Advice with cycling tank

[Balix]

I am getting ready to cycle my tank and seeking input.

 

Should I cycle my tank with filter media?

 

I was going to do filter floss/sponge and carbon. I do plan to use purigen and phosguard too but don't know if I should wait after the tank is cycled.

 

Can I just mix the salt directly in the tank with a new setup?

 

I was going to fill my 20 gallon with RODI water and then just mix the salt in. Run a few hours to check salinity and adjust if necessary. Any harm if I do it this way?

[seabass]

Sure, as long as nothing else is in the tank (sand, live rock, etc), you can mix your saltwater in it.

 

If live rock will be used for your bio-filter, don't use any other biological media while the cycle is becoming established. Other than that, it's usually alright to use chemical and mechanical media (just keep mechanical media clean so it doesn't become a bio-filter). However, most people wait until after the cycle has become established before using chemical media.

[louy99]

I use dr tims one and only bacteria to cycle tank, usually ready in 2-3 days

[Azedenkae]

I am getting ready to cycle my tank and seeking input.

 

Should I cycle my tank with filter media?

 

I was going to do filter floss/sponge and carbon. I do plan to use purigen and phosguard too but don't know if I should wait after the tank is cycled.

 

They are not needed, will just slow down the microbial propagation process. Just make sure you do run your biological filter media, whatever it may be.

 

Can I just mix the salt directly in the tank with a new setup?

 

I was going to fill my 20 gallon with RODI water and then just mix the salt in. Run a few hours to check salinity and adjust if necessary. Any harm if I do it this way?

 

Nope.

[metrokat]

I do plan to use purigen and phosguard too but don't know if I should wait after the tank is cycled.

 

 

What is the phosguard for?

[CJJon]

Regarding mixing salt in your system. Sure at this point you can, but I don't recommend it. IMO, you will need to be able to mix large batches of salt water (20 gallons) at some point after the tank is established and now is a good time to figure that process out. I fill my new systems with plain tap water and run them for at least a week that way. Run everything, heater, top off system, lights, etc. This is my shakedown. If I need to dump the water for adjusting no big deal. If it floods, it is freshwater instead of salt. I will also pour in a few jugs of H2O2 in and let that circulate. I then dump all that tap water, clean and dry everything, then fill with clean saltwater.

[Balix]

Thank you for the responses. I slowly dripped the RODI water in and added the salt in directly. Salinity currently at 1.025. Only have heater and sponges in media basket running. Will spike with Dr. Tim's ammonia and a bottle of biospira tommorow.

 

^ Metrokat - phosguard is something I"m still thinking about, maybe to keep on hand if I have a algae outbreak.I know chemipure elite has a phosphate remover already but not sure how much it will remove. I had a freshwater tank a few years back and the algae was a nightmare so thinking kinda overboard from post traumatic experience lol. I do plan to keep corals and I know stripping too much phosphate might not be too good.

 

 

[metrokat]

Add phosphate control when you have phosphate. So testing is important.

[Balix]

I'm getting ammonia and nitrite readings. Nitrate seems high even after doing a 3 gallon water change. This is 4 days into my cycling. I currently have no filter media running.

 

I don't plan on stocking with livestock until 2-3 weeks from now but should I continue dosing with ammonia to keep the bacteria colony stable? I assume this would be equivalent to ghost feeding?

 

Should I also start doing something about the nitrate such as running media filters now or leave it be?

 

[Balix]

Thanks, it reassures me I'm on the right path and being patient with it. Didn't think I would get nitrites that fast using dry rock and "supposedly" live sand that I rinsed out with RODI anyway. I guess the ammonia and biospira helped out.