How to cycle large system?

[GothFishKeeper]

I recently set up a 65g with a 20g sump, but my clownfish pair is young and small so they’re not really producing any significant amount of ammonia. Someone I work with at my LFS suggested adding a few green chromis so I got three, and being that they aren’t really hardy fish anymore due to overbreeding, I have one left. I would really prefer to still do a fish in cycle so are there any suggestions on hardy fish to get the cycle started? I would do FW mollies but given that I just got rid of my 20g FW tank due to the fact that mollies breed like crazy, I’d rather not. I’d also rather not put damsels into my tank with my clownfish because of aggression.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Why not just use bacteria and leave the fish until the tank is cycled?

 

[exnisstech]

With all the products available and proven to work with cycling a new tank I don't know why anyone would do a fish in cycle.

 

[JZ199]

I could be wrong, but it's going to be hard to do a fish in cycle now that they're already in there without killing everything. To get it to cycle you'll need your ammonia to spike which can harm or kill the current fish. I would see if you could return them or have a friend with a tank keep them until your tank is ready.

There are tons of great products for cycling your tank and adding beneficial bacteria. Before all these new products when I was cycling my 150 gallon, I used straight ammonia added into the tank to get the cycle going. Using any of these methods now though will most likely result in your current fish not making it.

 

[PotatoPig]

How long have you had this set up?

Was any actual live rock used in the setup, or just dry rock?

Do you have an LFS around? If so one way to get some cycled media in there would be to get some hermits and ask for a few of the empty shells in the bottom of the hermit tank.