The microbiology of reef tank cycling.
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Brian Drab
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OK, so here is what I have 46 hours in. Shown below is...
1. Original measurement after adding Ammonia Chloride.
2. After 20 hours
3. After 46 hours
4. Measurement of my 60 Gallon cycled tank that has been in operation almost three years for a good base of true 0.
What do you think? Time for some fish tomorrow?
1. Original measurement after adding Ammonia Chloride.
2. After 20 hours
3. After 46 hours
4. Measurement of my 60 Gallon cycled tank that has been in operation almost three years for a good base of true 0.
What do you think? Time for some fish tomorrow?
OP
OP
Howaboutme brings up a totally dry system no bottle bac, by feeding and waiting 30 days. It’s a small system with two good sized clowns, not a dilution trick. True working filtration earned when a chart says it will be earned.
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@Brian Drab
i had no idea you posted such a helpful and clear pic succession above I didn’t get the alert and randomly updated today
At 46 hours in with movement down that meets the actions known by Dr Reefs bottle bac thread to be in line with the faster mixes like Fritz or bio spira
i predict your tank worked fine any time after that post.
i had no idea you posted such a helpful and clear pic succession above I didn’t get the alert and randomly updated today
At 46 hours in with movement down that meets the actions known by Dr Reefs bottle bac thread to be in line with the faster mixes like Fritz or bio spira
i predict your tank worked fine any time after that post.
howaboutme
Active Member
Howaboutme brings up a totally dry system no bottle bac, by feeding and waiting 30 days. It’s a small system with two good sized clowns, not a dilution trick. True working filtration earned when a chart says it will be earned.
Thanks for the shoutout!
Just to be reiterate for those that haven't followed me, I never got a true NH3 peak. It stayed at the typical API 2.5/.5ppm color throughout cycling and even after I put my initial inverts in. Of course, I know from experience that this is what API does and I'm okay with it. There is no need for expensive tests during cycling. The goal is to see progression while understanding the process and that truly tells you how your cycling is going. Once I started to show NO3, I know I'm on the right path. Then I used Salifert to confirm. Remember, NO3 only exists in our closed systems if there was NH3 and NO2. In reality, there is almost no need to test NH3 or NO2 during cycling. (I wouldn't recommend it for a newbie especially if you're dosing NH3.)
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OP
OP
agreed fully.
hey how many times have you fed fish in that setup, what it takes to process the feed loading conversion is remarkable for new systems
hey how many times have you fed fish in that setup, what it takes to process the feed loading conversion is remarkable for new systems
howaboutme
Active Member
I started ghost feeding on the 3rd day of cycling. I wanted to give the process a few days just to see if any die off will occur. That probably was not necessary. I did a pinch each time, about what I would feed 2 fish. I used reef flakes. I prefer flakes as I can crush them to next to nothing. I fed daily until I put my inverts in ~ day 27 after NO3 had been rising for 4/5 days. I did have a noticeable NH3 smell about 4/5 day in so again, using your sense rather than counting on tests helps as my API still didn't show a rise. The only thing I would change is probably skip ghost feeding a day here and there so my NO3 peak isn't so high.
Brian Drab
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I just thought you forgot about me. I was wondering why you didn't respond. I'm 33 days in my quarantine and all 3 fish are doing good.
Robb1821i
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Hey Brandon429 I'm considering starting my tank with primo live rock from gulf live rock. I understand skipping the cycle with live rock from an established tank but what about this?
I don't have space to cure outside so it would be in the tank. Will I still be following the aggressive water change schedule traditionally done with this type of rock?
I don't have space to cure outside so it would be in the tank. Will I still be following the aggressive water change schedule traditionally done with this type of rock?
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According to the website - the rock does not need to be 'cured'. In fact, arent you losing all of the benefit of buying this type of rock by curing?
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Robb I missed alerts yesterday hated to miss, just saw
MN isn’t the going standard that if things are ocean cured we give time for ocean life to cure out? I hadn’t read those were pre cured
MN isn’t the going standard that if things are ocean cured we give time for ocean life to cure out? I hadn’t read those were pre cured
Robb1821i
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Yeah. I didn't read anything about it being pre cured either. Regardless I'd have an ammonia spike coming after shipping right?
My situation is I'm in an apartment with a reefer 350...so 90 gal. I can't do giant daily water changes and my wife won't like the tank stinking to high heaven.
My situation is I'm in an apartment with a reefer 350...so 90 gal. I can't do giant daily water changes and my wife won't like the tank stinking to high heaven.
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Gulf live rock?
Hi everyone! I’m looking into getting some premium deco live rock from gulf live rock, but I have a few questions. I’m going to be setting up my tank on Christmas, but I plan on getting the live rock maybe a week after it’s setup. Is that ok? My tank won’t be cycled, but I think that the live...
www.reef2reef.com
that shows some curing but not sure if testing was accurate we know so much ammonia work is over reported if you can spend the cash on pet store live rock I would
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According to one of the websites -Gulf live rock?
Hi everyone! I’m looking into getting some premium deco live rock from gulf live rock, but I have a few questions. I’m going to be setting up my tank on Christmas, but I plan on getting the live rock maybe a week after it’s setup. Is that ok? My tank won’t be cycled, but I think that the live...
that shows some curing but not sure if testing was accurate we know so much ammonia work is over reported if you can spend the cash on pet store live rock I would
These are the instructions:
"When you receive your live rock from us it will be in a bag in a insulated box. Remove the rock from the bag and the box. Each rock will be wrapped in moist paper towels. Remove the paper towels. Inspect the rock. Remove any thing on it that did not make the trip. Pay special attention to the large clams. We try to remove all the stuff that wont make the trip, but sometimes things can slide by us. If you are starting you tank from scratch you can just throw the rock directly into the tank. If you have a lot of fish and corals in your tank already, you should rinse off the rock with salt water. Scrubbing the rock with a soft brush and soaking it in salt water with an air stone or power head for a couple of days would be even better and is recommended. If you are worried about unwanted hitchhikers you can soak the rock in extra extra extra salty water for 5 to 10 minutes. This will kill the hitchhikers but it won't harm the rock. I would only do this if i saw something hiding in the rock that I did not want. Please call us if you need any help setting up your tank."
I was talking about the usual 'curing' process which Is taking the rock and leaving it in a dark tub for weeks. That would not be correct (IMHO) for this type of rock.
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OP
nice agreed. I can't believe its so hard to just walk into a pet store and see 5 hundred pounds of live rock in a huge open topped trough with two big pond pumps. that used to be commonplace, they ought to still be doing it but with this rock or other types, sell us live rock that requires no shipping
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I don't understand the point of buying rock with tube worms, christmas worms, corals, coralline - and placing it in a dark tub for weeks. In the 'old days' one would buy 'cured rock' from those dubs, then place colored, life-filled 'live rock' such as this one - on the top. I would never 'cure' the type of rock the poster is talking about. Or am I thinking something different?
Robb1821i
Active Member
Hey guys! So I should be receiving 35 lbs primo from gulf live rock tomorrow. Going to start my 90 gal with that. I figure the large water to rock ratio will help keep ammonia watered down and I will add more once I'm stable.
Should I be going full light from the beginning?
Should I be going full light from the beginning?
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