And so it begins

arawona1964

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2026
Messages
120
Reaction score
68
Location
kent
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
After 4 weeks of building the tank and getting the necessary equipment and taking advice from you guys the tank is full and the cycle process has begun.

I had the tank filled by NSW Croydon so I don’t have to mix my own I’ve gone fora direct supply and also the RO water is delivered to the door .

What do you suggest I can do to help the process if anything .

Thanks again for all the tips




 
OP
OP
arawona1964

arawona1964

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2026
Messages
120
Reaction score
68
Location
kent
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
After 4 weeks of building the tank and getting the necessary equipment and taking advice from you guys the tank is full and the cycle process has begun.

I had the tank filled by NSW Croydon so I don’t have to mix my own I’ve gone fora direct supply and also the RO water is delivered to the door .

What do you suggest I can do to help the process if anything .

Thanks again for all the tips




20260131_072332_3D860293-A773-4006-9BCF-489100A9ABA6.png

20260131_072333_51FD3700-874A-43C6-BFC5-E4CA8D152231.png
 

chip shop

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 1, 2023
Messages
311
Reaction score
227
Location
England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You need to add some form of ammonia,a bit of food or bottled to start the cycle
 

Fish Fan

Master of Disaster
View Badges
Joined
Dec 8, 2017
Messages
12,916
Reaction score
33,624
Location
461 Ocean Boulevard
Rating - 100%
6   0   0
Congrats on the new tank, looks great!

I have a couple thoughts that I hope will help:

I assume you're buying your NSW from a fish store, etc.? I would very much recommend that you double check the salinity with a good refractometer, hydrometer, etc. I wouldn't assume that the water was "perfect" just because you're buying it.

If you're having RO water delivered to your door, I'm 99% sure that's RO filtered drinking water, which often has extra minerals added in for taste. This isn't the same purified water that we typically use in reef tanks, which is RODI or Reverse Osmosis with De-Ionization. An RODI system produces basically pure water, which is ideally what you want.

If you don't have an RODI system yet, I'd suggest using gallons of distilled water found at any grocery store or pharmacy.

You do need to nitrogen cycle your tank to prepare it for future livestock. As mentioned above, you'll want to add some type of a bacteria product, like Dr. Tim's One and Only, Fritz TurboStart, or MicroBacter Start, etc. These products provide the beneficial bacteria you need to process waste in your tank. In addition, you need to add a source of ammonia that can "feed" the bacteria and cause them to grow to a population that can handle your future livestock.

There's a few ways to cycle a tank, and adding some real, wet live rock from a good local fish store is a great way to go. Here's some more information on cycling your tank:


I hope that help[s and good luck with your build!
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
arawona1964

arawona1964

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2026
Messages
120
Reaction score
68
Location
kent
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Congrats on the new tanks, looks great!

I have a couple thoughts that I hope will help:

I assume you're buying your NSW from a fish store, etc.? I would very much recommend that you double check the salinity with a good refractometer, hydrometer, etc. I wouldn't assume that the water was "perfect" just because you're buying it.

If you're having RO water delivered to your door, I'm 99% sure that's RO filtered drinking water, which often has extra minerals added in for taste. This isn't the same purified water that we typically use in reef tanks, which is RODI or Reverse Osmosis with De-Ionization. An RODI system produces basically pure water, which is ideally what you want.

If you don't have an RODI system yet, I'd suggest using gallons of distilled water found at any grocery store or pharmacy.

You do need to nitrogen cycle your tank to prepare it for future livestock. As mentioned about, you'll want other add some type of a bacteria product, like Dr. Tim's One and Only, Fritz TurboStart, or MicroBacter Start, etc. These products provide the beneficial bacteria you need to process waste in your tank. In addition, you need to add a source of ammonia that can "feed" the bacteria and cause them to grow to a population that can handle your future livestock.

There's a few ways to cycle a tank, and adding some real, wet live rock from a good local fish store is a great way to go. Here's some more information on cycling your tank:


I hope that help[s and good luck with your build!
Hi thanks for your reply I’m buying the NSW direct from the supplier and have tested it and it’s spot on

Ro was meeting lazy it’s most def rodi water from the same company

A very reputable supplier

I had kept reef tanks before but am trying this for the first time and expecting great things from the NSW
 

Tahoe61

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
17,948
Reaction score
21,589
Location
AZ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Congrats on the new tanks, looks great!

I have a couple thoughts that I hope will help:

I assume you're buying your NSW from a fish store, etc.? I would very much recommend that you double check the salinity with a good refractometer, hydrometer, etc. I wouldn't assume that the water was "perfect" just because you're buying it.

If you're having RO water delivered to your door, I'm 99% sure that's RO filtered drinking water, which often has extra minerals added in for taste. This isn't the same purified water that we typically use in reef tanks, which is RODI or Reverse Osmosis with De-Ionization. An RODI system produces basically pure water, which is ideally what you want.

If you don't have an RODI system yet, I'd suggest using gallons of distilled water found at any grocery store or pharmacy.

You do need to nitrogen cycle your tank to prepare it for future livestock. As mentioned about, you'll want other add some type of a bacteria product, like Dr. Tim's One and Only, Fritz TurboStart, or MicroBacter Start, etc. These products provide the beneficial bacteria you need to process waste in your tank. In addition, you need to add a source of ammonia that can "feed" the bacteria and cause them to grow to a population that can handle your future livestock.

There's a few ways to cycle a tank, and adding some real, wet live rock from a good local fish store is a great way to go. Here's some more information on cycling your tank:


I hope that help[s and good luck with your build!

I highly suggest you review this response.

1. CarbiSea Liverock is not live rock.
2. The water column typically doesn't provide enough beneficial bacteria to make make a noticeable difference.
3. I have gone the NSW route it's more expensive than it's worth.
 
OP
OP
arawona1964

arawona1964

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2026
Messages
120
Reaction score
68
Location
kent
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Congrats on the new tanks, looks great!

I have a couple thoughts that I hope will help:

I assume you're buying your NSW from a fish store, etc.? I would very much recommend that you double check the salinity with a good refractometer, hydrometer, etc. I wouldn't assume that the water was "perfect" just because you're buying it.

If you're having RO water delivered to your door, I'm 99% sure that's RO filtered drinking water, which often has extra minerals added in for taste. This isn't the same purified water that we typically use in reef tanks, which is RODI or Reverse Osmosis with De-Ionization. An RODI system produces basically pure water, which is ideally what you want.

If you don't have an RODI system yet, I'd suggest using gallons of distilled water found at any grocery store or pharmacy.

You do need to nitrogen cycle your tank to prepare it for future livestock. As mentioned about, you'll want other add some type of a bacteria product, like Dr. Tim's One and Only, Fritz TurboStart, or MicroBacter Start, etc. These products provide the beneficial bacteria you need to process waste in your tank. In addition, you need to add a source of ammonia that can "feed" the bacteria and cause them to grow to a population that can handle your future livestock.

There's a few ways to cycle a tank, and adding some real, wet live rock from a good local fish store is a great way to go. Here's some more information on cycling your tank:


I hope that help[s and good luck with your build!

I highly suggest you review this response.

1. CarbiSea Liverock is not live rock.
2. The water column typically doesn't provide enough beneficial bacteria to make make a noticeable difference.
3. I have gone the NSW route it's more expensive than it's worth.
Thank you I’ll
Have a read and come
Back to you once I’ve done so

Appreciate it
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

WHAT AMOUNT OF LIVE ROCK AND SAND SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR OPTIMAL BIODIVERSITY/FILTRATION?

  • 100% live rock + bagged sand

    Votes: 34 26.6%
  • 100% dry rock + 100% live sand

    Votes: 45 35.2%
  • 50/50 live/dry rock, 50/50 live/bagged sand

    Votes: 28 21.9%
  • 75% live rock, 25% live sand

    Votes: 11 8.6%
  • 25% live rock, 75% live sand

    Votes: 10 7.8%
Back
Top