Nitrogen cycle
- Thread starter thor
- Start date
karlas
Member
live sand should work fine we cycled a 38 gal with just live aragonite sand it took a couple of weeks
here is a link that has a very good explaination on cycling w/o fish it has about adding plants but u don't really have to worry about that your dsb will lower your nitrates but plants will help
cycling
this link explains the nitrogen cycle in more detail
nitrogen cycle
hope this helps
ks and fishub
[ December 13, 2001: Message edited by: karlas ]
[ December 13, 2001: Message edited by: karlas ]
here is a link that has a very good explaination on cycling w/o fish it has about adding plants but u don't really have to worry about that your dsb will lower your nitrates but plants will help
cycling
this link explains the nitrogen cycle in more detail
nitrogen cycle
hope this helps
ks and fishub
[ December 13, 2001: Message edited by: karlas ]
[ December 13, 2001: Message edited by: karlas ]
broomer5
Active Member
Thor,
Live sand by itself will NOT cycle a tank. You must have a form of ammonia NH3 to start the initial nitrogen cycle. This ammonia can be in the form of fish waste ( say using 1 damsel ), a piece of frozen shrimp placed in the tank that will decay and product ammonia, or recently purchased live rock that will have some die off. A source of ammonia is the key.
Live sand has some of the benefical bacteria already in it, but withouut ammonia - there is little for them to consume, and they will not reproduce and convert the ammonia to nitrite NO2 for the next type of bacteria to consume. These next type of bacteria will convert that nitrite NO2 to nitrate NO3.
Live sand is wonderful to add to a saltwater tank, but it by itself will not "cycle" the tank.
Hope this helps - I'm sure others here will add to this post.
Brian
Live sand by itself will NOT cycle a tank. You must have a form of ammonia NH3 to start the initial nitrogen cycle. This ammonia can be in the form of fish waste ( say using 1 damsel ), a piece of frozen shrimp placed in the tank that will decay and product ammonia, or recently purchased live rock that will have some die off. A source of ammonia is the key.
Live sand has some of the benefical bacteria already in it, but withouut ammonia - there is little for them to consume, and they will not reproduce and convert the ammonia to nitrite NO2 for the next type of bacteria to consume. These next type of bacteria will convert that nitrite NO2 to nitrate NO3.
Live sand is wonderful to add to a saltwater tank, but it by itself will not "cycle" the tank.
Hope this helps - I'm sure others here will add to this post.
Brian
karlas
Member
you can can do with just ls and shrimp (dead form grocery)or something fish food will even work, but
if you are going to add lr, you may want to add this first(if it is feasable), which will cycle your tank
if you are going to add lr later on, make sure you cure before adding it to lyour tank, because unless it is cured and has no die off, it will throw your tank into a cycle again, which will probably kill any fish you have in there
did you read this article?
if so, about 2/3 of the way down the article there is a good part on cycling and how to cycle a tank, they may be of more help(without cluttering up this forum
if you are going to add lr, you may want to add this first(if it is feasable), which will cycle your tank
if you are going to add lr later on, make sure you cure before adding it to lyour tank, because unless it is cured and has no die off, it will throw your tank into a cycle again, which will probably kill any fish you have in there
did you read this article?
if so, about 2/3 of the way down the article there is a good part on cycling and how to cycle a tank, they may be of more help(without cluttering up this forum
fshhub
Active Member
no problem, read the article in karlas last reply, it basically says the same thing as broomer5, but with a bit more detail and explanation
Welcome aboard, I should have said that sooner, but now you sound like you are gonna take the plunge
2 things,
1 WATCH OUT,it is addicting
2 GO VERY SLOW, don't be in a hurry to do anything before your tank is
and be careful of the lfs, they have one goal in mind( there are very few in this country who don''t), that is why I tried to help out a bit with you getting started, we had one steer us completely wrong, and we lost our a...... , when I first started out and don't want to see that happen to anyone else
JUST, PLEASE keep on asking, anything, no matter how trivial it seems
take your time the end WILLjustify the means
Welcome aboard, I should have said that sooner, but now you sound like you are gonna take the plunge
2 things,
1 WATCH OUT,it is addicting
2 GO VERY SLOW, don't be in a hurry to do anything before your tank is
and be careful of the lfs, they have one goal in mind( there are very few in this country who don''t), that is why I tried to help out a bit with you getting started, we had one steer us completely wrong, and we lost our a...... , when I first started out and don't want to see that happen to anyone else
JUST, PLEASE keep on asking, anything, no matter how trivial it seems
take your time the end WILLjustify the means