New Reef

[kken6217]

I just got back into the hobby. I have an Innovative Marine EXT 75 (75 gallons plus sump). It is aquascaped with Caribsea Liferock. I drove down to Tampa and picked up 70 pounds of their Live Sand and 20 pounds of Live Rock for the sump.

So I added the TBS sand and rock about 36 hours ago. I tested ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate using Salifert. Both yesterday and today there is no ammonia. Nitrite is almost negligible, and nitrate shows a little color when looking through the side of the vial instead of from above. So there reading is amplified by 10. See attached.

So I am going top test as the week goes on, but a few questions.

1. If the reading continue along this path, will the tank be considered cycled?
2. Should I add a clean up crew or fish to make sure I have an ammonia source.
3. Any water change after this week?
4. Is it Ok to run my skimmer?
5. Lights are off. I have done this based all of the BRS videos. Should I run a few hours a day however?

Thanks in advance.




Lights are off.

 

[Cthulukelele]

1. With live rock and live sand, hour tank was cycled the moment you added those things. They come in covered in nitrogen fixing bacteria.
2. I'd start slowly trickling in the things you want! The tank is ready for you to start your first additions!
3. Establish the water change schedule you want to do and stick to it now. That will encourage stability.
4. You can run your skimmer just be mindful not to bottom out nitrates.
5. With live rock I'd run my lights. This will minimize die off of photosynthetic hitchhikers. IMO lights off to avoid uglies is a dry rock start specific thing and even then just delaying the inevitable

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

 

[kevgib67]

@Cthulukelele nailed it!

 

[kken6217]

Thank you, fellow reefers.

 

[kken6217]

Now the real works begins......

 

[Fijiblue]

I would not consider the tank cycled as you do not have an ammonia source yet sustaining a bioload. The live sand and added bacteria gives you the tools to start a cycle and not wait for certain peaks of bacteria (cuts the time down), but will die if not fed.

 

[kken6217]

I would not consider the tank cycled as you do not have an ammonia source yet sustaining a bioload. The live sand and added bacteria gives you the tools to start a cycle and not wait for certain peaks of bacteria (cuts the time down), but will die if not fed.

What about die from rock and sand? That would be the ammonia source.

I was advised by Tampa Bay salt water, not to add ammonia. Also, given the fact that I have a slight amount of nitride and about 2.5 ppm of nitrate, it illustrates the cycle.

I’ve set reef tanks for years and they’ve cycled the same week, and I never saw ammonia.

 

[Fijiblue]

What about die from rock and sand? That would be the ammonia source.

I was advised by Tampa Bay salt water, not to add ammonia. Also, given the fact that I have a slight amount of nitride and about 2.5 ppm of nitrate, it illustrates the cycle.

I’ve set reef tanks for years and they’ve cycled the same week, and I never saw ammonia.

True, but that doesnt last indefinitely. Think of it as food. Once that ammonia (food) is consumed, unless replaced by a new ammonia source, the bacteria that eats the food dies off. Just like us, it needs a food source to sustain a specific level. A cycle isnt a one-time event and then it is over. It is a continual process, constantly adjusting nitrifying bacteria levels to your bio load/ammonia levels. If you dont have a new source of ammonia (i.e. fish, food, etc.) after whatever you received from your die off, your bacteria levels will die off.

Again, live rock, sand, and nitrifying bacteria in a bottle just cut out the time waiting for the cycle peaks and ultimately the production of the nitro bacter. It doesn't mean you then dont have to sustain it with a food source. That is why when you add fish, your tank can go through a mini cycle as it adjusts to a larger bioload and creates more needed bacteria. A system that is cycled will have no ammonia and no nitrites - just nitrates. If you have either of the first two, the tank has not adjusted all the way yet.

 

[kken6217]

I hear you, but they advised me against putting extra bacteria in and ammonia.

As mentioned before. I’ve had quite a few reed tanks in the past, and never added anything to my liverock and sand. The adding of ammonia and nitrifing bacteria is more of a dry rock tank phenomena. Yes, eventually we do have to add an ammonia source, and that would be livestock.

With that said, I have a pair of clown fish in there for 4 days and still no ammonia.

 

[Manpeckz]

Good luck, seems like things are going well.

 

[kken6217]

Good luck, seems like things are going well.

Thanks. If things go south, I will definitely report back as well to share my experience for others.

 

[Fijiblue]

They were right - you already have the nitro bacter source on the rock and the die off would be your ammonia source in the beginning. But fish would be needed to sustain any kind of nitro bacter levels. You didnt mention the fish previously. You are on the right track
Happy Reefing

 

[kken6217]

They were right - you already have the nitro bacter source on the rock and the die off would be your ammonia source in the beginning. But fish would be needed to sustain any kind of nitro bacter levels. You didnt mention the fish previously
Happy Reefing

I left that part out so I didn’t get flamed for adding fish