How long does it take for a tank to cycle......

[jim27]

and are you not supposed to add fish until it has cycled?

 

[blueberryboomer]

It can take 6 to 8 weeks to get a good complete cycle. Some people use damsels to cycle with, I recomend cycling with raw shrimp you buy from the grocery store. You should not add any fish until your cycle is complete, and then slowly with caution. Don't rush, take your time. Later Lisa

 

[tjswanson]

OK. My tank was very different. I spent A LOT of money and baught a ---- load of LR. Like 130 pounds and put it in my tank and no joke that tank cycled in about a week. But I was very lucky and not all things work out like that. I think LR is the best way to go when cycling a tank. TJ

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

I heard that if you add a tiny bit if house ammonia your tank will begin to cycle. I would suggest a pair of clowns - they are heardy and look good. BTW - I have a number of damsels and they keep the tank interesting.
Brewski

 

[dasnake03]

My tanks always cycle in about a week or less. I use fully cured live rock,I put my live sand in and a little cycleing fluid and let it go for a few days,then when the ammonia and nitrite go down I add my clean up critters(snails,hermit crabs,etc.), and everything goes great. With the snails and hermit crabs there is never a algea bloom to worry about, and with the live rock the end part of the cycling,the nitrate spike, is very little so it doesn't harm the hermits and snails. So if you go with using live rock to cycle your tank, it does not take as long.

 

[weazil]

2 - 4 days for my tank to cycle. I used about a lb of a buddy of mines Live rock, and about a lb of his sand.
he originally was forced to relocate all his fish and had a fresh tank setup and running, after adding the same live rock and sand, just alot more of it, his fish were in it the next day. None died and his nitrates and nitrites never moved.

 

[goober]

my tank took 3 months to cycle. i used clowns and cycling products. i also used live sand and rock