So what methods do y'all use to cycle your tanks? What worked and what didn't? I know some folks add ammonia in ummm... various forms. Others add live rock. Some use live sand. Some add bottled bacteria. Some drop a dead shrimp in it, then wait forever and let it happen naturally. There are a lot of different methods, and certainly plenty of opinions regarding 'the right way' to do it. Let's not flame over this, ok? Just share your methods, tricks, tips, and failures. Maybe we can even come up with some 'best practices' so newbies have a useful reference or guide to work from.
Methods to cycle your tank
- Thread starter FinsUp
- Start date
Why I like the Fiji mud is because its cool stuff. You get various forms of bacteria that you don't get in live rock or live sand. So basically you diversify your bacterias. Rock from tonga, fiji, florida, vanitu. Live sand from Solomon islands and the caribbean. Also, Fiji mud has various critters in it like amphipod eggs and such. The only downsides is it clouds the crap out of your tank and makes your skimmer go haywire for the first 3-4 days.
I know I'm super new to the hobby, but here is what I've done w/ the 3 tanks I've had.
Purchased a 4 gallon nuvo tank that had been running for 6 months or so. Quickly figured out that a 4 gallon was WAY small so two weeks later ... I purchased an 8 gallon nuvo that had been running as a frag tank, but had no live rock or sand. I moved over all the water/rock/sand from the 4 into the 8 gallon and kept it running. (don't think this really counts, but gives backstory for the next tank)
2 weeks after getting the 8 gallon I wanted a larger tank so I purchased the 16 gallon from ShelbyJK500, he also gave me established rock from his big tank + water from the same tank. On the way home I picked up some "live sand" don't remember what brand it was.
I set the new 16 gallon up w/ the new "live sand" + the rock from the 8 gallon and the new rock from Shelby. The water was a mix Shelby's water and 4 gallons from my 8 (water change). Then I topped off the tank w/ new mixed salt water.
I never noticed a cycle on any of the tanks. I guess the fact that it really was only a 4 gallon increase each time...and the only tank that was really "NEW" was the 16 gallon.
That is my story...hope it adds something to this discussion.
Purchased a 4 gallon nuvo tank that had been running for 6 months or so. Quickly figured out that a 4 gallon was WAY small so two weeks later ... I purchased an 8 gallon nuvo that had been running as a frag tank, but had no live rock or sand. I moved over all the water/rock/sand from the 4 into the 8 gallon and kept it running. (don't think this really counts, but gives backstory for the next tank)
2 weeks after getting the 8 gallon I wanted a larger tank so I purchased the 16 gallon from ShelbyJK500, he also gave me established rock from his big tank + water from the same tank. On the way home I picked up some "live sand" don't remember what brand it was.
I set the new 16 gallon up w/ the new "live sand" + the rock from the 8 gallon and the new rock from Shelby. The water was a mix Shelby's water and 4 gallons from my 8 (water change). Then I topped off the tank w/ new mixed salt water.
I never noticed a cycle on any of the tanks. I guess the fact that it really was only a 4 gallon increase each time...and the only tank that was really "NEW" was the 16 gallon.
That is my story...hope it adds something to this discussion.
I've cycled 4 tanks this far, and I've used the shrimp method, the live rock, live sand method, and the skim mate method. My next tank will use... Ahem... Ammonia addition, shrimp, Fiji mud, live sand from several friends tanks (in addition to mostly NEW sand, which I've never used before) and 3-6 months post cycle fallow. I'm sick and tired of algae... Every tank I've had I've struggled with various forms of algae and I can't stand it anymore.
"60% of the time; it works every time!"
"60% of the time; it works every time!"
Jeremiah- it absolutely does. I got my first tank as a complete setup, also. It was a 35gal hex. And increased in size a couple of times by adding in the contents of the old tank with some new items (rinsed the old sand and added new dry sand, for example). I, too, never noticed a cycle. Maybe a mini-cycle at best. I just emptied my 180 completely, and put all new sand and rocks in it (plus 2 'old' rocks that inspected pest free, to seed with coralline and bacteria), then put it back on the big system with both old and new water.
Ive cycled 3 large tanks in my day. Ive used the shrimp method, took a long time, Ive used the natural live sand and live rock method, took a long time as well.
Last time I re set up my 180 I ran into a cycling problem, becuase I dusturbed the sand bed my tnak basically cycled again. I used a bacteria additive from Britewell, as well as Seachems Stability and Prime along with 200 lbs of rock and the tank re cycled in about a week and a half to two weeks, Ive had no issues with ammonia or nitrites/nitrates in the tank since.
Last time I re set up my 180 I ran into a cycling problem, becuase I dusturbed the sand bed my tnak basically cycled again. I used a bacteria additive from Britewell, as well as Seachems Stability and Prime along with 200 lbs of rock and the tank re cycled in about a week and a half to two weeks, Ive had no issues with ammonia or nitrites/nitrates in the tank since.
Yellow tail blue damsels. I like them and will keep them in the display. A few flakes every few days will get the bacteria going in a few weeks without any huge spikes in ammonia or nitrite... then, when you see the tank covered in the brown algae, you SLOWLY add more and the give the bacteria a chance to catch up to equilibrium again. No tank, not matter how well it is established, is immune from a new "cycle" if excess of organics is introduced.
You can cycle with any fish if you keep the food down to a minimum and let the bacteria slowly establish.
The whole cycle will take a year, or more, to get to the point where the system can handle the nitrate and phosphate. The important thing is that you don't do anything to inhibit the cycle, or you will just delay it... this means prime, ammo-lock, GFO, etc.
The initial cycle will on go to equilibrium based on what you put in, but most people put in too much. If you let a whole piece of shrimp rot, then the oxic bacteria that you created to process the ammonia and nitrate from that huge shrimp will die if you then stock with just a few fish. This is also true of live rock and live sand - what do you think that the bacteria fed off of in that bag? ...the are mostly all dead and any surviving bacteria at the dead ones. The live rock, sand, fish, etc. should be viewed as seeders and you are only really looking to establish the seeds in the tank.
Keep in mind that whatever you put in will stay in there. The N and P from any kind of starter food in a cycle will impact your tank for a long time.
You can cycle with any fish if you keep the food down to a minimum and let the bacteria slowly establish.
The whole cycle will take a year, or more, to get to the point where the system can handle the nitrate and phosphate. The important thing is that you don't do anything to inhibit the cycle, or you will just delay it... this means prime, ammo-lock, GFO, etc.
The initial cycle will on go to equilibrium based on what you put in, but most people put in too much. If you let a whole piece of shrimp rot, then the oxic bacteria that you created to process the ammonia and nitrate from that huge shrimp will die if you then stock with just a few fish. This is also true of live rock and live sand - what do you think that the bacteria fed off of in that bag? ...the are mostly all dead and any surviving bacteria at the dead ones. The live rock, sand, fish, etc. should be viewed as seeders and you are only really looking to establish the seeds in the tank.
Keep in mind that whatever you put in will stay in there. The N and P from any kind of starter food in a cycle will impact your tank for a long time.
I've never had an algea problem. I have some bubble algea that I think came with my first tank and I just didn't know what I was looking at yet. It grows slow and I'm sucking it out as I can, still need to find me a tank employee that will do the work for me. My emerald wont touch it...i've tried a few.
As for hair algea, I do notice a tiny bit seems to want to grow in my MP10. Other than that nothing, I am running a tiny skimmer + GFO/carbon reactor + cheato at night in rear chamber.
The only real battle I've had so far is with my skimmer and micro bubbles. I think the IM skimmer is wonderful, but i don't think it was designed with altitude in mind and that causes a few hickups + it has never really broken in to the point that the bubbles stop.
I recently set up my timer for the skimmer to turn off an hour before I get home, then turn back on at night after lights out. It drives me crazy looking at the tank when that thing is running, but hard to deny the benifits of a skimmer. The tank is so clear and nice to look at when that monster isn't pumping micro bubbles into it non stop.
As for hair algea, I do notice a tiny bit seems to want to grow in my MP10. Other than that nothing, I am running a tiny skimmer + GFO/carbon reactor + cheato at night in rear chamber.
The only real battle I've had so far is with my skimmer and micro bubbles. I think the IM skimmer is wonderful, but i don't think it was designed with altitude in mind and that causes a few hickups + it has never really broken in to the point that the bubbles stop.
I recently set up my timer for the skimmer to turn off an hour before I get home, then turn back on at night after lights out. It drives me crazy looking at the tank when that thing is running, but hard to deny the benifits of a skimmer. The tank is so clear and nice to look at when that monster isn't pumping micro bubbles into it non stop.
Yes I also pee in my tanks. To your point Cindy yes being a big take I am scared this is my dream build and want to do it right. I really am thinking about some rock in the sump but am scared of nasty critters again since the 125 incident. Being its so new I am also considering some garf grunge before I get to much in it so that way if a pest were to arise I can correct it now. However that is a big maybe. I think if I just continue current coarse that it will work out beautifully. I do plan on adding some rubble to sump if I can find reliable source.