Hey there, I will be setting up a 600 litre mixed reef tank most probably with live sand and some aqua forest purple rock. But, I have been seeing some videos and they say that it is better to wash and dry the sand before adding it to a tank and running a magnet through it to remove any magnetic materials which can harm the tank later on. So, there are two ways of cycling the tank that I have in mind. They are:
1) Add sand, rock and water. Wait 24 hours and then add a bottle of live bacteria like Turbostart 900, Colony or One and Only and then drop a pair of clownfish into the tank. Then test regularly for ammonia and if any pops up dose some Seachem Prime to help get rid of it.
2) Same process as option one, but just add some live rock in the tank before adding the fish after the cycle. Then leave the rock their for a good month or two so that the good bacteria from the rocks can also colonise the tank. Then
3) Add sand, rock and water to the tank. Then add some live rocks to the sump and also ghost feed the tank or add a prawn for ammonia. Wait until ammonia and nitrite reads zero and then add a pair of clownfish along with a bottle of bacteria just to be safe.
4) Add sand, rock and water. Wait a few days (ghost feed the tank or add a piece of shrimp to produce ammonia) then add live rubble rock to the sump in a container. Wait for the cycle to fish and when it does, add a pair of clownfish and remove the live rock from the sump. Basically, add no bottled bacteria to start the tank. As I do not want to keep any rock in the sump. I will have Maxspect Plates in between the last baffles of the sump before the return pump.
Please let me know which option among these will be the best. I can wait around 20 days before adding the fish as I will be quarantining them before adding them to the tank. So like I will quarantine the fish while the tank cycles. Also is there any other source of ammonia other than using a prawn or ghost feeding? As they may get smelly and produce lots of nitrates and phosphates. Bottled ammonia is not an option for me. I can cycle the tank with mollies as well, but some say it is cruel. Will the bacteria from the live rock reach the tank if I leave the live rock in the sump? I mean it will but will it take a long time?
I’m really sorry that it is really long
1) Add sand, rock and water. Wait 24 hours and then add a bottle of live bacteria like Turbostart 900, Colony or One and Only and then drop a pair of clownfish into the tank. Then test regularly for ammonia and if any pops up dose some Seachem Prime to help get rid of it.
2) Same process as option one, but just add some live rock in the tank before adding the fish after the cycle. Then leave the rock their for a good month or two so that the good bacteria from the rocks can also colonise the tank. Then
3) Add sand, rock and water to the tank. Then add some live rocks to the sump and also ghost feed the tank or add a prawn for ammonia. Wait until ammonia and nitrite reads zero and then add a pair of clownfish along with a bottle of bacteria just to be safe.
4) Add sand, rock and water. Wait a few days (ghost feed the tank or add a piece of shrimp to produce ammonia) then add live rubble rock to the sump in a container. Wait for the cycle to fish and when it does, add a pair of clownfish and remove the live rock from the sump. Basically, add no bottled bacteria to start the tank. As I do not want to keep any rock in the sump. I will have Maxspect Plates in between the last baffles of the sump before the return pump.
Please let me know which option among these will be the best. I can wait around 20 days before adding the fish as I will be quarantining them before adding them to the tank. So like I will quarantine the fish while the tank cycles. Also is there any other source of ammonia other than using a prawn or ghost feeding? As they may get smelly and produce lots of nitrates and phosphates. Bottled ammonia is not an option for me. I can cycle the tank with mollies as well, but some say it is cruel. Will the bacteria from the live rock reach the tank if I leave the live rock in the sump? I mean it will but will it take a long time?
I’m really sorry that it is really long