cycling new fuge?? Y/N

[sqrle]

Hey, I just finished building myself a new fuge. I was wondering if it is needed to cycle the water in there at all. it is rather large compared to my old one. I have a 55g show tank, with a 40g fuge. it will hold more like 30 with the proper water level in there. The reason I made one this size is that I plan on getting a 150-200g tank in the future. What i am wondering, is it needed to cycle the new water somewhat, or can i just hook it up and let it flow. I will have a shallow bed of refugium substrate, a bit of lr rubble, and some algae and whatever else I can find that will be good in there. thanks

p.s. what othere critters could i put in there, ie snails crabs,??fish??

 

[austinsdad]

Is the lr rubble and sand brand new also? How much rock is in the main and what is the fish load? Also, how old is the tank and rock? Might be able to hook it up and let it flow depending on what's going on in the main. I'd like to know that first.

 

[melosu58]

IMO you should not have to cycle the fuge as long as the main is cycled. All that water is going up to the main anyway where it will go through the biological filtration.

 

[sqrle]

Is the lr rubble and sand brand new also? How much rock is in the main and what is the fish load? Also, how old is the tank and rock? Might be able to hook it up and let it flow depending on what's going on in the main. I'd like to know that first.

The rock is very nice stuff, comes from a dependable source which he had for a while. The sand is about 1.5 months old and is 5-6" deep (90lbs), purchased live sand. The fish load is 2 percula clowns and 1 yellow faced goby (the sand sifter type) with a handulf of blue leg hermits and 4 pepermint shrimp, with a bunch of snails that came hiding in the rocks. There is about 60lbs of rock.

 

[nanoluvr]

add some copepods to the fuge.

 

[sqrle]

add some copepods to the fuge.

I would love to but am having trouble getting some here. I don't realy want to get them shipped because of the cold weather this time of year.

 

[austinsdad]

I'd say connect the fuge and let it go thru the main w/out cycling. You don't have much of a bio-load to worry about.