setting up my first big boy tank :)

[Hawain_Rob]

So I have a 20 gallon tank. I should be setting up a 60 gallon cube soon! I'm thinking of using dry rock and sand. My question is when I cycle the tank,should skimmer be off and should any chemical filtration be left out while cycle is over?
Oh and should I use a shrimp to start cycle, I think that's what I did with me 20 gallon....

 

[christ1991]

I usually run my slimmer through cycling, the only additive I use during cycling is microbacter 7. Using a shrimp to Start a cycle is pretty common, I would, if your starting with dry rock.

 

[Rattooth]

Either way will work. But I prefer skimmer off. You need ammonia to spike up. Taking protein out ( by skimming), works the opposite.

 

[Hawain_Rob]

My brother used biosphere I think it's called..I don't know which is better and faster the shrimp or the bacteria In a bottle? So no skimmer and any kind of chemical filtration?

 

[Rattooth]

I like the bacteria in a bottle. You can do both also . And /or a small rock or sand from another tank.

 

[Hawain_Rob]

Is any brand better of the bacteria in a bottle?

 

[Rattooth]

I can't remember the one I used. But check for expiration date.

 

[Harold Green]

Decades back I started several tanks with store bought bacteria and it worked well. Today I'm more patient and I usually start a tank with live rock. You'll need good water flow and basically nothing else but a heater and some source of starting bacteria. Any ammonia source will work and the key is monitoring the ammonia and nitrate until you know the cycle has finished but keep adding an ammonia source until you have some bioload in the tank so the bacteria doesn't starve before you're ready for it. The sixty will be a nice looking tank.