new tank cycle

scott270

scott270

Active Member
What do I need to do before I start adding fish. How do I cycle and know it is ready for fish?
 
C

cmaxwell39

Guest
You will need to cycle the tank. First of all you will need to get your saltwater mixed and into the tank. After that you will need to add a source of ammonia for the cycle to start. You can do this a number of different ways. Probably the easiest way is to get some uncured live rock and use that to cycle the tank with. Put your live rock and a piece of raw shrimp in the tank and then start watching your water levels. The first thing that you should see happen is an ammonia spike. Then, as your biological filter starts to get established the ammonia will come down and the nitrites will come up. Finally as the bio filter gets established farther the nitrites will go down and you will see the nitrates come up. Once you have 0 amm., 0 trites, and some trates you will do a water change and be ready to add a fish or two.
 
scott270

scott270

Active Member
I will be getting the rock from here. It has the best price that I can find and the rock is cured already. What other way can I cycle the tank.
 
payton 350

payton 350

Member
it may be cured but when you get it, it will have die off...so then it basically becomes uncured again....so that should be good ....if not then throw a shrimp or ghost feed the tank it will kick start the cycle
 
payton 350

payton 350

Member
yes....just make sure it's not seasoned , preserved, etc...make sure it's pure shrimp,,,and all you need is one
 
scott270

scott270

Active Member
Ok, so I got the shrimp and I just put the sand,saltwater and the shrimp in. What should I look for now? I have a tester that tests PH,nitrates,nitrites and ammonia. What do I want all my levels to be before adding fish and what temp should I keep the tank at? Thanks for the help. Also, what fish should I get for this 29 gallon tank.
 
imfsub12

imfsub12

Member
Originally Posted by scott270
Also, what fish should I get for this 29 gallon tank.
i got a 29 G tank to just starting out.. and getting 2 clown fish.. maybe 1 more but that about it...
but taht won't be for a while tanks been siting for about 1 week getting live rock this week once my test kit comes... YAHHHH
 
C

cmaxwell39

Guest
The cycle is complete once you see the ammonia go up and then back down and the nitrites go up and back down. At that point you should have some nitrates. Once you are reading 0 amm., 0 trites and some trates after seeing the spikes you are ready to do a water change and then add a fish or two. Could be a 3 or 4 week process, although adding live rock may or may not speed things up. Depends on how much die off is on the rock when it comes in.
 
scott270

scott270

Active Member
Ok, now that the tank has some live sand and the raw shrimp in it, how long will it be before I see the ammonia spike?
 
chuckcac

chuckcac

Member
nice fish could be
ocellaris clown?
bluegreen chromis?
banggai cardinal?
shrimp goby?
lawnmower or bicolor blenny?
purple firefish?
of course not all of those... but maybe 3 or 4 of them?
 
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