Cycle

[starles]

Hello, I had just put water and 15lb LR in my tank on Sunday, and added another 25lbs Tuesday night. I am running all power heads & filters. Is that correct? The guy at the store said i would have a milky film in my tank for a day or so, but did not? All the milky stuff is in my filters, i have been shaking the filters to poor the milky stuff back into the tank in hopes this is what the tank needs to begin cycling? Should i have the filters running? Also how long should it cycle before putting in some cleaners like snails & shrimps? Thank guys

 

[sdergar]

Give us a few more details on your tank. How big? What filters? Lighting? Sump/Refugium? etc. The best way to cycle is to get one or two raw shrimp from the grocery store and put them in your tank.

Here is a great article on cycling : Cycle your salt tank

Steve

 

[mr_X]

if your live rock has enough die off on it your tank will cycle without a secondary ammonia source. i've never seen a "milky film" before (except when i add new sand) so i don't know what to tell you about that.
you should not add any livestock until your ammonia and nitrite test kits read zero ammonia and nitrite. this can take a few weeks to a month or more, depending on how much of an ammonia source you have.

 

[roydooms]

if your live rock has enough die off on it your tank will cycle without a secondary ammonia source. i've never seen a "milky film" before (except when i add new sand) so i don't know what to tell you about that.
you should not add any livestock until your ammonia and nitrite test kits read zero ammonia and nitrite. this can take a few weeks to a month or more, depending on how much of an ammonia source you have.

Depending on how much ammonia you have? Is it the more ammonia the faster the tank will cycle? Or the other way around?

 

[mr_X]

the more dead stuff that's on the rock, the larger the spike you will see and the longer it will take for it to decompose. longer decomposition would mean more ammonia and it will take longer to process it to nitrite-nitrate....
now the flip side of the coin would be that if you didn't add enough ammonia, the bacteria colony that would be your end result might not be as large as you need it.

 

[roydooms]

the more dead stuff that's on the rock, the larger the spike you will see and the longer it will take for it to decompose. longer decomposition would mean more ammonia and it will take longer to process it to nitrite-nitrate....
now the flip side of the coin would be that if you didn't add enough ammonia, the bacteria colony that would be your end result might not be as large as you need it.

I see.

Not to derail the thread but is it the same thing with FW?

 

[starles]

Add ammonia? do i need to by some starter kits to kick start or will the LR be enough?

 

[austinsdad]

I'd say the lr will be enuf if it gets to 3.0 or higher. You can always just add a raw shrimp now to ensure you make it. Remove it when it gets that high.

Have you tested for ammonia yet? If not, need to do so ASAP,

 

[PrettyFishies]

If you add shrimp, use a mesh bag so it's easier to get it back out.

 

[Greenmaster]

I see.

Not to derail the thread but is it the same thing with FW?

You need ammonia to start a cycle with fresh or salt... but with FW you don't have the LR to start the cycle so you need to start it with something else... like ammonia or a shrimp.

 

[roydooms]

You need ammonia to start a cycle with fresh or salt... but with FW you don't have the LR to start the cycle so you need to start it with something else... like ammonia or a shrimp.

Got it. Thank you.

 

[Ibanezdas23]

I have a 20g tank that I'm going to use as a sump, I'm just going to use it to put my protein skimmer, and heater in it. How will could I connect my sump to my overflow box on my main tank? Will I have to drill the sump tank?

 

[PrettyFishies]

You can, but that's not necessary if you use a submersible return pump. Just feed the tubing into one side of the sump and attach a "sock" to reduce the bubbles. Then on the other site you'll have a pump to bring the water back to the tank.

You may still have room for LR and Sand if there's a way to separate things. LR will be fine, but sand and macro algae will get sucked up by the pump if you don't do anything to prevent it. Look on EBAY and see if you can find a used sump that's drilled and baffled.

 

[rush]

look at the pics on my profile, it will give you a good idea of what you need to do

I do not have baffles, i have my skimmer on one side and the return pump on the opposite side divided by LR

on the side that my skimmer is on i have macro algae

 

[Ibanezdas23]

Ok thanks, with most overflow boxes, do they come with the Return hoses or do I purchase them separately

 

[rush]

Nothing in this hobby is sold in packages lol

You will need to buy an overflow box if your DT is drilled if not another contraption to get the water into the sump (also need to buy plumbing for that). Once water is getting into the sump, get a sock filter to reduce micro bubbles. Have the skimmer set up in the sump as well as some LR and then your return pump on the opposite side of the skimmer. Your return pump should be a mag 7 with 1 inch return line plumping into your main tank. You could also go with 1 and half inch, your call really. Do you have an overflow box already?

 

[starles]

I've been having a hard time getting my tank to spike. The LR has been in there for 2 days, and last night i put two large shrimp in. I retested 12 hrs later and still nothing? How long does it take for the shrimp to create the spike?

 

[sdergar]

The cycle could take anywhere from 2 or 3 weeks and up. Turn the lights off and wait.

Steve

 

[starles]

But shouldn't the ammonia spike first and then it takes a couple weeks for the bacteria to build up and start cleaning (cycling)?

 

[rush]

If you used cured LR there may not be much of a cycle or any cycle.