cycling

[Hara]

I have a question. This came up on another board and I honestly am not sure of the answer...so to you all it comes.

If you are doing a fish only tank, no liverock at all, and are using a filtration method such as a cannister or hob, why do you need to cycle your tank? ok, with something like a fluval that has the ceramic thingies in it, I can see, but what about the kinds that just have the floss, carbon stuff?

 

[loganj]

The bacteria that controls the ammonia/nitrite lives everywhere in the tank and is necessary for the tank to survive. Even if a filter doesn't have a good bio capacity, there will still be bacteria growing on the floss and even the carbon. It's no different than a FW tank. The filters that do not have a dedicated biofilter included will not support as large a fish load as the ones that do. The bacteria will be in the sand/gravel, on the ornaments, on the glass, ect... It has to be established just like a reef tank.
Logan J

 

[Guest]

I concur

 

[fishfreek]

why do you need to cycle your tank?

Just like what logan said.

In all honesty I dont know why people try to make reefs out as so much differnt thatn Fish Only tanks or even FOWLR. Its all the same general ecosystem. One has only fish. One has fish with orimental use of live rock and the last is the reef with fish, live rock and corals as well as other moble inverts.

Major differences are in the lighting requirments.

 

[d9hp]

Major differences are in the lighting requirments.

Which in the ocean, is just depth of the water, but either way it is the same water.