Tip for cycling your tank

[trainfever]

I know a lot of you read these boards and try to gain a little knowledge before starting. A lot of people cycle their tanks using a damsel or two and then regret it when they cant get the damsels out. If you plan on setting up a tank ith a sump in your system, put the damsel in our sump instead of your tank. It will still cycle your tank but it will be a lot asier catching the damsel in your sump then in a tank full of live rock. You can still put a few pieces of rock in your sump to give the damsel a place to hide.

 

[kevin34]

Good point. You can also cycle your tank using your live rock. Clean your live rock once you get it and then place it in the tank. The rock will cure and the tank will cycle and save you a lot of time.

 

[jason490]

Well I could completely cycle your tank in 24-48 hours, no lie, but I don't want to get that started up again

I did it with mine.

 

[reefforbrains]

Do a search for shrimp cycling, its just as effective and not as cruel, not to mention its cheap.
use a peice of raw grocery store shrimp rubberbanded to a rock, let it sit in tank until the amonia begins to move, then pull it out and let nature take its course from there.

 

[matt01]

Originally Posted by Kevin34
Good point. You can also cycle your tank using your live rock. Clean your live rock once you get it and then place it in the tank. The rock will cure and the tank will cycle and save you a lot of time.

how do u clean ur live rock . and what is the reason for it ?

 

[myreef05]

Originally Posted by jason490
Well I could completely cycle your tank in 24-48 hours, no lie, but I don't want to get that started up again

I did it with mine.
ya, that sparked some debates huh?

 

[kevin34]

Originally Posted by MATT01
how do u clean ur live rock . and what is the reason for it ?
Instead of curing your rock and cycling your tank seperately you can cure your live rock in your tank and the die off from the rock will cycle the tank. Once the cycle is dont your live rock is cured and already in the tank.

 

[matt01]

Originally Posted by Kevin34
Instead of curing your rock and cycling your tank seperately you can cure your live rock in your tank and the die off from the rock will cycle the tank. Once the cycle is dont your live rock is cured and already in the tank.
thank for that info. i started up my 10g on tuesday and i bought 10 pounds of ls and 5 pounds of live rock let it run on thursday i went to the lfs to get my water check everything was normal but the amonia was a lil high and the nitrate was a lil high but they said it was normal for a new tank. today i bought 5 more pounds of lr. i think i will go get my water check on monday.

 

[aztec reef]

don't put any animals iIN until you get that ammonia gone..

 

[matt01]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
don't put any animals iIN until you get that ammonia gone..
once it goes down wont it spike again.

 

[aztec reef]

not ammonnia , it shouldn't unless you add a bunch of uncured live rock. or a fish dies.

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by jason490
Well I could completely cycle your tank in 24-48 hours, no lie, but I don't want to get that started up again

I did it with mine.

jason, sorry but this is not possible..

 

[matt01]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
not ammonnia , it shouldn't unless you add a bunch of uncured live rock. or a fish dies.
what can i put in a 10 gallon

 

[aztec reef]

you can put alot of things, you can even fit 20lbs of liverock if you wanted to.what are your plans fish only,reef?

 

[matt01]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
you can put alot of things, you can even fit 20lbs of liverock if you wanted to.what are your plans fish only,reef?
i was told i shouldnt go reef cause i am just starting out and it is really hard to maintain. i really want to get a 46 bow front and i bought this 10g to get use to a sw tank

 

[aztec reef]

ok, that's a good idea you can start with the 10g, but it will be better to go for the 46g now. but since you first wanna get your hands on SW then start with the 10g. i would say no more than two small fish with some live rock, some ceriths snails,turbo snails,Astrea snails, a cleaner shrimp, a fire shrimp. and a few other things, As far as fish you're pretty much full for a while.

 

[matt01]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
ok, that's a good idea you can start with the 10g, but it will be better to go for the 46g now. but since you first wanna get your hands on SW then start with the 10g. i would say no more than two small fish with some live rock, some ceriths snails,turbo snails,Astrea snails, a cleaner shrimp, a fire shrimp. and a few other things, As far as fish you're pretty much full for a while.
thanks u have really helped me out

 

[joojoo]

I think it's best to tell new hobbyists about using fish food or raw shrimp rather than an easier way to torture a damsel.

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by joojoo
I think it's best to tell new hobbyists about using fish food or raw shrimp rather than an easier way to torture a damsel.
In a 10 gallon tank don't use a raw shrimp. Use fish food. Too much decay is also bad.
The best way, as mentioned, is to use live rock to cycle your tank... You scrub uncured rock to remove the dead/dying clumps of sponges, corals, etc. then you allow the rock to cure in your tank. You monitor ammonia to keep it under 1.0.

 

[jason490]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
jason, sorry but this is not possible..
It is very possible I have done it. But I will end it at that, we could go on for years with this argument.