how long to cycle a FO tank

[califishnut]

How long does it generaly take to cyle a new tank.. its a 55 gallon with a fluval 204 60lbs of cushed coral and 8 starter damsels with a 50 watt uv light and temp is at 76 degrees. Any advice you guys/gals could give me would be of great help thanks...
Dennis

 

[cboyfan2020]

What do you mean by 50w UV light? Also temp could be raised another degree or two but its not major. Any tank takes about 1-2 months to fully cycle. I wouldnt have used damsels because if you ever want to get rid of them it is a PIA. When ammonia and nitrite read zero then cycle is done. Give it another week after that and then do a water change, probably 25-30% to get nitrates down.
Also.....welcome to the board!!!!!

 

[jarvis]

8 starter damsels .............yikes well your definately going to have a big ammonia spike. I really fell the petstore has taken you for a little ride. You really only need one or two. throwing that many damsels into a 55 could in turn could produce way to much ammonia for the fish even though they are very hardy fish. There is no sense to stress the fish more than nessary.I would recommend taking 6 of em back to the pet store. All cycles are diffrent from tank to tank some can be as little as 2 weeks when using live rock while others can take a month. I HIGHLY RECOMEND getting test kits for amonia, nitrite, nitrate, and PH if your going fish only. Welcome to the message board and feel free to ask whatever questions might be on your mind. Best of luck on the start of your new tank.

 

[califishnut]

thanks for the info ill take a few of them back to the store..
if i dont cycle it with damsels what should i use?
Dennis

 

[dreeves]

There is no time table for cycling any one tank. Some take 2-3 weeks, many, longer.
As for what to use instead of the Damsels...some here use store bought, uncooked shrimp...you know the kind you stick a k-bob through and put on the grill?
Un-cured live rock works excellent as well.
Your goal is to start the Nitrogen cycle. So whatever you decide on has to be able to produce the needed amonia for that cycle to initiate.

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by califishnut
thanks for the info ill take a few of them back to the store..
if i dont cycle it with damsels what should i use?
Dennis
hold on here. Sure you will get an ammonia and then a nitrite spike. You might try not feeding them for a week and then checking to see if the nitrites have come down.
No water change would be necessary. Nitrates are plant food for the algae. So let the algae grow and the nitrates will come down to very low levels if not actually 0.0. Besides the damsels will be fine with any nitrate levels you experience.
I used plain ole frewhwater mollies- 5 of them. The were cheap (about $2.00 each), had a mix of black and silver colors, and had babies in the tank. got tired of them 3 month later so gave them to the LFS and added marine only fish.

 

[dreeves]

During your cycle or at any time through out your ownership of a marine tank, micro algea should always be of concern. Once let out of control, it is a difficult thing to bring back under and maintain in control. Unless you are looking to specifically grow a type or types of micro algea, I believe it to be in the best interest to begin their control early on, right from the get go.
I do not believe allowing the Nitrates to continue to build up in an enclosed environment can never be a good thing for most fish and/or inverts.