The CORRECT way to cycle a tank?

[johnbr]

Hey guys,

I'm bringing this topic to the table again. I've just started I new tank (this time a big one) and I'm cycling using Dr. Tims One and Only. But, I never could figure out what's the BEST and OPTIMAL way to proper cycle a new tank.

* People say that you should ghost feeding others say you shouldn't or put a fish as source of ammonia or dose ammonium chloride.
* Skimmer ON or OFF
* Lights ON or OFF
* Dose Phosphates or not
* The necessity of throwing and air stone with an air pump to inject more O2 in the water

For those who have TONS of experience please what's the best and safest way to cycle a new tank?

Post your methods below so this way everyone can discuss their methods together and pros and cons.

 

[ihavecrabs]

Hey guys,

I'm bringing this topic to the table again. I've just started I new tank (this time a big one) and I'm cycling using Dr. Tims One and Only. But, I never could figure out what's the BEST and OPTIMAL way to proper cycle a new tank.

* People say that you should ghost feeding others say you shouldn't or put a fish as source of ammonia or dose ammonium chloride.
* Skimmer ON or OFF
* Lights ON or OFF
* Dose Phosphates or not
* The necessity of throwing and air stone with an air pump to inject more O2 in the water

For those who have TONS of experience please what's the best and safest way to cycle a new tank?

Post your methods below so this way everyone can discuss their methods together and pros and cons.

There are many ways to skin a cat.. You can be successful cycling a tank multiple ways.

My preferred way is:
-Start with a bacteria additive (Dr Tims is great)
-Dose ammonia (I prefer not to use a fish as it is cruel. It is the equivalent of us cleaning with ammonia (your lungs burning) non-stop for 30 days.
-Skimmer ON but dry skimming
-Lights OFF as you don't want algae growing
-No other dosing including phosphate
-Keep tabs on testing.

Might be a good opportunity if you will be running an algae turf scrubber or refugium to start it up two weeks into your cycle to get algae growing where you want it rather than in your display [emoji4]

 

[johnbr]

There are many ways to skin a cat.. You can be successful cycling a tank multiple ways.

-Dose ammonia
-Skimmer ON but dry skimming
-No other dosing including phosphate

Might be a good opportunity if you will be running an algae turf scrubber or refugium to start it up two weeks into your cycle to get algae growing where you want it rather than in your display [emoji4]

I would like to discuss those points above mentioned.

- Someone said the dosing ammonium chloride does not contain all the "nutrients"for the bacteria to grow hence the ghost feeding.
- What's a dry skimmer?
-Lights Off - Would be a good thing to start the algae phase and get rid of it earlier?
- What's the safest way of dosing PO4 without messing with other parameters?

*Refugium - Today is 9th day of the cycle, o ammonia, 0 nitrite and 2-5 nitrate. So you think when I reach the 15 day period would be a good point to start it? Someone said that ammonia could also kill all the chaeto and pods (planning to add many species).

Is that true that when you have a refu you decrease the chances of algae growing on your DT?

Thanks

 

[tank o tang]

I've always believed that the size of the tank plays a role. A large tank with say 2 clowns will not spike very high due to water volume but bacteria will build very slowly compare to the spikes you would see in a biocube with a lot less water volume. Those I would ghost feed. Also depends on rock it was set up with, and how long its been out of the water. Now if you want to set up a bigger thank and add more fish sooner I would ghost feed that also with alot more food than you would feed to the 2 clowns.

 

[WWIII]

 

[johnbr]

I've always believed that the size of the tank plays a role. A large tank with say 2 clowns will not spike very high due to water volume but bacteria will build very slowly compare to the spikes you would see in a biocube with a lot less water volume. Those I would ghost feed. Also depends on rock it was set up with, and how long its been out of the water. Now if you want to set up a bigger thank and add more fish sooner I would ghost feed that also with alot more food than you would feed to the 2 clowns.

Thanks for the inputs,

The tank in this case is a 120gallon plus 40 inch sump with I shoot around 25-30 gallon.

In this case two fish and high food amounts would be ideal? I’ve always also thought that big tables were more forgiving due to the water volume and also easier to keep water parameters.

 

[johnbr]

???

 

[NinnJinn]

If you read the back of your bottle of one and only it says do not use the skimmer and do not use a filter sock for 48 hours

 

[CNDReef]

My fist tank a 55g was cycled with a yellow tail damsel ( biggest mistake of my life )
My next tank a 75 was done with 2 raw shrimp just dumped inside to decay. Repeated on my third tank 120g
Got out for a while and set up a small cube last year and used mostly live rock from someone breaking down there 10 year old tank and had no cycle at all.
I’ve helped a few people set new tanks and would recommend some type of bacteria starter ( my preference is prodibio bio digest)

 

[johnbr]

If you read the back of your bottle of one and only it says do not use the skimmer and do not use a filter sock for 48 hours

Yes I removed the socks and no skimmer for 48 hrs

My fist tank a 55g was cycled with a yellow tail damsel ( biggest mistake of my life )
My next tank a 75 was done with 2 raw shrimp just dumped inside to decay. Repeated on my third tank 120g
Got out for a while and set up a small cube last year and used mostly live rock from someone breaking down there 10 year old tank and had no cycle at all.
I’ve helped a few people set new tanks and would recommend some type of bacteria starter ( my preference is prodibio bio digest)

Oh sorry to hear that,

I have a Fusion 30 gallon that it’s been running for 7 months now. I bought 2 marine media bricks I dumped one in the new tank and the other one in the old one. I used a hole bottle of the one and only from dr Tim’s and have been dosing 5 caps daily of microbacter7.

So far 0 ammonia, nitrites and 2-5 nitrates.

Am I going in the right way?

 

[ihavecrabs]

I would like to discuss those points above mentioned.

- Someone said the dosing ammonium chloride does not contain all the "nutrients"for the bacteria to grow hence the ghost feeding.
- What's a dry skimmer?
-Lights Off - Would be a good thing to start the algae phase and get rid of it earlier?
- What's the safest way of dosing PO4 without messing with other parameters?

*Refugium - Today is 9th day of the cycle, o ammonia, 0 nitrite and 2-5 nitrate. So you think when I reach the 15 day period would be a good point to start it? Someone said that ammonia could also kill all the chaeto and pods (planning to add many species).

Is that true that when you have a refu you decrease the chances of algae growing on your DT?

Thanks

Ammonium chloride is enough to build the bacterial population for nitrifying bacteria (ammonia - nitrite - nitrate process)

Dry skimming is essentially running it and only pulling light foam and no liquid. I agree with others you don't need to run it or run it with the cup off [emoji4]

Why dose PO4? Not needed until you add corals and even then feeding the fish will likely provide more than enough.

My thoughts on refugium are to add after you add your last dose of ammonium chloride and it processes to nitrate within 24 hours or less. Add refugium when no nitrite and ammonia are present and do not dose it again. Giving algae a place to grow not in the display will limit its growth in the display but that doesn't mean you won't get any in there.

You can begin ghost feeding when starting starting the refugium to keep the bacteria populations up.