Question about starting my tank up

[Eyeage]

Hi,

I'm new to this, but I seem to be getting a lot of mixed information. I'll be running an AIO JBJ 45gal.

I've been told by someone I trust to cycle the tank 3 months without fish... but I've also been told: cycle 6 weeks without fish... 3 weeks without fish... cycle with fish and live rock... cycle with live sand, a bottle of Dr. Tim's, and fish (BRS video).

Question 1) if I set the tank up with dry rock, live sand, and Dr. Tim's, could I put a clown fish or two in there without issues? If not, am I suppose I'm adding ammonia during the dry cycle? If no fish to start, how long to cycle with live sand and Dr. Tim's compared to dry sand?

Question 2) If I plan to do a few corals later on, should I be using a specific salt, or are they all good enough?

Question 3) What things do I need to be monitoring outside of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH? What is optimal pH?

Question 4) Temp 78 degrees?

Question 5) Protein skimmer vital early on? I have a HOB Eshopps skimmer, but my wife doesn't want the tank away from the wall. I plan to by the Tunze DOC 9004 and drop it in one of my filter areas when I have some extra cash, but wondering if waiting is an option.

Question 6) Anything that you wish you would have known at the beginning you would like to share with me?

Sorry for the bombardment of questions, but I've been blowing up my resource for a few days and he needs a break... lol

Thanks

 

[SPR1968]

Hi and Welcome to R2R!

You should hopefully find these excellent articles will answer most of your questions

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cycling-an-aquarium.306554/

 

[DancingWind]

You cycle with a source of nitrifying bacteria and a source of ammonia.
Live rock/sand and drTim(or alternative bacteria in a bootle) is your bacteria source.
You can mix them if you want
For amonia source its ammonia botttle, phanton teeding, dead shrimp or a fish - responsible reefers no longer use fish as it cruel. If you are cycling with a fish then do not add additional ammonia and monitor it constantly or you could kill the fish.
While cycling you ph is not yet important - though you probably want to check your saltwster batch to be sure.
Ideal ph is 8.0-8.4
For corals you need “reef” salt that has proper ammount of alkalinity , calcium and magnezium. Usually vendors have 1 “saltwater” bucket and 1 or 2 versions of “reef salt” just vhekc the labels.
Temp: cycling without fish you can certainly go a few degrees higher
Skimmer: as protein filtration it is not needed if you are cycling fish-less, but it does add oxygen to the water so it does help (though you can always use an air pump)

6) patients

 

[Baurochs]

1) I'd say it varies, I'm a new reefer as well and mine was cycled in about a month, I would wait before adding fish until parameters are good. I didn't add any ammonia because I read it's easy to overdose and is for prepping for a large bioload addition when tank is cycled. There is an article somewhere on here about cycling with fish properly if you really can't wait.

2) pretty much anything labelled reef salt, BRS did a side by side test and they all seem pretty decent

3) salinity/specific gravity and phosphate I'd say be the biggest parameters to watch out for outside of the ones you listed

4) temperature depends on the inhabitants, I turned mine down from 78 to 77 and my hermits became more lively.

5) I don't think skimmers are necessary at least early on because it's a new tank

6) let saltwater properly mix before adding it to the tank, I'm guilty of dumping fresh mixed cloudy saltwater in the tank