How to "properly" cycle a tank?

What do you use to Cycle a Tank "Properly"

  • Add Ammonia to spike the tank and slowly add bacteria over time.

  • Let the tank do its thing with live sand and live rock. (wait it out)

  • Adds Tons of microbacter7 and let the strongest bacteria win.

  • Toss Shrimp in from super market and create ammonia spike more naturally.

  • Put in hardy "less expensive fish" into the tank to start feeding and pooping.

  • Add in daily fish food into the system and let that break down to cause spike.

  • Adds Tons of Turbostart 900 and let the strongest bacteria win.

  • Add in Biodigest and let the strongest bacteria win.


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Deinonych

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I used dry rock when I set up my tank, so my cycle time may not be indicative of a tank with live rock. My process:
  1. Fill tank with 1.026 salt water
  2. Add Bio-spira bacteria booster
  3. Add pure ammonia until test kit reads 2 mg/L
  4. Wait a day or so
  5. Test nitrites and nitrates until both read 0, add ammonia as needed to reach 2 mg/l again
  6. Repeat #5, until 2 mg/L ammonia is converted to 0 mg/L nitrates in 24 hours
  7. Tank is cycled (usually takes 4-6 weeks)
  8. Add livestock slowly
 
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Salty-Sailor

Salty-Sailor

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I’m loving the response from you all! I’m almost finished with my wire management, was waiting on grommets to put cables through for mp40’s but what do you guys think? [emoji848] [emoji189] just this morning I feel like they’re was a pod explosion because the entire glass is now covered with pods when before I was just seeing a ton of big pods on the rocks.
01ae6201de549469217cfa50cad621b1.heic
 

FLSharkvictim

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So, I bought pukani rock from BRS and put it in a large brute trashcan in saltwater for 1 month with a power head and heater. i did 100% water change on the trash can with my "old" water change water from my frag system once per week after the first month of just circulating the water & i did that for 1 month. check levels through out these two months and the rock went through a pretty good cycle with high spikes of ammonia, nitrites & nitrates. also because of using my "old" water from frag tank Ive added a ton of pods to the rocks as well. :)

I have now added these rocks to my red sea Reefer 525XL along with 6 20lb bags of live sand.

right now i do not have lights on over the tank but other then that the tank is fully operational.

My question to everyone is how should i cycle the tank? (side note, seeing all the amazing pods in the tank makes me want to avoid large ammonia spike because it will "likely" kill the existing pods)

I'm adding as many ways to cycle the tank that i can think of and if i missed one or you think theres more to it defiantly let me know so i can add it to the poll. Thanks for Voting!!!

@Salty-Sailor
Is this your first time running a saltwater tank ? - Sorry, MATE but you have spent all of this money on Radiants, Redsea tank and all of that other equipment and you don't know the best way to cycle a tank mate? COM ON MAN!!! There is only 1 way to cycle a tank, you add this one chemical and you are good to go and you can fish the day you set it up! If you treat your tank with Fritz Zyme Monster 460 Biological bacteria, you can add you, damsels, the same day. Best stuff on the market to kick-start your Biological process faster than any other brands that I have tried.


Screen Shot 2017-12-13 at 7.59.51 AM.png
 
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Salty-Sailor

Salty-Sailor

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Im loving the response from you all!
@Salty-Sailor
Is this your first time running a saltwater tank ? - Sorry, MATE but you have spent all of this money on Radiants, Redsea tank and all of that other equipment and you don't know the best way to cycle a tank mate? COM ON MAN!!!


hello FLSharkvictim.
Ive cycled 5 tanks now ranging from 32Gallon Biocube up too Peninsula 650 FOWLR tank in all different ways and every one of those tanks have been for different types of animals. Also, none of those cycled the way i wanted them to and i figured i can be humble and ask my Peers & Pro's on Reef2Reef they're thoughts to further my knowledge in the love of Saltwater keeping.

To Add as well, If im going to spend thousands and thousands on equipment and live stock (as you've stated) shouldn't i do my due diligence to learn the best course of action from step 1?
 

jeff williams

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I agree with others if your rock went through the ammonia nitrite nitrate phase it's cycled there is other way to cycle that's similar to the first option. Add ammonia and a full bottle of bacteria all at once instead of slowly adding bacteria, that's my method
 

NY_Caveman

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Im loving the response from you all!



hello FLSharkvictim.
Ive cycled 5 tanks now ranging from 32Gallon Biocube up too Peninsula 650 FOWLR tank in all different ways and every one of those tanks have been for different types of animals. Also, none of those cycled the way i wanted them to and i figured i can be humble and ask my Peers & Pro's on Reef2Reef they're thoughts to further my knowledge in the love of Saltwater keeping.

To Add as well, If im going to spend thousands and thousands on equipment and live stock (as you've stated) shouldn't i do my due diligence to learn the best course of action from step 1?

You are correct. There is no one magic way. If there was you would not have to ask. I say go slow and patient. Never understand the need some have to rush the cycle with additives. Some do it successfully as I have said, but since this is your main filtration, it pays to let it proceed naturally.
 

Ferrell

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Just to chime in like everyone else I’ve done it a couple of ways dating back to the first tank with the “damsel fish” method of the 80s. This tank I used dry rock, washed thoroughly, dry sand rinsed thoroughly and a healthy dose of dr Tim’s and two fish. It cycled the way the instructions said it would. Low ammonia spike, lower nitrite spike and ever increasing nitates. Waited til Nitrate reached 8-9. Did a 10% water change to bring it back down and now ready to do a larger change. Overall it’s taken about 3 weeks. I don’t plan to stock slowly to increase the bacteria base. Also to add I did not run my lights (except the blues for feeding) during the cycle and have little algae to show for it
 
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Salty-Sailor

Salty-Sailor

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You are correct. There is no one magic way. If there was you would not have to ask. I say go slow and patient. Never understand the need some have to rush the cycle with additives. Some do it successfully as I have said, but since this is your main filtration, it pays to let it proceed naturally.

I have patience for sure! lol tank was dry for 6 months staring at me while i saved up for all the parts and pieces because i wanted to start it out right so i don't mind at all waiting, again just wanted to try and do every step from the beginning the best way known.
 
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Salty-Sailor

Salty-Sailor

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Just to chime in like everyone else I’ve done it a couple of ways dating back to the first tank with the “damsel fish” method of the 80s. This tank I used dry rock, washed thoroughly, dry sand rinsed thoroughly and a healthy dose of dr Tim’s and two fish. It cycled the way the instructions said it would. Low ammonia spike, lower nitrite spike and ever increasing nitates. Waited til Nitrate reached 8-9. Did a 10% water change to bring it back down and now ready to do a larger change. Overall it’s taken about 3 weeks. I don’t plan to stock slowly to increase the bacteria base. Also to add I did not run my lights (except the blues for feeding) during the cycle and have little algae to show for it

That was my thought process on the lights as well. didn't want to have any nuisance algae right off the bat.
 

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