Should I start cycling or should I wait?

[jfm3]

I have an RSM Reefer 350 ready to cycle--filled with RO/DI & temp stable for 24 hrs @ 79.5. I plan to cycle with only CaribSea Arag-Alive Fiji Pink Sand & Dry Base Live Rock. Here's my dilemma... I will not be available to monitor or make adjustments to the aquarium on days 21-31 after starting the cycle. Should I add salt and sand and let 'er rip knowing I'll not be available these 10 days, or wait a month so I can daily measure and record water conditions?

Equipment:
Red Sea Deluxe Reefer 350
Current USA eFlux DC Flow Pump 1050 gph
Jebao OW-25 Wave Maker Flow Pump (2)
Reef Octopus Classic 110SSS 5" Skimmer
Hygger Titanium Heater with Digital Thermostat & Controller 500W
AquaFX Barracuda RO/DI Aquarium Filter 100 gpd
ATO Tank 15 gal 12x15x22
XP Aqua Duetto ATO
Coral Box 4-Channel WiFi Dosing Pump
Eheim Automatic Everyday Fish Feeder
Linganzh 4-port Smart Power Strip (2)

Note: Gonna try a no-water-change, refugium-less configuration at first, and adjust plans as necessary.

 

[Juniorh2r]

If its 10 days go ahead and start that's my opinion regardless not much is going to happen in 10 days

 

[jfm3]

If its 10 days go ahead and start that's my opinion regardless not much is going to happen in 10 days

You don't think much will happen on days 21-31? I thought this would be the timespan when nitrites rise and fall, followed by nitrate rise. Expecting to need a water change day 40-50, but that's well after I'll be tracking conditions again.

 

[brandon429]

You'll be fully cycled by then regardless. One month cycles all

Dump in bottle bac and ammonia

Come back in 30 days its done
no testing required it always works like that given a month. Usually people are wanting faster times. You have the simplest cycle of all, three factors can't fail to be cycled in that time frame says every cycling chart on google, which doesn't have an axis for "if your bottle bac dies during shipping" a month of hydration has been cycling tanks for as long as science has understood ammonia oxidation via bacteria.

 

[Rjukan]

I wouldn't worry about it, especially since you have an ATO. It will be nice to be away for part of the cycle, less watching and waiting.

 

[Juniorh2r]

I wouldn't worry about it, especially since you have an ATO. It will be nice to be away for part of the cycle, less watching and waiting.

I would agree.. it's so frustrating sometimes the patience required especially in the beginning

 

[ectoaesthetics]

Fire it up! I agree with the above posters. I have started a number of tanks over the years. The idea of "needing" to test really only tells you where you are in the cycle. The idea of "needing" a water change is also dependent on your cycling "methodology." You could just as easily do a water change if you want to you when you return. My newest tank went a month and a half without a change when I started it up. It is also your call whether you run a dark cycle or a cycle with full light. The last time was the first time I ran a cycle with JUST lighting the refugium (it is how I will do it from now on). I ran the tank lights at 7-8% just to see the tank.

 

[W1ngz]

Let 'er rip!
Most of the testing people do during a cycle is because we all like to fidget too much with our tanks. Test your levels on day 21, you'll probably see some of all 3. Then test when you get back. Poof, you'll probably have all kinds of nitrate and no more ammonia or nitrite. Dose back up to 2ppm ammonia to confirm it gets processed fully in 24-36 hours, and start mixing some water change water.

Now is also a good time to start cycling some quarrantine media, or at least get a HOB filter on the sump to start it up so everything is ready to start your first fish additions into a quarantine tank when you get back.

 

[brandon429]

Its nice to have reliable submersion time


We don't use testing in the microbiology of cycling thread its all submersion time counts to turn out cycled tanks. Final test is when they add fish/do not die overnite like they would in noncycled tank

The second redose should be well under 2ppm that's algae fuel level right at the end as a nitrate boost. It's ideal to know that submersion time alone always works, less algae at full running time is a side benefit. If you do test, run it at 1/2 ppm as any movement is backing the predicted motion, no need to 4x. Take pics of test we will log it with pages of similar tank cycles

 

[ectoaesthetics]

+1 on the Dr. Tims too by the way! There is another option out there that works "faster" but Dr. Tims seems to result in a fairly stable tank in the first quarter... Call me old school, but anything that promises to work too quickly often results in a longer period "new tank" fluctuations.

 

[Quietman]

All we do is wait and watch for cycling to complete...not a whole lot to do really, I like to pretend I have something effecient to do, so I test and do water change and add more bacteria...but heck, what else am I going to do while watching bacteria grow? And the end of the day...your tank will be just as cycled as any else's.

 

[Ly78]

What i will do is just fill up the display and not let it overflow. Since you are just cycling, you need not worry with Ato not filling up when you're gone and return pump running dry.