what to cycle a tank with

[fshhub]

Like I said, Salty, there are some out ther who will try Mr Clean instead, tell me that aint too risky.
My point is, that many need to have things explained over and over(no matterhow simple), what do you think is gonna happen when people try ammonia?
Not dissin the theory, I know it does work. Just lookin out for those who would not know better. NOw do not get me wrong, not every one is that way, but in months to come, someon willhear a rumor about using amonia and try a household cleaner instead(and not look deeper into it, not knowingly). This is my only concern.

 

[fshhub]

As for those other contaminants from shrimp, they induce the growth of bacterias that wwe want anyhow, IMHO. It is the decay we are striving for anyhow, which feeds the bacteria that complete the nitrogen cycle.

 

[simm]

Iv used that stuff called CYCLE. Worked well for me.

 

[slick]

sydney I think your missing fshhub's point here. He will correct me if I'm wrong. I think he is saying that this method can be more confusing for someone that is new to the hobbie. It is easier to tell them to throw a few shrimp or damsels in thier tank than try to explain over and over how to do things. You are still new to the board but after you have been here for a while you will se that people ask the same question over and over again. These people turn to others for help and it gets old having to give the same advice all the time.

 

[nacl-h2o]

As I said, most of the time it's fine and should have the bacteria to do the job. I am well aware that cured LR should have plenty of bacteria on it. But whether it has enough bacteria or not depends on where and how it is stored(and often where you buy it from). If the LR is stored for a long period of time in a tank with no bio-load on it except other cured LR it may not have the bacteria population needed as the population will reduce due to bacterial die off, because of lack of bio-load. And if there is no die off, will not grow any until there are some nutrients to consume. I do not discurage people from using cured LR to cycle. I just prefer uncured because I get extra life and a good solid cycle with high bacterial populations allowing me more flexiblity from the begining. I was just answering a Q about why people choose uncured LR for cycling and was not trying to tell people not to use cured LR.
To steal a line from a shark
Your tank, your choice
No hard feeling taken or intended.

 

[reeferkeeper]

It is my understanding from reading a thread at www.seahorse.org that Sydney Seahorse was banned from saltwater.com. I decided to search for this thread and do not understand why a member of this forun would be banned just for expressing another way of doing things. I would personally like to be informed about everyway possible to perform task related to reefkeeping the "I" can make the decision if the method is too hard for me or if I need to research the topic more. We were all newbies at one time. I was a newbie just 4 years ago and I know that I wouldnt ever pour Mr Clean into my tank before I had researched it and researched it some more. I have read some pretty amazing ways of doing things right here on this BB and though I respected the sources they came from, I researched it further before I did it just because I read it somewhere.
I sure hope that Sydney Seahorse was not banned just because she felt strongly about a topic directly related to the topic of this thread or because what she had to say was not the way that a shark would prefer doing a method. Isnt it our job to help each other to be the best reef keepers and educators. There will ALWAYS be different and new ways of doing things, that doesnt mean that the old ways were not good...it just means that we are growing in our knowledge of reef keeping. Bottom line...research research research as we have preched to newbies over and over again.

 

[fusd71]

WOW........seems to be a touchy subject.
I cycled my tank with cured LR and everything was perfect in one week.
Now please calm down everyone. This BB has helped me out alot and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
FISHY88,
take everything in and try what you are most comfortable with, as with anything in life, you learn from your mistakes.
GOOD LUCK

 

[broomer5]

I'm in favor of long boring drawn out new tank cycles.
Forces me to slow down.
Just because the numbers read zero - and indicates the inital nitrogen cycle has started/finished in my tank - I still don't consider the tank ready to stock yet.
Ammonia and Ammonia Hydroxide and water ~ whether it comes out of a bottle, is produced from rotting organic life forms as the proteins and amino acids break down or if it comes from damsel pee/poop ...... it's the same stuff no matter how you look at it.
The bacteria don't care - neither do I.
Each method has it's advantages.
Each method has it's disadvantages.
Each method also works.

 

[fshhub]

OK, OK
the MR Clean theory is a bit excessive, BUT the point is, many do not realize what pure ammonia is, and I used Mr Cleanas an example, only to stress the importance of making sure to use the right product. And Mr Clean is a product that we can all relate to and understand without further explanation(so I thought).
As for the ban, if this si the case, IT DEFINITELY IS NOT for disagreeing, period. Especially since ther is no disagreement, I did say it works fine, adn only stressed that one should use caution in choosing the products to use in this case. Other than that, there is no disagreement with his/her chosen method. And to assume that one was banned for disagreeing while offering good- usable non-malicious advice(which this was), is jumping the gun a bit. No one has ever been banned for simply disagreeing with any one, including a mod. And if someone at another site is stating that it is for disagreeing, I assure you that they are misleading people and trying ot only gain empathy.

 

[sal t. nutz]

What was it for? If it was for ANYTHING posted in this thread, that is REDICULOUS!! But, I won't try to pretent I know all the facts, because there could be something else that happened that i don't know about.

 

[killyah]

i have used pure ammonia in most (4) of my tanks and everything is doing well. here is a link to the original creator of this fishless cycle.
http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquamag/cycle2.html

 

[20galsw]

Live Rock worked great for my last tank, a 50 gallon. My 20 gallon seems to have completely cycled for every parameter except for pH. My pH has stayed at 7.0 flat for a few weeks now, and that's with 2 sebae clowns in the tank.
Go figure,
-David-

 

[steve40]

I used Live Rock. Didnt want to put damsels in cause I heard they were way to hard to catch once you want to get rid of them.

 

[jf228]

for the shrimp you just get any shrimp that you use as bait and just throw them in there?? someone plz explain

 

[simm]

Just like 1 raw fresh shrimp from the sea food area at your grocery store. Dont get frozen get FRESH. Throw it in there for a few days to a week or maybe longer depending on the size of your tank.

 

[jf228]

you have to take it out when your cycle is done, right?

 

[simm]

Yes. Then check your levels then do a water change.

 

[jf228]

oh ok , thanks!

 

[jf228]

do you leave your lights on during the tanks cycle? If not, how long do you keep tem on?

 

[jf228]

bump