a bit of help with cycling

[shampy]

just started aquarium, i added live rock from another aquarium which have some asterines, stomatella snails, featherworms, mini brittle starfish, amphipodes and so.

 

i dont intend to add anything there for at least one month, maybe until spring (i dont have any store in my town, is winter and i presume noone will send life stock with those temperatures).

 

do i need to trow some food in there for the little creatures ? if so, what kind ? flakes, frozen shrimp ... ?

 

thanks !

[Nanomaniac]

Hello,

 

Read this in regards to cycling your tank: http://www.nano-reef.com/articles/_/beginners/cycling-your-tank-r8

[Clown79]

Liverock generally cycles on its own.

With dry rock it requires ammonia and bacteria dosing.

 

In order to know your tank has started/ended a cycle is by testing ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.

 

Those critters in your tank often eat detritus, algae and left over food.

I've never fed them because generally after the cycle, I add a fish. Any left over food and waste feeds those critters.

[shampy]

i know/read about cycling, testing (i had a fresh water aquarium before), but but my problem was what to feed the current critter livestock in case i would not add a fish for months, so no left over fish food and so. i have a rock filled with mini brittle starfish for example, i saw last night some brittle worms to.

 

thanks.

[seabass]

You might need multiple types of food. For example, you could feed some phytoplankton (like DT's) for your pods, filter feeder food for your fan worm (maybe something like Reef Chili), and something a little meatier for the bristle worms (could just be some crushed flake food).

 

Now it would be very easy to over feed your tank with any of these foods (which will degrade the water quality). You must feed very, very little and only a couple of times a week. Large water changes can also help.