questions about cycling a bare bottom fish only tank

[cpt]

I have completed a 40 gallon acrylic cube and was planning on setting it up for a bare bottom tank, I have no experience bare bottom setups and would like to hear some input on what issues I ma run into or what benefits I could gain from a bare bottom, also what kind of cycle time frame should I be expecting. I have read various treads about bare bottom tank but they mostly discussed what was in the tanks there wasn't the info i was looking for and did not answer specifically the parameters pertaining to a setup of this size and style.
21x21x25 with center overflow a 15lbs of live rock, still working on what size of sump.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Being as your not running a sand bed, you are woefully low on the rock side of things. As this is going to be your huge bacteria farm, your going need need at least the minimum.
Cycling time would all depend still, on how much of an ammonia source your going to use. All tanks are different, and the timing will be that way.

ps.
Loved GJ when I lived there.

 

[evan.lundberg4]

Being as your not running a sand bed, you are woefully low on the rock side of things. As this is going to be your huge bacteria farm, your going need need at least the minimum.
Cycling time would all depend still, on how much of an ammonia source your going to use. All tanks are different, and the timing will be that way.

ps.
Loved GJ when I lived there.

I just set up a bare bottom tank a few months back. As far as I know there isn't anything special about cycling it. I did it the same as my other tanks and saw pretty much the same results. Like reefingmadness said it varies tank to tank.

 

[cpt]

right on I will update as soon as its all ready for setup, thanks

 

[evan.lundberg4]

right on I will update as soon as its all ready for setup, thanks

Sounds good. I know everyone says that the bare bottom tanks look weird but it is definitely the best thing I did for my new setup. You can have tons of flow and keep detritus from building up.

One thing you may want to look into is getting a piece of what's called star board to cover the bottom. It's high density polyethylene I believe. You can get it in different colors. I used black for mine and it doesn't have that mirror look that people associate with bare bottom tanks at all. If you decide to do that you just cut it to size and set it in there. You can silicone it in if you want or just leave it. That's the only other suggestion I have for a bare bottom tank.

 

[cpt]

I am going to be using a 55gallon for a sump and filtration system. I finished my stand and partially plumbed the display tank. hopefully this weekend will work out to do all final prep work and a final install

 

[backpack]

lots of people in FW use ceramic tiles to stop the light bleed through into the sump. If you don't want to grow algea and have lots of media packed in it do it. If you have a refugium you save on the power bill by plane Bare Bottom. Cycling is the same a normal and is quicker in my experience. I cycled mine in 4 days with rock from another tank.