Red Sea Mature Reef Starter Kit Skimmer

[Inversus]

Hey there,

Im about to start my cycle with the Red Sea Mature Reef Starter Kit. The instruction says a running Skimmer is needed.
My Skimmer is running but not tuned in.
Can I start the cycle or should I wait till the Skimmer is tuned in?

Thanks!

 

[blaxsun]

The reason for this is that the starter kit contains NOPOX (carbon dosing), and this increases your bacteria at the expense of oxygen levels. So without a skimmer you'll eventually run into issues. However, this is more of a long-term issue once you have actual livestock in the tank. You'll be good to start the regiment - but I'd dial the skimmer in as soon as you can and get it running. Hope this helps.

 

[Spare time]

Don't bother using nopox while cycling. It can only slow things down unless the bacteria "food" in the kit contains some phosphate.

 

[blaxsun]

Don't bother using nopox while cycling. It can only slow things down unless the bacteria "food" in the kit contains some phosphate.

It's a very small bottle, and you only use it at certain points in the Red Sea regiment. If OP is using the Red Sea Reef Mature Kit, he should stick to what they suggest (including when to add cleaning crew and inverts). I've used it to cycle my tanks - and it works 100%.

 

[Spare time]

No doubt it works.

It's a very small bottle, and you only use it at certain points in the Red Sea regiment. If OP is using the Red Sea Reef Mature Kit, he should stick to what they suggest (including when to add cleaning crew and inverts). I've used it to cycle my tanks - and it works 100%.

Do you know if they list the ingredients on the bacteria food bottle? I've sold some a long time ago but never looked at the ingredients on that one. If not I'm sure it's listed on their product manual or saftey thingy

 

[Inversus]

Thanks, I started the cycle today.

I'm not using live rock and I read that it might take longer than the actual plan suggest. How do I handle the potentially slower progress? Do I wait with dosing till the results of the test match the excpected values or do I just continue?

 

[Spare time]

Thanks, I started the cycle today.

I'm not using live rock and I read that it might take longer than the actual plan suggest. How do I handle the potentially slower progress? Do I wait with dosing till the results of the test match the excpected values or do I just continue?

Just go along with the instructions and it'll be fine

 

[Inversus]

I'm on day 5 and it says (for day 4 and 5) "At this point different type of algae will start to bloom"
But so far nothing

 

[blaxsun]

I'm on day 5 and it says (for day 4 and 5) "At this point different type of algae will start to bloom"
But so far nothing

Not to worry - it will bloom (and then you'll wish it didn't).

 

[Inversus]

Not to worry - it will bloom (and then you'll wish it didn't).

Hehe ok. And Just continue with the Plan or wait?

 

[blaxsun]

Hehe ok. And Just continue with the Plan or wait?

Continue with the plan. Sometimes the effects can be off by ± a day.

 

[Inversus]

Sorry for asking so much here... ^^
Im on day 10. Numbers should be:

Nitrate= 10 ppm
Nitrite = 0 ppm
Ammonia= 0 ppm

But its:
Nitrate = Something between 20 and 50, but Color indicates thats its closer to 50 than 20.
Nitrite= 0,5 ppm
Ammonia= Between 0 - 0,2

Temp and salinity (1.0264) is stable

(I really dont like the color guessing of the red sea multi test kit. Im probably not good at it, but for me it's more guessing than beeing precise... Numbers would be mutch better)

Am I still good? Still haven't any algaes and Red Sea wants me too add the CUC, which I obviously won't do at the current stage

 

[blaxsun]

I'd hold off on the CUC until your nitrates drop down to around 10.

 

[Inversus]

Okay I'm at day 27 (reef mature "stops" at day 21).

Nitrate: Around 20
Nitrite: 0.2
Ammonia: 0
ph= 8
alkalinity= 8.5

A few days ago I saw the first small spot where algea grow. But beside that it still looks really clean. How should I continue? The plan says I should add nopox till nitrate is in normal area. But it seems to decrease pretty slow, if at all.
Other values on the other hand seem good.

 

[blaxsun]

I think it's cycled. Have you added any cleaning crew or fish? (you add these at certain times)

 

[Inversus]

I think it's cycled. Have you added any cleaning crew or fish? (you add these at certain times)

No because on the days I should add them my numbers where way off the supposed ones.
Also because there are no algea I didn't add any CUC because they would probalby starve or am I wrong?

What am I suppose to add first now? Corals + Fish (for bioload) and then when algea starts the CUC?

 

[blaxsun]

You'd have to look at the instructions, but I believe CUC and then one fish. I wouldn't add any corals for at least a few weeks yet.

 

[Inversus]

You'd have to look at the instructions, but I believe CUC and then one fish. I wouldn't add any corals for at least a few weeks yet.

Yeah its CUC on day 10 and a few days later fish (Im on day 27).
I will go to my local fish store tomorrow. Probably go for small CUC and 1 or 2 fish. Depending on what the local guy will say whats good and depending if something here comes up

 

[blaxsun]

Some good cleanup crew to start with are spiny astrea snails for the rocks and trochus snails for your glass. Possibly a blue leg hermit crab. They're all incredibly resilient. Don't forget to get some seaweed that you can rubberband to a small flat rock (my crew likes TLF SeaVeggies Green and Red) to supplement their feeding - as there probably isn't enough algae to sustain them. A quarter of a sheet every 2-3 days should be sufficient.

 

[jocamero]

@Inversus , thanks for sharing your experience. Any update on how things went with your cycle? Also, did you use lights as suggested by Red Sea?