Cycling tank

[errdivideby0]

I'm getting ready to set up my first tank. It's an 80g tank and I plan on making it a reef tank. When I cycle the tank should I do it with or without live rock in it. Also I've read in some places that having animals like hermit crabs and snails in the tank will help to speed up the cycling process. Is this true?

 

[piratealx]

Yes you should put the live rock in and all.

Ive read that if you get raw shrimp from the store(non cooked, non breaded) and put them in, it helps cycle the tank and its better than risking a poor fishes life

 

[errdivideby0]

That does sound better then risking their lives. Hopefully I'll have everything purchased and set up and starting to cycle this weekend/early next week. I'm really looking forward to this!

 

[Gomer4378]

how much live rock are you planning on getting, the recommended amount is 1.5lbs per gal.

 

[piratealx]

yeah i bet id be excited if i had a 80G all together haha. for an 80 gallon id say get 5 raw shrimp to float around. i find this method good and usefully especially if your not looking to have a damsel in your tank. even then, they are about 5 bucks when shrimp are only 1-2 bucks for 5 haha. and they are disposable!

 

[errdivideby0]

I'm looking on getting about 90- 100lbs to start with. It seems like that will be enough. It will certainly be enough on my pocket xDDD

 

[Gomer4378]

I totally understand the pain that your pocket will experience, I had no idea till I started then it was to late to give up so I had to finish ( OUCH!)

 

[roka64]

I use 1 raw, unseasoned jumbo shrimp per 30 gallons to cycle my tanks. Don't add the crabs or other inverts until the cycle is complete (they will love the shrimp!).

 

[thincat]

You beat me to the punch. 5 is way overkill. Unless you're having shrimp on the barbie...

 

[melosu58]

Salt water cycle

 

[errdivideby0]

I started my cycle last night and then added 2 raw shrimp and 47 lbs of live rock to the tank today, as well as hooked up my light on a timer. I can't wait until later in the week when my LFS gets more live rock in. I bought all that they had from them today :3

 

[errdivideby0]

Yesterday I think my Amonia levels peaked. They went up to 1.0 ppm yesterday and today their down to .5, hopefully that means that my tank is almost finished cycling.

Something weird though is my temperature went down to 76F today, but that doesn't bother me as much as the fact that my sg went up to 1.029. I turned my thermometer up a couple hours ago so that my temperature is back to 78F and my SG is around 1.025. Should I take out some water and put some freshwater in or just wait until tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[thincat]

The temp. and Sg looks good. I'd leave it alone and just monitor it for now. I put a small piece of tape at the water level on the side of my tank so that I can keep track of how much water evaporates from the tank. Then just refill with freshwater to the tape mark.

 

[errdivideby0]

I fill my tank up to the black border that goes about 2 inches from the top. It's dropped about a hair past that, should I fill it off with some fresh water or just leave it be until it drops further?

 

[errdivideby0]

So I think that my tank is almost done cycling but it's only been a week. Monday the amonia was at 1.0 yesterday it was down to .5 and today it's at .25. Is this normal for some tanks? Also when it does finish I was thinking of getting a couple of hermit crabs and snails for a CUC and maybe a damsel. Would that me okay?

 

[thincat]

Your cycle has a bit more to go yet. Am has to go to 0, then your nitrite will start to rise then it will fall back to 0, then your nitrates will start to rise. When it stops rising then you do a 50% water change to bring that as low as you can. The reason you can do a 50% change is that you don't have any CUC or fish in your tank yet. After you get th NO3 to 10 or below then monitor for a few more days to see if that is stable. then you can add your CUC, watch the water readings and if stable then add one fish. I'd stay away from Damsels...mean guys when they get older and hard to get rid of.
When it's time to get your fish, don't forget to QT so you don't take a chance of introducing a disease into your display tank.
You are almost there so just be a little more patient

 

[errdivideby0]

When dong this 50% water change would it be okay to use freshly mixed water. I eventually plan on setting up a 20 gal just told hold mixed water for a small five gallon change a week so would it hurt if the waterwas freshly mixed? Also for now will it hurt if I don't have a quarintine tank right now. I have a small ten gallon that I want to set up but money won't peit right now. Also with the 50% change would it be better if I mixed the water in five galling buckseta and let them sit onthe porch or garage for a couple of days or mix it fresh.

 

[skylark]

Sounds like your moving along perfectly, usually you should try and mix the water up at least 24 hours in advance. And yes to have a 15-20 gallon bucket is a good idea, if you don't have one already you should get a heater and a powerhead dedicated to this alone. You mentioned that your goal is too have 90+ lbs of live rock, I'd hold off on any fish purchases until you get this, assuming you want to add the rock sooner rather than later as you may end up cycling again. I was in the same boat, raring to go and my LFS suggested I add a few trochus snails just so there was something to look at. Overall the longer you wait to add fish the healthier the system will be for you plus it gives you the opportunity to do what I did - rearrange the rock work about a hundred times. In terms of the quarrentine I just bought a little hang on filter and a small fixed heater and it cost about 25$, also for a 10 gallon.

 

[errdivideby0]

Will it be okay to keep the new water in 5 gallon jugs for now without being heated or having a powerhead? Eventaully I plan on setting up a 20g with a heater and powerhead to mix and keep water in for weekly five gallon water changes but for this upcoming 50% the only thing I can do is keep it sitting in the jugs with the salt in there.

Also should I wait do to the 50% water change until i put the rest of the live rock in the aquarium or can I go ahead and do them at the same time?

 

[thincat]

You're getting ahead of yourself. Be sure that your readings are like I said in the post above, so now would be the time to add the extra LR. Let that settle in like above then do your 50% water change. It would be okay to do them in 5 gal jugs now, but the sooner you start to do it correctly the sooner things will go your way. No rush, take your time, while your tank is doing it's thing it's a good chance for you to catch up on your reading.
1) ammonia and nitrite both have to go to "0" test water
2) check to see that nitrate has peaked, test water
3) now do the big water change and yes test water again
4) all stable add clean up crew test water again
5) all stable again add a fish.....test water
6) all stable do 5 again