Ready to Cycle

[mjordan23]

Im not really a newbie but I wanted to get some opinions. My 125 gallon FOWLR is ready to start cycling. I filled my tank, put in my CC. My temp is at 76 and my salinity between 1.023 and 1.024 on an Instant Ocean Hydrometer which I just bought. My parents Hydrometer which is old says 1.020. Should I be worried? Im getting 45 lbs of premium fiji rock tomorrow and Im just gonna put it and let it cycle the tank. Will think work? Should I get 2 damsels with the rock and throw em in. The last 2 qquestions are this. We built the stand and when we did it was perfectly level. Now that everything is in it, it may be off 1/16 of an inch. One level says it is basically perfect, while a cheeper level says its off a lil. Looking at the water level on top it looks almost perfect, like I said maybe 1/16 of an inch. I didnt think there was any reason to worry but I was just wondering. The last thing on my overflow box, I have it a lil unlevel in the back so that I could have a lower water level in the tank. I did this by just adjjusting the plastic screws. Is that ok to do?
Any advice on these subjects are appreciated.
Thanks
Mark

 

[rs1831]

I used live sand and about 1 lb of live rock for every gallon in my tank and my cycle seems like it went really well. Its been about 18 days and its about done. I used 2 damsels but next time I think that I'm going to use uncured live rock instead. My only suggestion would be to get more live rock and if you don't have your heart set on cc to use live sand. Good luck.

 

[mjordan23]

the CC is already in there.........and the 45 lbs of live rock is all I can afford at the moment but it will be uncured.......anyone else?

 

[mjordan23]

bump

 

[chipmaker]

Well at least your not using dead cocktail shrimp to start a cycle. LR is more than sufficient for cycle initiation. Only thing I do not particularly care for is the CC......I think I would use silica sand or some grade of play sand before usuing CC. See how your hydrometer bumps up against the lfs, refractometer......Refractometers can be had relatively cheap, but money is still money. The main thing is repeatability, and not getting large swings in water parameters.Yes it may be high or low, but at least its consistent for the cycle, and in this time maybe you can bump it against your lfs 's.
Good luck on your setup.

 

[agent707]

I agree. I would have a sample of your water tested with a hydro. Then you can use those results to gauge your refractometer by.
And I agree about the CC. I'd dump some sand in there along with it to "fill" in all the dead spaces. You don't want any. I guess it'd be "OK" to leave the CC in... but I'd add a bunch of sand to it.
If you "could".... I remove the CC entirely.... while you can. It WILL be headaches down the road if you dont.