Best way to cycle 15 gal. for first timer

[simplicity]

Hey guys, just got myself a 15 gallon AIO (Hello Reef) and ordered mostly everything I need for it, including live sand and dry live rock. I have cycled many freshwater tanks, but this is my first saltwater reef aquarium. I would appreciate some help with this if you have the time.

I've read that you can cycle a saltwater aquarium with filter media from a freshwater tank. In that case, I have mesh bags full of seachem matrix (from my 3-year old cycled freshwater tetra tank) I can put in the back of the aquarium to boost the cycle. I can also daily dose some type of dormant bacteria additive, and even ammonia... or I can just add a couple of clowns to immediately start producing ammonia - I've heard they are hardy fish and are often used to start the cycle. I also plan on leaving the lights off until the cycling completes.

What do you think of this strategy? What do you suggest?

 

[NanoSteam]

Hey guys, just got myself a 15 gallon AIO (Hello Reef) and ordered mostly everything I need for it, including live sand and dry live rock. I have cycled many freshwater tanks, but this is my first saltwater reef aquarium. I would appreciate some help with this if you have the time.

I've read that you can cycle a saltwater aquarium with filter media from a freshwater tank. In that case, I have mesh bags full of seachem matrix (from my 3-year old cycled freshwater tetra tank) I can put in the back of the aquarium to boost the cycle. I can also daily dose some type of dormant bacteria additive, and even ammonia... or I can just add a couple of clowns to immediately start producing ammonia - I've heard they are hardy fish and are often used to start the cycle. I also plan on leaving the lights off until the cycling completes.

What do you think of this strategy? What do you suggest?

I wouldn't put anything from your fresh water tank into this. I would get something like Dr. Tims or better yet Fritz Turbo Start 900 if you can get your hands on it, pour the bottle into the tank and add 1 to 2ppm ammonia then just test until you have 0 ammonia. Unlike freshwater you can ignore nitrites, they aren't toxic to saltwater inhabitants but they will cause your nitrate tests to be inaccurate if present so keep that in mind.

 

[TheNative192]

Hey guys, just got myself a 15 gallon AIO (Hello Reef) and ordered mostly everything I need for it, including live sand and dry live rock. I have cycled many freshwater tanks, but this is my first saltwater reef aquarium. I would appreciate some help with this if you have the time.

I've read that you can cycle a saltwater aquarium with filter media from a freshwater tank. In that case, I have mesh bags full of seachem matrix (from my 3-year old cycled freshwater tetra tank) I can put in the back of the aquarium to boost the cycle. I can also daily dose some type of dormant bacteria additive, and even ammonia... or I can just add a couple of clowns to immediately start producing ammonia - I've heard they are hardy fish and are often used to start the cycle. I also plan on leaving the lights off until the cycling completes.

What do you think of this strategy? What do you suggest?

Don't put anything from freshwater tank into saltwater. Buy some form of beneficial bacteria as he mentioned like Dr. Tims one & only or Fritz Turbo Start 900. Ideally choose one that is specifically targeted for saltwater tanks. I am personally a fan of also getting Dr. Tims ammonia source so you can dose up to 2ppm Ammonia to get started.

The best advise I can give you is to go slow when adding new fish & avoid overstocking the tank. You will run into so many more problems as I have if you rush the process & it will turn into never ending problems and possible a years time before things possibly balance out.

Dinos, cyano, GHA, etc all come from not having a great established bacteria colony adjusted to your bioload so I would say add your live sand & dry rock. Add the beneficial bacteria starter. Dose to 2ppm ammonia at least twice and watch it drop to 0.

Then start out with a basic fish like one clownfish and maybe after a month add another & so on etc.

 

[simplicity]

I wouldn't put anything from your fresh water tank into this. I would get something like Dr. Tims or better yet Fritz Turbo Start 900 if you can get your hands on it, pour the bottle into the tank and add 1 to 2ppm ammonia then just test until you have 0 ammonia. Unlike freshwater you can ignore nitrites, they aren't toxic to saltwater inhabitants but they will cause your nitrate tests to be inaccurate if present so keep that in mind.

So wait until the ammonia settles before adding fish? Are you adding 1-2 ppm of ammonia daily, and if you're adding ammonia, won't that show up on the ammonia test? Good to know about the nitrite, thanks.

 

[NanoSteam]

So wait until the ammonia settles before adding fish? Are you adding 1-2 ppm of ammonia daily, and if you're adding ammonia, won't that show up on the ammonia test? Good to know about the nitrite, thanks.

Ya wait until the ammonia you added is processed and reads 0 on the test kit then you can add fish.

No you're only adding it initially, not daily.... but as @TheNative192 mentioned you can add it again at 2ppm once it reaches 0 the first time just to see if it gets processed back to 0 within 24 hours.

 

[TheNative192]

So wait until the ammonia settles before adding fish? Are you adding 1-2 ppm of ammonia daily, and if you're adding ammonia, won't that show up on the ammonia test? Good to know about the nitrite, thanks.

This is a good way to add ammonia to the tank and makes it easy to hit 2ppm.

Ammonium Chloride Solution for Fishless Cycling | Dr Tims Aquatics

Only go to 2ppm initially. Do not go past 2ppm. Once it hits 0 then dose back to 2ppm and make sure its dropping within 24-48 hours.

Don't add fish till have Ammonia is zero

BONUS TIP! If you are using an API test kit their Ammonia test never reads as Zero so if it drops from 2ppm to 0.25 Ammonia its likely zero. Good way to check is dose back to 2ppm and watch it drop again!

 

[simplicity]

Ok, so add bacteria additive, then add ammonia at 2 ppm, then wait until it hits or gets close to 0. Then repeat until the ammonia is mostly consumed in 24 hours. Then it will be cycled. Sounds easy enough. About how long do you think this would take in a small 15 gallon tank, about a month? Not trying to rush, just curious.

Are you waiting to add ammonia, or soon as you add the bacteria, add ammonia? I ordered the $200 test kit from BRS that includes ammonia, I believe. I have the API test kit from when I started my last freshwater tank, but I wasn't sure if I could use it on saltwater, and I've heard mixed reviews about the accuracy of API when it comes to interpreting results.

 

[NanoSteam]

It can vary, Dr. Tims took me 16 days to cycle while Fritz Turbo Start 900 finished in just 4 days but that stuff comes refrigerated and is supposed to be very concentrated.

 

[TheNative192]

Ok, so add bacteria additive, then add ammonia at 2 ppm, then wait until it hits or gets close to 0. Then repeat until the ammonia is mostly consumed in 24 hours. Then it will be cycled. Sounds easy enough. About how long do you think this would take in a small 15 gallon tank, about a month? Not trying to rush, just curious.

Are you waiting to add ammonia, or soon as you add the bacteria, add ammonia? I ordered the $200 test kit from BRS that includes ammonia, I believe. I have the API test kit from when I started my last freshwater tank, but I wasn't sure if I could use it on saltwater, and I've heard mixed reviews about the accuracy of API when it comes to interpreting results.

API are not terrible but other test kits are better. With API Ammonia it always reads 0.25 even when its 0 and there is a different chart for Saltwater with API Ammonia tests. You want to add the Ammonia & Bacteria additive at the same time as the Ammonia is food for the bacteria. It can cycle much faster than a month but the key is once its cycled in a smaller tank you have to be very careful about adding fish as you want to avoid your phosphates from spiking above 0.1 or max of 0.3 etc or you will have nuisance algae or cyanobacteria or dinoflagellates which are hard to get rid of. Its hard to keep the nutrients stable without taking your time which is why I say start with just one fish and give it a month or two and go from there. Ideally a clown as they are hardy.

 

[simplicity]

API are not terrible but other test kits are better. With API Ammonia it always reads 0.25 even when its 0 and there is a different chart for Saltwater with API Ammonia tests. You want to add the Ammonia & Bacteria additive at the same time as the Ammonia is food for the bacteria. It can cycle much faster than a month but the key is once its cycled in a smaller tank you have to be very careful about adding fish as you want to avoid your phosphates from spiking above 0.1 or max of 0.3 etc or you will have nuisance algae or cyanobacteria or dinoflagellates which are hard to get rid of. Its hard to keep the nutrients stable without taking your time which is why I say start with just one fish and give it a month or two and go from there. Ideally a clown as they are hardy.

That makes sense about adding the ammonia at the same time as bacteria.

I don't know much about clownfish, but I know they sell them as bonded pairs. I was intending on getting a bonded pair... Would there be any concern with adding them separately that they might not get along, or maybe issues with sexing and ending up with two males or females instead of a male/female pair? Do they all eventually bond if together long enough?

 

[simplicity]

It can vary, Dr. Tims took me 16 days to cycle while Fritz Turbo Start 900 finished in just 4 days but that stuff comes refrigerated and is supposed to be very concentrated.

wow that's pretty fast. I was expecting a lot longer.

 

[NanoSteam]

wow that's pretty fast. I was expecting a lot longer.

It's one of those YMMV things. Could be different for everyone but generally folks see the quickest cycle times with turbostart. That stuff also smells awful like sulfur.

 

[TheNative192]

That makes sense about adding the ammonia at the same time as bacteria.

I don't know much about clownfish, but I know they sell them as bonded pairs. I was intending on getting a bonded pair... Would there be any concern with adding them separately that they might not get along, or maybe issues with sexing and ending up with two males or females instead of a male/female pair? Do they all eventually bond if together long enough?

With clownfish, they all start out as males and the more dominant one becomes a female. Problem you run into is sometimes the one trying to become a female can kill the male or they can battle to the death if they are around the same size. As such I usually recommend to purchase one much larger than the other. If you do start with a bonded pair that would be fine but I would say give it 2-3 months before adding more fish & ideally I would not add more than 1-2 more fish max (of nano fish).

 

[RacinRevo0818]

Fritz added and then fish.... It worked just as claimed. I wouldn't believe it unless I did it.

 

[Fish Fan]

You've already received some great advice above, but to add:

If you really must fish-in cycle the tank, only the Fritz TurboStart product works quickly enough to add fish right away. This product includes a variety of bacteria that can and does process ammonia, but they are not the bacteria that you really want long-term in your bio filters. Think of TurboStart as a band-aid, and not a cure. Products like Dr. Tim's One and Only are said to contain the actual bacteria that do indeed process nitrogenous waste in our tanks, but take three or four weeks to establish.

Don't cycle the tank with live Clownfish. Can you do that and does it *work*? Sure. But most here at R2R now advise doing a fish-less cycle using bottled bacteria and a source of ammonia.

I would honestly suggest ditching the dry rock and *live* sand-in-a-bag, and look for some real, wet live rock from your local fish store, or ideally get some rock and sand from an aquaculture facility such as Tampa Bay Saltwater:

Tampa Bay Saltwater - America's #1 Live Rock for Reef Aquariums

Tampa Bay Saltwater sustainably farms ocean aquacultured live rock and hand harvested sand. TBS Live Rock provides beneficial microorganisms, creates a less stressful environment for inhabitants and provides natural biofiltration by the lifeforms found in and on it. Healthy live rock, from our...

tbsaltwater.com

Good luck!

 

[simplicity]

With clownfish, they all start out as males and the more dominant one becomes a female. Problem you run into is sometimes the one trying to become a female can kill the male or they can battle to the death if they are around the same size. As such I usually recommend to purchase one much larger than the other. If you do start with a bonded pair that would be fine but I would say give it 2-3 months before adding more fish & ideally I would not add more than 1-2 more fish max (of nano fish).

I'm probably going to stick with just the two clownfish, tbh. I had no idea they can change sexes, that's pretty wild. Do you recommend buying in a pet store or having them delivered? Pet stores are hit or miss, depending on what's available, as you know. I've had plants delivered for my freshwater tanks, but never fish.

 

[TheNative192]

I'm probably going to stick with just the two clownfish, tbh. I had no idea they can change sexes, that's pretty wild. Do you recommend buying in a pet store or having them delivered? Pet stores are hit or miss, depending on what's available, as you know. I've had plants delivered for my freshwater tanks, but never fish.

I would say either find a LFS that you can trust and that the fish look healthy and pick them up there. That being said I have also never had any casualties from shipping fish online. I mean definitely go with a trusted vendor, but both options work. Just don’t order from a sketchy website lol.