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Starting the cycle


Zer0

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Should be a pretty straightforward question. Is there a better/new way to kickstart the water cycle? I’ve always used the raw shrimp method, but I’ve been coming across people using an additive or dosing pure ammonia? Not sure what that’s all about though. Can anyone school me please?

 

Thank ya!

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Depends on the rock you choose.

 

Liverock - with detritus, decaying matter - nothing, it will cycle on it own

Cured liverock - liverock that is from sn established tank with life on it - nothing, its already cycled, don't let it dry out

 

Dry rock - most accurate and clean method- bacteria and ammonia dosing

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On 2/14/2021 at 7:25 PM, Zer0 said:

Should be a pretty straightforward question. Is there a better/new way to kickstart the water cycle? I’ve always used the raw shrimp method, but I’ve been coming across people using an additive or dosing pure ammonia? Not sure what that’s all about though. Can anyone school me please?

 

Thank ya!

Do you have any books that talk about the nitrogen cycle or cycling a tank?

 

The natural method is still by far the best.  But it takes time and folks aren't very patient in 2021.  Look it up.   Martin Moe's "Aquarium Handbook..." is my favorite resource for this....cheap to get used, and FULL of good info.

 

So due to lack of patience and other reasons, folks commonly use something like One and Only or BioSpira to start their tanks.

 

If you go for one of these in order to rush your setup (which personally I don't recommend) I strongly recommend following the the product instructions of whatever you buy vs following online advice for it.

 

As far as I know, all of the instant products are licensed versions of the same product.  BioSpira was first on the market.

 

There are also non-instant bacterial additives, so be aware of whatever you buy and use it properly.....and you'll be fine.

 

 

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2 hours ago, mcarroll said:

Do you have any books that talk about the nitrogen cycle or cycling a tank?

 

The natural method is still by far the best.  But it takes time and folks aren't very patient in 2021.  Look it up.   Martin Moe's "Aquarium Handbook..." is my favorite resource for this....cheap to get used, and FULL of good info.

 

So due to lack of patience and other reasons, folks commonly use something like One and Only or BioSpira to start their tanks.

 

If you go for one of these in order to rush your setup (which personally I don't recommend) I strongly recommend following the the product instructions of whatever you buy vs following online advice for it.

 

As far as I know, all of the instant products are licensed versions of the same product.  BioSpira was first on the market.

 

There are also non-instant bacterial additives, so be aware of whatever you buy and use it properly.....and you'll be fine.

 

 

I'll probably just go with the raw shrimp method tbh, I already have shrimp in the freezer and in all my tanks it never took that long to go through a cycle. I was just seeing if bioengineering tech had evolved the aquarium hobby yet 😛

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33 minutes ago, Zer0 said:

I'll probably just go with the raw shrimp method tbh, I already have shrimp in the freezer and in all my tanks it never took that long to go through a cycle. I was just seeing if bioengineering tech had evolved the aquarium hobby yet 😛

Yeah, it has... there are several beneficial bacteria products available now. Dr. Tim is the inventor of both BioSpira and Dr Tim’s One and Only... he has a PhD on the subject. Here’s his MACNA presentation on the subject. But that being said there are many roads that lead to the same destination... if you’re not in a rush, the shrimp method still works of course. 
 


Here’s an article he did on cycling, which touches on the shrimp method among several other methods. 
https://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling/

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12 hours ago, Zer0 said:

I'll probably just go with the raw shrimp method tbh, I already have shrimp in the freezer and in all my tanks it never took that long to go through a cycle. I was just seeing if bioengineering tech had evolved the aquarium hobby yet 😛

Rotten shrimp is the gross way, but it does work. (It's also covered in Moe's "Marine Aquarium Handbook: Beginner to Breeder".  A cheap used book!)

 

What kind of micro-organisms does rotten meat recruit in a nearly-sterile aquatic environment I wonder?  

 

Unless you go with the instant bacteria products that I mentioned (or similar), then building up a complete cycle still takes around 30-40 days just like it says in the book.  

 

It's the bacteria you're growing, not the method, that take the time.

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  • 5 months later...

Looking for some suggestions if I can. Currently cycling a new tank and seems like my nitrites and nitrates are not moving at all. Ph is good at 8.2, ammonia is at 0 and salinity at 1.026. Started the tank with live sand, dry rock and ammonia added. Other tanks I have done have never taken this long.

Any suggestions would be appreciated 😀

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47 minutes ago, DaveMc said:

Looking for some suggestions if I can. Currently cycling a new tank and seems like my nitrites and nitrates are not moving at all. Ph is good at 8.2, ammonia is at 0 and salinity at 1.026. Started the tank with live sand, dry rock and ammonia added. Other tanks I have done have never taken this long.

Any suggestions would be appreciated 😀

Hi! Not sure what you mean? Did you add ammonia to a level of 2 ppm? Then what happened? 

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1 minute ago, banasophia said:

Hi! Not sure what you mean? Did you add ammonia to a level of 2 ppm? Then what happened? 

Sorry should have been a little clearer lol. Yes it was a little over the 2pm when added. Took a few weeks for it to go down but ts currently at 0ppm. Nitrites are at 1.0ppm and nitrate at 20ppm

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Dr Tim’s Quick Guide has pretty nice directions. Once the nitrite is below 1 ppm you’ll want to add ammonia again to 2 ppm. Then wait for it to drop again. Steps may take a little longer if you didn’t add beneficial bacteria aside from the live sand, but you’ll still get there!  

Most importantly, from Dr Tim’s Quick Guide:

  • When you can add 2 ppm ammonia and BOTH ammonia and nitrite are below 0.2 ppm (NH3-N or NO2-N) the next day, your tank is cycled – congrats! You’re done!
  • Do a partial water change and add some fish.

 

https://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/library/quick-guide-to-fishless-cycling-with-one-and-only/

 

https://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling/

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10 hours ago, banasophia said:

Dr Tim’s Quick Guide has pretty nice directions. Once the nitrite is below 1 ppm you’ll want to add ammonia again to 2 ppm. Then wait for it to drop again. Steps may take a little longer if you didn’t add beneficial bacteria aside from the live sand, but you’ll still get there!  

Most importantly, from Dr Tim’s Quick Guide:

  • When you can add 2 ppm ammonia and BOTH ammonia and nitrite are below 0.2 ppm (NH3-N or NO2-N) the next day, your tank is cycled – congrats! You’re done!
  • Do a partial water change and add some fish.

 

https://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/library/quick-guide-to-fishless-cycling-with-one-and-only/

 

https://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/fishless-cycling/

Thank you very much banasophia. Will be reading up and move on forward from here. I appreciate the information. Looking forward to my first coral order haha 😄

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3 hours ago, DaveMc said:

Thank you very much banasophia. Will be reading up and move on forward from here. I appreciate the information. Looking forward to my first coral order haha 😄

Everyone who knows me here is probably waiting for me to add that, of course, you could add some BioSpira to speed up the process if it’s continuing to take a long time. I am a fan of the BioSpira. 😁

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There are two things really, ammonia source and bacteria. If you want to use shrimp as the ammonia source that works. bacteria you can get some in a bottle, seed from live rock, or will pickup on its own from the shimp/environment. Still adding biospira after you add the shrimp it should only help. Its like $9.

 

 

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