Trying to quick cycle in a week or two

[jmateo130]

I bought the Microbacter dry rock bacteria starter kit and I was wondering if anyone had pros and cons to it and if I use live rock how badly would it upset the balance?

 

[j.falk]

Using live rock and live bacteria in a bottle should cycle your tank very quickly. It is how I set up all of my aquariums.

 

[Roosterjack]

Just keep in mind that cycled is not the same as past the uglies and I would still take a measured approach to adding livestock.

Best of luck and welcome to R2R!

 

[jmateo130]

Just keep in mind that cycled is not the same as past the uglies and I would still take a measured approach to adding livestock.

Best of luck and welcome to R2R!

I’m doing this cause I’m an idiot but couldn’t pass up a good deal I went with a pair of black ice clowns. In the Microbacter kit I have a bottle of ammonia for fish less cycling but I’m 100% getting live stock in a week or two depending on the cycle I was told to raise my temps to 84 degrees to allow optimal temps for bacteria growth as well as keeping the lights off my kit also comes with Microbacter start xlm and Microbacter clean for the “ugly” stage also any extra info on how you guys would do it would be awesome it’s a fluval 13.5 or aka evo 12. Also how long do your tanks take to cycle the way you guys do it.

 

[jmateo130]

Using live rock and live bacteria in a bottle should cycle your tank very quickly. It is how I set up all of my aquariums.

How long does ittake for you to notice the cycle has gone through

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

You test for ammonia. When it can process 2 ppt in 24 hours you are cycled. Slow down, this is not a race

 

[jmateo130]

You test for ammonia. When it can process 2 ppt in 24 hours you are cycled. Slow down, this is not a race

I have only a week or two to get these fish I bought or the sale will be voided I understand the nitrogen cycle but I’m no expert just looking for advice to cycle as quickly as possible in the time frame I have I have a whole other tank I ca throw them in but that isn’t what I want ultimately so if you have any correct advice to help that would be awesome if not then thank you for your time

 

[Triple.T]

Nothing good happens in a hurry in this hobby. That's literally with everything btw..However, a little live rock and some bacteria will give you a boost.

 

[jmateo130]

Nothing good happens in a hurry in this hobby. That's literally with everything btw..However, a little live rock and some bacteria will give you a boost.

Thank you very much for the info I’m going to keep up on water changes and add bacteria on every water change also with the entry of the new fish hoping this keeps me in the clear I will test regularly I am new to the hobby but have cycled a biocube 29 a few months back and I’m indulging myself in a quick start this time because I jumped on a pair of clowns I really liked at a really good price couldn’t pass it up stupid for doing it but hey you win some you loose some

 

[j.falk]

What you are wanting to do can be done. The key is a lot of good quality established live rock and bottles of live bacteria. If the rock is already established, you might not even need the bottled bacteria as the rock will already be covered with it.

One thing you definitely do not want to do is add your fish mid-cycle...you do that and you are more than likely going to kill them.

 

[Jeffcb]

2 clowns

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I have only a week or two to get these fish I bought or the sale will be voided I understand the nitrogen cycle but I’m no expert just looking for advice to cycle as quickly as possible in the time frame I have I have a whole other tank I ca throw them in but that isn’t what I want ultimately so if you have any correct advice to help that would be awesome if not then thank you for your time

Store bought live rock or several pieces from a friend can allow you to skip cycle. If you are starting with dry rock which is already in the tank then just pile the live rock on top. Bottles bacteria (several brands/strains) and a 50% WC 24-36 hours after adding fish (if any ammonia is present) should be fine. Without live bacteria on the rocks and the ability to process ammonia the fish will have ammonia burns. All reefing expos have insta cycled tanks at shows but you cannot force bacteria into rock.

 

[Roosterjack]

I would test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. The best result is both ammonia and nitrite at zero. Depending on the size of the tank and the sensitivity of your kit you may or may not get a readable nitrate resul.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Nothing goes quick in reefing and you know,youve heard to go slow and be patient. You want the clowns and I get it. Rushing Never has a good outcome.
Ecxpect the worse, but hope for the best

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Nitrite is largely non-toxic in marine setups. Zero ammonia after 12 hours should indicate you are cycled.

 

[flampton]

Keep your salinity at 1.020 or possibly even lower to go faster as well. I do not recommend this with real live rock though. (From the ocean, not bin cycled dry rock)

 

[jmateo130]

Keep your salinity at 1.020 or possibly even lower to go faster as well. I do not recommend this with real live rock though. (From the ocean, not bin cycled dry rock)

I was told this as well bacteria multiples faster at lower salinity

 

[wonroc]

Fritzyme you wong even notice a cycle

 

[Softhammer]

Who keeps telling people to cycle without lights?! This is bad pointless advice. If you plan on running a cryptic zonal aquarium a la Steve Tyree circa 1985 then yes but I’m scratching my head here. Also being able to process ammonia is not the same as cycling an aquarium, this isn’t rocket science.

 

[brandon429]

MACNA entrants don’t need a week or two, to get five hundred complete reefs ready for Friday, for two decades

lights on v lights off, doesn’t matter in speed cycling


Reef conventions who never fail to start are nice meters on how to get job done without fail

pick a method a MACNA entrant would do, you can be reefing tomorrow. Better have a great disease prevention plan. Nh3 control was the easy part.

heres a one day dry system start, with anemone

Bio-spira works great

I just started a new tank a little over a week ago. I started with all dry rock and new sand. I added a bottle of Bio-Spira and put fish and coral the same day. Never saw any ammonia and fish and coral seem healthy.

www.reef2reef.com

dont use bottle bacteria when using already live rocks, this is cycling heresy as there’s no where for extra bacteria to attach beneficially on live rock, it’s already live, has no room for more bacteria


adding extra bacteria decreases filtration efficiency for live rock, it doesn’t increase it

see this letter: W

thats a figurative cross section of live rock where both V channels get wastewater contact, that’s its maximum presentable surface area. It’s lined with bac already, it’s live rock.


if you pack it in with bacteria you lessen surface area and make it an ‘O‘ presentation, which is less efficient per unit of surface area. You fill in the V channels vs leave them open, you reduce surface area

unattached dosed bacteria float around, aggregate, and get skimmed out wasted

forum posters are trained buyers, MACNA entrants are your sellers, do what they do without spending money for their pockets... dont be just a buyer take their info free of charge


bottle bac was indicated above because no live rock was used it was all dry. So much for the rule of mature tanks and huge anemones.

flampton, we need your bacteria articles to tie in surface area presentation, dynamics, our hobby only sees bacteria not if/when/how they attach and whether benefit or just cost is conferred. Stacking bacteria on top of each other doesn’t increase filtration efficiency, spreading them out (new surface area) does.