouldn’t start the fuge until there are nutrients to consume after the cycle is over and the first fish are added. Same with pods.

Light cycle will depend on what lights you have, but that isn’t really essential for cycling. More determined by your coral needs.

Your live rock and sand should give you most of what you need to cycle your tank.

Yes salt was added and mixed way before the sand went in. The light are two kessil apx9's. I want to keep the uglies down but want to keep alive whatever algae comes on the rock

pdxmonkeyboy · Sep 9, 2020

You should not need to add any bottled bacteria as your live rock will contain everything your tank should need. I would hold off on the UV for a couple weeks as you should not have any nasties that the UV would take care of and you don't want to slow the spread of bacteria in your tank.

Chaeto will have to wait until there is enough nitrogen and phos to support it. When is that? depends on a lot of things.

Keeping nasty algae at bay is the trick.. not turning the tank light on for awhile will certainly help a lot. I would give it a couple weeks in the dark. Let phosphorous and nitrogen climb from decaying live rock. then do a HUGE water change and add fish.