Cycling

[vostasf]

Hi I’m just getting started in my reef journey and just want to know your recommendations on best way to cycle and the fastest or best I have a redsea 170 and Marco rock right now

 

[Fish Fan]

It sounds like you've got dry rock and sand, so you'll likely want a bacteria-in-a-bottle product, and a source of ammonia. Currently, I like Fritz TurboStart 900 for bacteria, it works much more quickly than the others that all seem to take about 3 weeks, so what's the point?

I suggest that you raise the ammonia to about 2.00 ppm to get the cycle started, you can add fish food, but it does take quite a bit. Some like to add a shrimp from the seafood market. You can also use bottled ammonium chloride from Fritz or Dr. Tim's.

Add your bottled bacteria product and your choice of ammonia source and raise the ammonia to ~ 2.00 ppm. Watch the ammonia and when it drops to about 0.25 ppm or less, you're good to start adding some hardy livestock.

Optionally, once the initial dose of ammonia drops to 0.25 ppm or less, you can test the system by raising the ammonia back up to 2.00 ppm and testing again in 24 hours. If after 24 hours your ammonia is back down to 0.25 ppm or less, you're cycled

You can safely ignore nitrite, it's non-toxic in marine systems (unlike in freshwater), and in my opinion there's no need to do a big water change before adding livestock.

I hope this helps and good luck!

 

[vostasf]

It sounds like you've got dry rock and sand, so you'll likely want a bacteria-in-a-bottle product, and a source of ammonia. Currently, I like Fritz TurboStart 900 for bacteria, it works much more quickly than the others that all seem to take about 3 weeks, so what's the point?

I suggest that you raise the ammonia to about 2.00 ppm to get the cycle started, you can add fish food, but it does take quite a bit. Some like to add a shrimp from the seafood market. You can also use bottled ammonium chloride from Fritz or Dr. Tim's.

Add your bottled bacteria product and your choice of ammonia source and raise the ammonia to ~ 2.00 ppm. Watch the ammonia and when it drops to about 0.25 ppm or less, you're good to start adding some hardy livestock.

Optionally, once the initial dose of ammonia drops to 0.25 ppm or less, you can test the system by raising the ammonia back up to 2.00 ppm and testing again in 24 hours. If after 24 hours your ammonia is back down to 0.25 ppm or less, you're cycled

You can safely ignore nitrite, it's non-toxic in marine systems (unlike in freshwater), and in my opinion there's no need to do a big water change before adding livestock.

I hope this helps and good luck!

Okay awesome thank you! I’ve seen the shrimp method today. I think I’m going to try using dr Tim’s ammonia chloride and the dr Tim’s one and only. I’ve seen a lot of good stuff about it. I’m just not sure if I should switch out my Marco rock for live rock. I do have both from a friend so not sure which one to pick

 

[Fish Fan]

Okay awesome thank you! I’ve seen the shrimp method today. I think I’m going to try using dr Tim’s ammonia chloride and the dr Tim’s one and only. I’ve seen a lot of good stuff about it. I’m just not sure if I should switch out my Marco rock for live rock. I do have both from a friend so not sure which one to pick

Live rock, all day long