colesjensen
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Can anyone give me a easy to understand step by step on how to do this. I'll be using ammonia to start but I am so confused. Thanks
Step by step fish less cycle?
- Thread starter colesjensen
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its possible to cycle using no testing at all for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate going off known cycling timeframes. we can pull up any cycling chart on google and see how many are centered around 30 days of submersion. the boosted ones are faster.
http://www.fishforums.net/aquarium-calculator.htm
buy dr tims ammonium chloride or any other AC and plug its values into that calc and your water volume. all of these are approximations, you cant stall or stop a cycle by approximating ammonia. input ammonium chlr at the dosage the calc says to make your tank approx. 1-2 ppm ammonia
buy some bottle bac meant for nitrification cycling. add a huge dose at this time. no calc, add what you consider to be a large dose going off instructions on how much to add. approximation is all that's required.
no lights
run heaters pumps for two weeks, repeat the ammonia addition to 1-2 ppm and bottle bac like the first round.
let the tank run two more weeks, after this second boost.
at 4 weeks change out all your water and add new back, then begin reefing its cycled. dont introduce fish that weren't quarantined
if your tank is too large to remove the water, then buy nitrate test kits of high quality and nitrate absorbing filter media until nitrates are zero, then start.
that is no test tank cycling going off known timeframes. its probably done quicker than 4 weeks, but they're all done by then using the boosts at hand.
http://www.fishforums.net/aquarium-calculator.htm
buy dr tims ammonium chloride or any other AC and plug its values into that calc and your water volume. all of these are approximations, you cant stall or stop a cycle by approximating ammonia. input ammonium chlr at the dosage the calc says to make your tank approx. 1-2 ppm ammonia
buy some bottle bac meant for nitrification cycling. add a huge dose at this time. no calc, add what you consider to be a large dose going off instructions on how much to add. approximation is all that's required.
no lights
run heaters pumps for two weeks, repeat the ammonia addition to 1-2 ppm and bottle bac like the first round.
let the tank run two more weeks, after this second boost.
at 4 weeks change out all your water and add new back, then begin reefing its cycled. dont introduce fish that weren't quarantined
if your tank is too large to remove the water, then buy nitrate test kits of high quality and nitrate absorbing filter media until nitrates are zero, then start.
that is no test tank cycling going off known timeframes. its probably done quicker than 4 weeks, but they're all done by then using the boosts at hand.
Last edited:
Vahanyos
Valuable Member
Simple.
1. Heater (keep temp around 79)
2. Rock/Sand (Doesn't have to be live)
3. Good grade Saltwater
4. Powerheads
5. You can have lights if you want, doesnt matter at this point. Just dont run them longer than 6-8 hours a day
And just let it run for a couple weeks... once you start seeing brown algea (diatoms) growing, test your water. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and a trace of nitrates means it's time for a water change. 20-30% should be good. The diatoms stage is the last stage before a cycle is "complete" - at this point you should be safe to add some livestock.
Just stock slowly and see what your filtration can handle as far as the bioload. too much poop and uneaten food, and not enough filtration will nuke your tank.
cycles can take up to a month or so... just be patient. Once you have some fish and what not, it'll be good idea to get a skimmer. You dont necessarily need one during the cycle period.
1. Heater (keep temp around 79)
2. Rock/Sand (Doesn't have to be live)
3. Good grade Saltwater
4. Powerheads
5. You can have lights if you want, doesnt matter at this point. Just dont run them longer than 6-8 hours a day
And just let it run for a couple weeks... once you start seeing brown algea (diatoms) growing, test your water. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and a trace of nitrates means it's time for a water change. 20-30% should be good. The diatoms stage is the last stage before a cycle is "complete" - at this point you should be safe to add some livestock.
Just stock slowly and see what your filtration can handle as far as the bioload. too much poop and uneaten food, and not enough filtration will nuke your tank.
cycles can take up to a month or so... just be patient. Once you have some fish and what not, it'll be good idea to get a skimmer. You dont necessarily need one during the cycle period.
