Cycle Help and information

[crzysnake137]

Hello Everyone, first time reefer here and looking for some advice/information. My digging has come up empty.

Picked up a New Red Sea Reefer 350 G2+ a few weeks ago and just got it filled and started last week.

My Lfs I bought the tank through instructed me to use Microbe Lift Nite Out 2 dosing per the bottle everyday, keeping the lights off and I added 2 long tail clowns. I’m not 100% sure if I’m doing thing correctly to cycle the tank, and if not why should be my next steps?

Thanks for all the help and look forward to becoming a reef nerd

 

[Lavey29]

Fish in cycles are ridiculously cruel to the animals damaging their gills. Modern bacteria supplements make cycling a tank easy without having to use fish and harming them. Do you know anything at all about maintaining a reef tank? Did you verify your tank is cycling properly? Have you checked ammonia levels?

 

[dinosaur_1552]

My Lfs I bought the tank through instructed me to use Microbe Lift Nite Out 2 dosing per the bottle everyday, keeping the lights off and I added 2 long tail clowns. I’m not 100% sure if I’m doing thing correctly to cycle the tank, and if not why should be my next steps?

I would buy a cheap test kit which can measure ammonia, nitrite, nitrate to confirm if/when the cycle is done.

In the meantime I'd keep the feeding low.

 

[crzysnake137]

My Lfs I bought the tank through instructed me to use Microbe Lift Nite Out 2 dosing per the bottle everyday, keeping the lights off and I added 2 long tail clowns. I’m not 100% sure if I’m doing thing correctly to cycle the tank, and if not why should be my next steps?

I would buy a cheap test kit which can measure ammonia, nitrite, nitrate to confirm if/when the cycle is done.

In the meantime I'd keep the feeding low.

That is currently what I am doing, I also have a ammonia test badge as well that I check daily.

 

[kgalarr0]

To be safe, typically 1 fish is added after you add ammonia and it cycleslije this (and you test to verify):

1st step
Ammonia approx 2ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

2nd step
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite detectable ppm
Nitrate 0ppm

3rd step
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate detectable ppm

4th step
50% water change (WC)

5th step and possibly final step. When ypu add ammonia and it cycles though in 24hrs approx, then you are ready to add a fish. After a week or two, if ammonia is not going up, then you add another fish.

You can verify with the testing that the needed bacteria are actually present and doibg their job. LFS missinfoemed you just to sell you fish and make money. Next time you purchase something, it may benefit you and the fish doing research before hand. I have been in your shoes and, without research, this is difficult. Reefing is basically a science project. You need to understand the science first. They dont really tell you that in the LFS.

I wish you the best!

 

[ScottJ]

Look through this guide. It has a lot of good information.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/