Newbie question on first tank and cycling.

[jonbark]

New to saltwater and looking forward to the journey. New tank and set up should be here later this week. Went with live sand, live rock, and RO water.

Question is about cycling. I have seen cycling can be anywhere from a week to two or even a few days since I am going live rock and live sand.

What do y’all recommend. And sorry for any typos on my phone.

 

[Spare time]

I would first see what die off you get from the live rock being shipped. If this produces some ammonia, see how fast it goes away. You can always get some ammonium chloride from dr tims or similar to test it.


Where are you getting the rock from?

 

[Alarmguy66]

The first rule is the most important and the hardest to follow. Take it slow. Don't rush any step. Be patient.

Yes, it could be that short, but what is happening during this time is your tank is growing beneficial bacteria everywhere. In the water, in the filters, on the surfaces, deep in the sand and rock. Let it grow, give it time to stabilize. There will be some die-off, give it time to be absorbed and let the system balance itself out.

When will you know its done? Its never done. Every time you add an organism there is a new balancing act taking place, thats why you add things slowly. Some things (damsels, clowns) are hardy and dont take the imbalances too hard. Some things (SPS corals, lets say) cant handle it very well at all.

So give it 3 weeks, and if the diatoms have started dying down or are gone, add something, but dont go overboard.

I don't mean to be all heavy about it, I just cant emphasize enough, when you are starting out its so easy to jump the gun and add things you want too early, and that just leads to issues, which then takes the pleasure out of having the tank in the first place. Take the time to read and learn from the others here, you will get some really good advice.

 

[jonbark]

Live rock is from a LFS here that is highly recommended and referred to.

 

[vetteguy53081]

With live rock, liquid bacteria, optomized filtration, Good test kits and patience in initial stocking

 

[Rp8]

+1 @Alarmguy66

 

[jonbark]

Thanks guys. And yes I am learning it is a lot of patients. Just wanted work on a game plan.

 

[Palegic]

In my experience there is a tremendous amount of die off with liverock ordered online, at least mine did. There was a pretty large cycle and it took a month at least before I could put fish in. If I had to do it again I would order caribseas man made bacteria impregnated rock, or fully cured rock from a LFS.

 

[jonbark]

In my experience there is a tremendous amount of die off with liverock ordered online, at least mine did. There was a pretty large cycle and it took a month at least before I could put fish in. If I had to do it again I would order caribseas man made bacteria impregnated rock, or fully cured rock from a LFS.

So we will play it by ear and check and test. I know they do their best with the live rock at the LFS to rid aptasia or anything else.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Welcome to R2R! As others have said, patience is key. Cycling isn’t really something that has a definitive end point. Basically if your system can process down ammonia, it means it’s on the first step of the path to true maturity. Adding too much livestock too fast can overwhelm the biological filtration that is just beginning to be truly established after the first instance of ammonia fully being processed.

Hope this helps!

 

[jonbark]

Welcome to R2R! As others have said, patience is key. Cycling isn’t really something that has a definitive end point. Basically if your system can process down ammonia, it means it’s on the first step of the path to true maturity. Adding too much livestock too fast can overwhelm the biological filtration that is just beginning to be truly established after the first instance of ammonia fully being processed.

Hope this helps!

Yep, thank you. When adding I will be adding gradually as well as much I would love to dump all corals and fish in at once haha!!

 

[dbowman5]

there are great articles and videos explaining the cycle and how to do it.

 

[Spare time]

Live rock is from a LFS here that is highly recommended and referred to.

So is this live rock they cure or ship in?

 

[BeltedCoyote]

So is this live rock they cure or ship in?

typically the “live rock” you can get from an LFS is a rock that has been in a pre-existing system and is fully seeded with the bacteria we know, love, and need. True live rock is what is either taken from the ocean or is rock That is maricultured (man made rock placed in the ocean and allowed to “marinate” for several years) and shipped to you. Either will help speed up the establishment of the micro fauna ecosystem that will eventually develop into a “mature” tank. The true live rock, however, will provide more biodiversity. But it also is likely to have hitchhikers (good and bad). Either is a good way to seed your system.

 

[KingTideCorals]

Welcome.. follow along with me and see some of my tips starting a reef tank!

Tip #1 is key!!!! Remember that

Cycling is something that shouldnt be rushed. Remember that.

 

[Erick Armanii]

I did the 4months cycle.. started in February 2020, I have 12 fish and a bunch of thriving sps Corals no diatom bloom, no algae issues and I started with dry rock and bare bottom.

it was hard to see an empty tank for months but fight thru it. This has been the easiest and best start to any tank I’ve ever done.

TAKE IT SLOW!!!

 

[jonbark]

So is this live rock they cure or ship in?

rock they have in their systems.

 

[brandon429]

pet store live rock skips the cycle, it doesn't take any delay. Buy rocks with coralline on it, animals attached, move to your tank, it's cycled. Not mailed rocks, ones from pet store aquarium are skip cycle. where you set them in a bucket and drive home and install them.

they don't have dieoff going into your tank. this is the majority of instant reef setups at macna or other conventions for the last 30 years, they dont have dieoff.

 

[brandon429]

The microbiology of reef tank cycling.

You can skip your cycle. Ive been reefing online for twenty years and have never waited one second for a tank to cycle, because I buy rocks that are already cycled and move them home. Here's two: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/octo-high-end-sps-skip-cycle-build.713256/...

www.reef2reef.com

How to skip cycle or regular cycle, updated beyond old rules, much easier

there is a way you can visually spot live rock that skip cycles at your pet store, bring it home, skip the cycle, and buy no test kits for ammonia, nitrite or nitrate because they're not required in 2020. visual benthic clues are better, we show for pages of cycled reefs. learning how to tell if rock is cycled by looking at it, or a picture of it, is the entire point of the thread and practice there.

no its not dangerous, making cycle guesses off api is dangerous (which is why we kicked out ammonia testing there pretty much)