If you had to do it all over again...

ppm411

ppm411

Member
Been a while:

I'm setting up my RedSea Max 130D for the second time really soon. I've had a 29G, 72G in years past and am ready to learn from all of my mistakes and hit it out of the park this time! LOL. I kept fish and soft corals primarily.

I just bought a Digital TDS in/out meter and Refractometer to add to my collection of goodies this time around. RO/DI outputting 0ppm so I know I'm good there even though it hasn't been used in a while

I bought 2 fresh 20 bags of Carib-Sea Arag-Alive Bimini Pink sand.

Lots of scrubbing to do on the tank, pumps etc. before I take the next steps.

I'm going to output the RO/DI directly into the tank while aerating, then add the sand and rocks. I'm shooting for 1.020SG, and 8.2PH since that is what my LFS keeps theirs at.

Any new recommendations on getting the cycle started? I've ghost fed and added some "bio" to it in the past, even did the unthinkable parakeet method.

The plan is to have about 5 small fish [clowns, goby, royal gramma etc.] probably hermits, snails, shrimp too. Coral is possible down the road but a whole other level of care which I'm not sure I want to commit to. A chiller is on my list since the closed design runs so dang hot but I have a few months before dropping money on that.

I'm curious if YOU had to start all over again what would YOU do differently?
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
For me good quality live rock is all ive needed to cycle my tanks. I love the red sea tanks, but god yes there warm.
 
ppm411

ppm411

Member
speaking of rocks. I have a bunch of rock that's been sitting in a bucket for a couple of years. Looks like the best plan there is to soak it in RO/DI for a few days, maybe check phosphates and I should be good. Thinking of seeding it with a piece of live rock from either my LFS or online.
 
one-fish

one-fish

Active Member
Just cycled my tank couple months ago. If had to do it again...I used a raw shrimp to introduce Amm. should have removed it when Amm. reached 1 ppm. I let it rot and Amm. went off scale. Should have used a couple lbs of LR at the start. When Amm. zeroed I should have added a fish mollies work great after you acclimate them to saltwater. Wash all foods with RODI before adding to tank when ghost feeding.
 
S

Shilpan

Member
If I had to do it again I'd do it the same way I did it (curing dead rock with macroalgae refugium) but I would stop worrying about everything all the time and learn to Be patient and just wait
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top