Live Rock Cycle

[krowleey]

i know this has been talked about, but i would like to ask one more time. i am cycling my tank with LR and LS should i run my protien skimmer for this? i am using a CPR bak pak duel pak and it has some media in the duel skimmer if i should NOT skim during cycle should i just remove the airlline from the PH so it dont make bubbles but still get O2 and makes use of the media i have or, should i take the media out of it since i am using a DSB or will it not hurt anything to have both? thanks again

 

[cprdnick]

I'm glad you asked that I'm going through the same thing at the moment, and my ammonia won't spike, I was thinking it had something to do with the Protein skimmer.
If someone knows the answer to this we'd like to know.
Thanks

 

[elan]

i dont have much experience with skimmers, but i would imagine that you will have better success by turning it off. Skimmers in general take out "organic junk" from the water. This "junk" is what should make your tank spike since it will decay and create ammonia.
as far as your media, this is usually where the bactera grow. Since you have lr and ls, its not as important, but should only increase the surface area to provide for your bacteria.
IMO, i would get rid of as much filters and meda as possible and let your rock and sand take care of it. This does mean for less capacity for your tank (ie.. less fish) and a longer cycle, but its my personal preference to use the rock and sand instead of media and filters and i also give plenty of time and let nature take its course.
I do have one mechanical filter on my tank, and i replace it every week. its a thin peice of filter for my w/d which is very inexpensive when bought in large sheets. Other than that, i dont touch the rest of my tank. All my powerheads have their filters removed, the bioballs are only in my W/D to reduce the sound of water dripping, but i had removed them for a good month with no spikes (i took a little out each day)
So, basically two points.
turn off skimmer
give plenty of time for the cycle.

 

[bdhough]

Ill concur with Elan with a different condition. Keep the skimmer on but so that it does not actually skim but does move water. It will help move the waste around evenly, like a power head. This will ultimately ensure waste doesn't stick in one spot. As far as will you have spikes. No you may never get spikes. I've set up two tanks from scratch now and never had spikes. That has everything to do with the quality of rock that you initially buy and continue to add through the life of your tank as well as how quickly you stock the tank. I encourage you to always test before adding something in a new tank that isn't known to be established. If ANYTHING is off i would wait, well except nitrates. They can't hurt anything, maybe corals, unless they are in excessive excessive quantities. Patience is a virtue in the first couple months of a tank.

 

[booya]

I was told to turn mine off until the cycle is done.

 

[dacia]

I think the best thing to do is turn off all filters and the skimmer until after the cycle. Keep the powerheads on so your water will circulate though. The filters and skimmer will only take out what the bacteria need, so the cycle takes foreva...once the cycle is complete, turn everything on, make sure your levels stay normal, then add your cleaners.

 

[krowleey]

cool thanks everyone, i will turn my Skimmer off or raise the cup so it wont skim anything in it, but keep the fine bubles going for o2