Does anyone has a refined method in cycling?

[vagabond]

I understand that there are many sites explaining this. However, I would like to know how you would advice newbies in cycling a new tank from this forum.

Cheers.

[arcanehacker]

I understand that there are many sites explaining this.  However, I would like to know how you would advice newbies in cycling a new tank from this forum.

Cheers.

I believe few simple steps would be:

- add sand. Live Sand if possible.

- add Live Rocks.

- cycle for 3 weeks. Might spped up process if add active bacterial in the water, eg Nutrafin's 'Cycle'. From 2nd week onwards can try testing water for nitrite, ammonia levels. If these are 0 then can test nitrate level.

- All three test ok, then maybe do a partial water change. Usually 30% - 50%.

- add live stock but only few at a time. Dumping in many at one go would shock the system and cause them to die.

oh yah.. no skimmer during cycling..

[vagabond]

I found something interesting was that, while NH2/3 and NO2 are both 0 but NO3 was getting rather high as each day goes by. How come?

[Achilles Tang]

Vagabond... that's the Nitrogen Cycle!

Did you not read about the Nitrogen Cycle before you started this hobby?

You have to understand this very BASIC fundamental of a keeping a marine tank! Please please please go read up about it first!

Knowledge is key to success in this hobby!

AT

[vagabond]

Boss sorry lah.

Me got read up lah, only this time too anxious about new tank and worrying it might fail. That's why are questions.

Cheers.

[Tanggy]

That where a DSB, Plenum and denitrator come into play ma. Cos the bacteria that converts NO3 to nitrogen gas requires a low oxygen space to grow and thrive.

Thus by either providing it with a dead water space (Plenum) or DSB (as water get deeper, lower oxygen), you are providing a location for these bacteria to populate. But takes months to mature before it becomes effective.

[Nautical]

arcanehacker mentioned "no skimmer during cycling "

why is that so ? can pls explain.

thanks a zillion.

[FuEl]

arcanehacker mentioned "no skimmer during cycling "

why is that so ? can pls explain.

thanks a zillion.

If you skim out all the organics, what is the bacteria gonna feed on? They might still get some food...but the point is that they will take longer to establish themselves, meaning a longer cycling period.

[Nautical]

thanks bros .... good point !!

going to switch off my skimmer now

[Nautical]

oh btw, when then can i start skimmer ?

izzit when ammonia or nitrite start to rise ?

[Kalib]

For me, i started skimming when i introduced my fishes to my tank. Not necessary IMO to on the skimmer during cycling.

[james72]

I understand that there are many sites explaining this.  However, I would like to know how you would advice newbies in cycling a new tank from this forum.

Cheers.

My method :-

1)Set up all equipment and ensure no leaks, install sponges,filters,bio-balls,bio rings at sump.

2)Put 4" grade 0 sand (btm) & 2" grade 1 sand (top)

3)Fill it up with salt water (can buy from LFS), ensure SG1.020-1.024

4)Run all equipment to cycle the water 2 days

5)Add in 2ndhand cured live rocks (the longer the beter) as much as ur tank can carry.

6)Cycle with chemi-pure for another 3-5days and use test kit to keep track of ammonia (NH3) & Nitrite (NO2) level.

7)After Ammonia & Nitrite raise and drop to zero, Add in two damsels to test water

8)Test for Nitrate level and look out for bubbles in DSB

9)Test for NH3,No2,No3 every day, if good, buy more LS

10)I stop stocking whenever I notice Ammonia and Nitrite is more than zero, if ammonia and nitrite still keep climbing, I add some zoo-11-1 baterials to counter, if still goes up, change 20-30% of water.

11)Add in Phosguard & 8 snails to help battle the brown algaes & 2 hermit crabs to battle the overfeeding or dead cells from LR.

12)Still monitoring water parameters closely, but so far so good despite my overstocking within a month.

Basically, I think the 2ndhand cured LR I bought from a fellow reefer and the 6" DSB helps a lot in my cycling speed. Just sharing my cycling method, do not follow my method unless you willing to do test for water parameters everyday and take counter measures immediately. I will hold no responsibility for any "death" cause.

[Infinitereef]

No, start your skimmer. Reason is that

1. The skimmer will not skim everything out. Your bacteria will have a lot of food to grow. Don't have to worry that.

2. It will also help your skimmer to break-in at the same time.

3. The skimmer keep your water in higher quality which will cause the good stuff in the LR not to die off. If not, the cycle go longer.

4. By seeing your skimmer running, you can adjust the skimmer (location, position, direction, etc) for efficiency.

5. Reduce the nuisance algae grow.

This is how I will do it if it is my tank.

1. I will let the tank cycle with my pump, skimmer, filtration on for 1 months with light off.

2. From 2-3 months, i will turn on the light for 8 hrs a day with no livestock, but put a very tiny piece of raw shrimp from the market and let it rot. Let the algae bloom and take up waste, helping cycle.

3. 4-6 months, add variety of herbivores - Snails, hermit crabs and let them feast on the lagae in the really clean water. Increase my light to 10 hrs (depends on your light intensity)

4. 7-9 months, add 2 hardy fish. I like clownfish.

5. At this time,

- algae will get eaten, corrallines will grow

- pods will start to grow also and eat the bad algae furthermore.

- tank should be more or less cycle by now.

6. I know, I know, but patience is the key to success in reef tank.

Don't be fool that the tank is fully cycle when Ammonia and Nitrite read zero. It is not fully cycle, just that the bacteria keep up with it.

[arcanehacker]

You talking about months leh.. and you call that refined? .. By the time you add fishes at the 7-9month, the hype of having this hobby had already fizzle away..

and you are saying that most people here have been fools coz most of us here determine cycling is over by the 0 ammonia and 0 Nitrite way.. and that most of our cycling process finished in 3 weeks and under..

Do you know that cycling is always and on-going process? It never really ends... So in that case, just keep salt water can already..

Quote from you:"This is how I will do it if it is my tank.".. you have not started anything yet?..

[Nautical]

Yeah .... I think patience is really being stretched here.

The human gestation is 7 - 9 months, but I don't think most marine hobbyist is going to have to wait that long.

[Terryz_]

That is too long liao... I was planning for a 4 month cycling period... For getting rid of the ich parasite and to get the tank over the algae bloom period.... MY 2 cts...

[alanseah]

7-9 months.. lolz.. why not wait for 10 years then your tank water is super aged..

=X joking.. hehehehe

[andysho]

get some rocks, sand or water from a very mature tank

and add into your tank and it will aid faster in the cycling

process

[Infinitereef]

That is what I waited. Definitely, you can start to add fish when the 3 weeks cycle is over, but there will be a lot of trace element still in the water that we don't test for. Problems like bad algae bloom, Ick, fish deaths is more lilely to happen here.

In fact, my next tank, I will add the stony corals and pioneer species first before the fish. In that case when I add the fish later, they will have a hihg water quality, structurally complex, natural healthy reef and they will thrive with no Ick.

While waiting during the first few months, I am not saying you do nothing. While waiting, this is what I did,

1. Read as many books as possible to know the science behind. This is fascinating in itself.

2. Watch your LR/sandbed for those critters that come with it. It is more fascinating than the fish IMO.

3. Setup up your QT tank for your 1st purchase, this normally can take a month.

4. Research your like/dislike. Salt brands, LFS, Lighting. Your equipmments. This will saves a lot of money.

5. You need months to save money for your fish tank. This is an expensive hobby.

6. This is what I think is most compelling reason. It take months to get you to become a habit in your husbandry of the tank. Without consistent schedule, your tank will faced countless issue.