Check List for Tank Cycle

[JaneClifton]

Thanks to everyone who has welcomed me to the group and have provided great advice so far. I’m getting more confident to start my 29 gallon Aqueon tank now. I’m hoping to modify my Eshopps Eclipse S with the mods that @matth6761 so kindly demonstrated and do a final water test over the next week or so.

 

I currently have the following:

- Red Sea NO3/PO4 Algea Control Pro test kit

- Neptune Apex EL with a PH and Temperature probe. 

 

I plan to order the following:

- Red Sea Marine Care (NH3/NH4, NO3, NO2, PH, and KH)

-Marine Pure block to put in my sump

-Instant Ocean sea salt

- CaribSea Arag-alive Fiji Pink sand

- Pre-cured Real Reef Rock from my lfs

 

Am I missing anything?

 

I was thinking about going with the “phantom feeding” method to cycle my tank. I’m curious to hear your opinions based on my product selections. I’ve read a lot about the nitrogen cycle over the past few weeks and I’m still a little nervous that I won’t do it right.

 

Also, would it be necessary to purchase a refugium light at this time if all that I have in it will be the Marine Pure block?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[Clown79]

When you mean pre cured is the rock cycled? If so, you don't need to cycle it.

 

Is it wet rock?

 

Feeding method for cycling is not very reliable, no control on the ammonia level but the worst part is the waste in the tank usually causing higher nutrient levels.

 

If the rock is dry rock- using dr tim's products to cycle is a cleaner more accurate method.

 

If its liverock that is wet, already cured(cycled), you need to do nothing.

[seabass]

So your pre-cured Real Reef Rock should already contain bacteria.  I like your idea to build it up, and let it spread to the Marine Pure block.  However, I agree with Clown79, ghost feeding adds unnecessary and unwanted excess nutrients and organics into your system.

 

Instead, I would use DrTim's Ammonium Chloride to build up your biofilter.  Just dose (according to the bottle) your tank to 2 ppm, wait for ammonia and nitrite both to reach 0.25 ppm, and repeat until it can do this in one day.  Then, do a big enough water change to bring nitrate down to 5 ppm; and you're done.

 

A refugium light won't be required for the bacteria.  It's not photosynthetic.  You'll only need a fuge light if you are keeping macroalgae (or some other photosynthetic life) in your fuge.

[JaneClifton]

8 hours ago, Clown79 said:

When you mean pre cured is the rock cycled? If so, you don't need to cycle it.

 

Is it wet rock?

 

Feeding method for cycling is not very reliable, no control on the ammonia level but the worst part is the waste in the tank usually causing higher nutrient levels.

 

If the rock is dry rock- using dr tim's products to cycle is a cleaner more accurate method.

 

If its liverock that is wet, already cured(cycled), you need to do nothing.

Thanks! They sell the rock wet. I assumed that I still would need to cycle the tank since it will be a new setup.

[JaneClifton]

6 hours ago, seabass said:

So your pre-cured Real Reef Rock should already contain bacteria.  I like your idea to build it up, and let it spread to the Marine Pure block.  However, I agree with Clown79, ghost feeding adds unnecessary and unwanted excess nutrients and organics into your system.

 

Instead, I would use DrTim's Ammonium Chloride to build up your biofilter.  Just dose (according to the bottle) your tank to 2 ppm, wait for ammonia and nitrite both to reach 0.25 ppm, and repeat until it can do this in one day.  Then, do a big enough water change to bring nitrate down to 5 ppm; and you're done.

 

A refugium light won't be required for the bacteria.  It's not photosynthetic.  You'll only need a fuge light if you are keeping macroalgae (or some other photosynthetic life) in your fuge.

Thanks! I would like to keep macrogae at some point once the tank has been running for a while. Good to know I have more time to look into lighting!

[blasterman]

This is the problem with wet rock, live rock, cured rock, live sand etc. You have no idea what state it's in, and there's no monitoring commission like the FDA that guarantees live rock and sand is fully cured and stocked full of beneficial bacteria like milk is pastuerized, etc. 

 

Most live rock sold at fish stores comes from tanks that have little if any live stock in it. So, if there's no live stock in the tank what do the bacteria eat? 

 

Like Seabass I suggest testing the tank with a bit of ammonia and waiting for that ammonia to clear to be safe. If the rock is indeed 'live' the ammonia will clear fast. If it's not live then the ammonia will help jump start the cycle and get you moving along. We call this a no lose situation 🙂

[seabass]

I wouldn't dose ammonia into a tank with rock that came from the ocean (wild or maricultured), because the beneficial non-bacterial life could be impacted.  But, IIRC, Real Reef Rock is manufactured rock with added bacteria (so no danger of hurting non-bacterial life, because there isn't any).  At least that's how I remember it; I'd have to look it up to be sure.

[JaneClifton]

9 hours ago, blasterman said:

This is the problem with wet rock, live rock, cured rock, live sand etc. You have no idea what state it's in, and there's no monitoring commission like the FDA that guarantees live rock and sand is fully cured and stocked full of beneficial bacteria like milk is pastuerized, etc. 

 

Most live rock sold at fish stores comes from tanks that have little if any live stock in it. So, if there's no live stock in the tank what do the bacteria eat? 

 

Like Seabass I suggest testing the tank with a bit of ammonia and waiting for that ammonia to clear to be safe. If the rock is indeed 'live' the ammonia will clear fast. If it's not live then the ammonia will help jump start the cycle and get you moving along. We call this a no lose situation 🙂

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense to me. The rock is just in a big tub with no other life in it. I purchased a Bottle of Dr. Tim’s Ammonia and One and Only Nitrifying Bacteria earlier today to hopefully give it a better start expeciallg to help encourage bacteria population on the Marine Pure block. 

 

I’ll let you all know how it works out!