How Fast Can your tank cycle
- Thread starter PuNanny
- Start date
Along this note, I have been up and running for over a month now, and noticed air bubbles on my live rock when the light is on for more than an hour or so. These is only on the uppermost parts of the uppermost live rock pieces, which are piled high. Is this normal? Just bright lights? No algae is on it that I can see.
All chemicals are normal, tank runs and smells fine, all inhabitants happy and healthy. EV120 Protein Skimmer running like a champion. Great skimmer!
http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/images/smilies/sun_smiley.gif
*SUNSMILE*
Also, my pH of my well water I usse is low, in the 6s. I raised it, but how long should it tay that way before I replenish it, if I feed lightly daily and keep the tank clean and healthy? A month? A year?
From the Ice Cold Northeast,
Zukester
All chemicals are normal, tank runs and smells fine, all inhabitants happy and healthy. EV120 Protein Skimmer running like a champion. Great skimmer!
http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/images/smilies/sun_smiley.gif
*SUNSMILE*
Also, my pH of my well water I usse is low, in the 6s. I raised it, but how long should it tay that way before I replenish it, if I feed lightly daily and keep the tank clean and healthy? A month? A year?
From the Ice Cold Northeast,
Zukester
If by cycling you mean the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite to nitrate, if you buy enough live rock you can basically buy your 'cycle', so cycling a tank can take all of about 10 seconds.
It took about 6 months for my tank to be pretty stable though, and a year or so to finish with various algae problems.
Don't think of saltwater filtration as being similar to fresh - it's a different mentality, technologies
It took about 6 months for my tank to be pretty stable though, and a year or so to finish with various algae problems.
Don't think of saltwater filtration as being similar to fresh - it's a different mentality, technologies
No precycle really - the live rock will be one of your main filter medias, and whne you get it live it contains all the bacteria you will ever need.
However the difference between a 'cycled' tank, wrt to the nitrogen cycle, and a balanced, mature tank, is very, very large. For the first 6 months there will be continual growth and parallel dieoff of a whole range of organisms imported with the live rock, some you will notice, some you will not.
However the difference between a 'cycled' tank, wrt to the nitrogen cycle, and a balanced, mature tank, is very, very large. For the first 6 months there will be continual growth and parallel dieoff of a whole range of organisms imported with the live rock, some you will notice, some you will not.
Well it's likely safe, but I would likely leave it a bit longer (maybe a month!) because I think it gives the tank a bit of time to settle, and for any remaining dieoff to sort itself out, and reason 2, I don't especially like common and perc clowns.
There's a lot to be said for some patience at this time....
There's a lot to be said for some patience at this time....
I now believe the "ten second" rule. I have a 180 gallon salt setup. I bought locally 180 lbs. live rock (one lb per gallon.), fully cured. $4.20/lb. (volume discount)
Only a very small sack of carbon in the sump for chemicals (such as for anything dangerous used to clean our house accidentally getting sucked in) and a couple of foam pieces for mechanical filtration only around the bulkheads in the overflows to the sump to prevent any big particles from exitiing the tank into the wet-dry. It has overflows in the corners and is a drilled tank.
NO OTHER FILTERS whatsoever. No media. The Live Rock is my filter.
Colors on fish gorgeous, algae cycling almost done, tank ammonia, nitrites, nitrates all fine. Only two water changes in the first tow months, out of boredom. I undrfeed and made my own food.
The bottom lline?
-Live Rock
-Water flow (two pond pumps, one for the skimmer, one for the LR),
-EV 120 protein skimmer
-Lighting (http://www.petsupplyliquidator.com/htm/aprod_hood_retrofit.htm)
That is it.
http://webpages.charter.net/rzuvich/Picture004.jpg
More to go on it, but a good start and way too easy to maintain. Only lost fish to overflow acidents and murders.
Live Rock is an incredible filter when cured. The EV 120 skimmer is way, way beyond all expectations.
All of this was from advice given here, as I am a freshwater kinda guy. I had no other source of advice, to speak of really.
Zukester.
Only a very small sack of carbon in the sump for chemicals (such as for anything dangerous used to clean our house accidentally getting sucked in) and a couple of foam pieces for mechanical filtration only around the bulkheads in the overflows to the sump to prevent any big particles from exitiing the tank into the wet-dry. It has overflows in the corners and is a drilled tank.
NO OTHER FILTERS whatsoever. No media. The Live Rock is my filter.
Colors on fish gorgeous, algae cycling almost done, tank ammonia, nitrites, nitrates all fine. Only two water changes in the first tow months, out of boredom. I undrfeed and made my own food.
The bottom lline?
-Live Rock
-Water flow (two pond pumps, one for the skimmer, one for the LR),
-EV 120 protein skimmer
-Lighting (http://www.petsupplyliquidator.com/htm/aprod_hood_retrofit.htm)
That is it.
http://webpages.charter.net/rzuvich/Picture004.jpg
More to go on it, but a good start and way too easy to maintain. Only lost fish to overflow acidents and murders.
Live Rock is an incredible filter when cured. The EV 120 skimmer is way, way beyond all expectations.
All of this was from advice given here, as I am a freshwater kinda guy. I had no other source of advice, to speak of really.
Zukester.
I now believe the "ten second" rule. I have a 180 gallon salt setup. I bought locally 180 lbs. live rock (one lb per gallon.), fully cured. $4.20/lb. (volume discount)
Only a very small sack of carbon in the sump for chemicals (such as for anything dangerous used to clean our house accidentally getting sucked in) and a couple of foam pieces for mechanical filtration only around the bulkheads in the overflows to the sump to prevent any big particles from exitiing the tank into the wet-dry. It has overflows in the corners and is a drilled tank.
NO OTHER FILTERS whatsoever. No media. The Live Rock is my filter.
Colors on fish gorgeous, algae cycling almost done, tank ammonia, nitrites, nitrates all fine. Only two water changes in the first tow months, out of boredom. I undrfeed and made my own food.
The bottom lline?
-Live Rock
-Water flow (two pond pumps, one for the skimmer, one for the LR),
-EV 120 protein skimmer
-Lighting (http://www.petsupplyliquidator.com/htm/aprod_hood_retrofit.htm)
That is it.
http://webpages.charter.net/rzuvich/Picture004.jpg
More to go on it, but a good start and way too easy to maintain. Only lost fish to overflow acidents and murders.
Live Rock is an incredible filter when cured. The EV 120 skimmer is way, way beyond all expectations.
All of this was from advice given here, as I am a freshwater kinda guy. I had no other source of advice, to speak of really.
Zukester.
Only a very small sack of carbon in the sump for chemicals (such as for anything dangerous used to clean our house accidentally getting sucked in) and a couple of foam pieces for mechanical filtration only around the bulkheads in the overflows to the sump to prevent any big particles from exitiing the tank into the wet-dry. It has overflows in the corners and is a drilled tank.
NO OTHER FILTERS whatsoever. No media. The Live Rock is my filter.
Colors on fish gorgeous, algae cycling almost done, tank ammonia, nitrites, nitrates all fine. Only two water changes in the first tow months, out of boredom. I undrfeed and made my own food.
The bottom lline?
-Live Rock
-Water flow (two pond pumps, one for the skimmer, one for the LR),
-EV 120 protein skimmer
-Lighting (http://www.petsupplyliquidator.com/htm/aprod_hood_retrofit.htm)
That is it.
http://webpages.charter.net/rzuvich/Picture004.jpg
More to go on it, but a good start and way too easy to maintain. Only lost fish to overflow acidents and murders.
Live Rock is an incredible filter when cured. The EV 120 skimmer is way, way beyond all expectations.
All of this was from advice given here, as I am a freshwater kinda guy. I had no other source of advice, to speak of really.
Zukester.