first post,any help appreciated

mh51072

mh51072

Member
i just got my new 46 gallon tank set up 3 days ago with 35 lbs of live sand and 10 lbs of live rock--i put 3 damsels in yesterday and was curious if was the best idea to cycle with these fish because i have been told i will have to take these fish out when i want to put my new fish in after the cycling ends--how long does the cycle usually take and what recommendations can u guys give me on what direction to go--this is my first saltwater tank and my son loves the color of the fish and rock--any help and opinions welcome--thnks alot
 
whipple

whipple

Member
Take your damsels back to the LFS and put in a piece of shrimp from the grocery store it will cycle just as well and you dont have to chase it around to pull it back out. Bill
 
ebeckels

ebeckels

Active Member
cycling is something EVERY tank goes through. Your amonia will rise and then fall to zero...that is when ur tank is cycled. It depends on how long it takes...some take a week some take a month or two.
 
ocellaris_keeper

ocellaris_keeper

Active Member
Mh,
The process of cycling is what happens in the ocean. You bio-filter (living orgamisms that feed on certain chemicals) comes to life when the proper enviromental conditions are met.
When you added the Damsels/or the piece of shrimp you started the nitrogen cycle. Damsel waste/decaying food emitt ammonia when they begin to break down (rot, in a salt water tank this is a perfect time for microorganisms that feed on Ammonia to multiply by the millions. hese organisms give off nitrite as they eat the ammonia which in turn creates the perfect environment for microorganisms that feed off the nitrite.
And an equalibrium of sorts is developed in the tank. Adding new things alters this balance which is why you must be careful how quickly you add new tank mates.
 
stupid_naso

stupid_naso

Member
Well cycling is basically waiting for the beneficial bacterias to work. They are the one who can convert your ammo to nitrite then to nitrate. At first they will work on each one of them one by one. First your ammo will go up then go down, then nitrite, then nitrate. On an established tank, ammo and nitrite should be zero at all times. Nitrate can be more than zero, but it has to be below 40. Watch your Ph too, it should be 8.2.
The time that the cycle will take varies. Some finished in 2 weeks, some takes months. You might want to go to google.com and do a search on nitrogen cycle. You'll find so many info on that. There are ways to speed it up too, so go check it out.
I hope that helps, and welcome :) .
stupid_naso
 
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