Another noob question, cycling

[Balz3352]

I have read countless ways to cycle tanks. What do you guys suggest. I did the feeds without fish for my freshwater should I do that or what's your preferred method

 

[Mav]

I bought some shrimp from local supermarket, put in filter bag in tank and let ot rot for a few days. There are bacterial suppliments you can add. Seed with some live or sand rock from an established tank. And as a last resort..... pee in it lol

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[FinsUp]

Don't listen to Andrew (or anyone else that tells you to pee in your tank). Feeding a little bit sans fish for a few days is a good start. Personally, I like putting in live rock from another tank (you can buy it live from a member near you) because it significantly shortens the cycle.
That said, I'm notoriously impatient, something that's a bad trait to have in this hobby.

 

[Mav]

Was kidding on pee in tank. Bad habbit to start....

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[Balz3352]

Makes sense it technically has ammonia... Haha. I started with live sand and dry rock but I too am impatient but luckily I have like no time this month so it may be a blessing that I'm so busy

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[SynDen]

I used live rock and water from an established tank for my DT. I used the shrimp method for my QT tank, both methods work pretty good, although the water and rock from an established tank was by far the fastest and easiest method

 

[SynDen]

Did you cure the live rock before hand?

 

[Mav]

Some people have huge tanks in this club. May be worth finding a few 5 g buckets and taking a lot of water from a water change. Free salt, free rodi, free bacteria. Would work good!


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[SynDen]

correction...did you cure the dry rock before hand?

 

[Balz3352]

I cleaned all the stuff off I could see... I read somewhere that you can cure and cycle at the same time in the tank.... If anyone wants to share some water I'll take it!!

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[FinsUp]

water doesn't hold bacteria. No reason to use old water other than saving money by not making new.

 

[SynDen]

Havent tried just putting dry rock in like that, but think that might increase the time it takes to cycle. You will just need to watch the nitrate, nitrite and ammonia levels until they drop which will signal the end of the cycle is near.
If you are near Denver, I am breaking down my 75g this weekend as I need to do some resealing to the bottom of the tank, so I will have about 20g of water that will be getting dumped. If you would like, and near by, I can set some aside for you. Just bring some buckets over.

 

[Balz3352]

Oh darn well I don't need water then.. Man I feel dumb around here lol

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[FinsUp]

Oh darn well I don't need water then.. Man I feel dumb around here lol

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No no no - a LOT of people don't realize that the bacteria only lives on the rock. Using old water does save you the cost of making saltwater for a cycle.

 

[Mav]

water doesn't hold bacteria. No reason to use old water other than saving money by not making new.

Hmm I always thought bacteria was in the aqua too



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[SynDen]

No i think she is right that there is no, or very little, bacteria in the old water. But the "gook" that you vacuum out during a water change, if you clean you sand or something, will have quite a bit of it

 

[Balz3352]

Ok so cycling is going I believe that the nitrates and nitrites are peaking or at least I hope... When should I add a fish or when ish to expect a diatome bloom cuc? I just want to plan ahead

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[Cake_Boss]

Ok so cycling is going I believe that the nitrates and nitrites are peaking or at least I hope... When should I add a fish or when ish to expect a diatome bloom cuc? I just want to plan ahead

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First, your ammonia levels will spike, then nitrite, then nitrate.

You're getting the short version here, lots of details have been left out.

 

[Miah2bzy]

I've done uncured rock in a tank before and it took a few months to finally cycle through. The best way is getting live rock from members, saved me hundreds of dollars and took 2 weeks. Also added some chaeto from a members refugium once it got cycled and got all sorts of critters in it. Adding dry rock made my tank cycle again for some reason.


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[Craigar]

I just cycled my 660 with 660 lbs of dry rock that I muratic acid washed power washed and muratic acid eased again. I also started with500 lbs of dry sand it took my tank 1-2 months to completely cycle.