Starting a new tank

[th08tu]

Hello,
I am starting up a new reef tank and I was wondering if this would work. I have my water at a salinity of 1.024 and it has been up for about a week with a powerhead to move it around. My plan was to now add some base rock, live sand, and live rock. Now this is where I am a little confused, firstly would the die-off from the live rock and sand be enough to cycle the tank? Secondly would it be safe to let the tank run with only the live rock and sand for the next few months? I would run the lights on a 12 hour cycle, and keep the powerheads running, I just want to wait to add the livestock for a little while so I know the tank is perfectly stable, and I was hoping that the live rock would do this for me. look forward to your advice

 

[thominil]

Would be better to get a second powerhead of the same kind, or two different ones. You want to aim for at least 10x turn over per hour. Skip the live sand and just get dry aragonite as the live rock will seed the sand. Die off cycling your tank depends on how much live rock you add to the tank and whether it is cured or not. If it is cured, there will be little to no die off to cycle the tank, so an ammonia source such as a raw, unseasoned shrimp from your grocery store, or ammonia without the surfactants. I honestly see no point in running your lights during the cycle. You can leave the tank empty as long as you want after the cyle as long as you continue to feed the bacteria (provide and ammonia source).

 

[melosu58]

I agree. No lighting needed during the cycle. It will only help feed nuisance algea.

 

[th08tu]

that makes sense about the algae, but won't the live rock I am using for seeding need light to spread the bacteria and such to the other rocks?

 

[thincat]

The only way you would need lighting is if your LR had some hitchhikers that needed some light. Like maybe some mushrooms or even an LPS. otherwise the other stuff will do fine without any additional lights.

 

[th08tu]

nope already got lighting, thanks though

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

...You can leave the tank empty as long as you want after the cycle as long as you continue to feed the bacteria (provide an ammonia source).

I just wanted to 2nd this advice and make sure it didn't get missed. If you're not going to put anything in the tank for several months, this bit of advice is critical!

Not sure why you're wanting to wait in adding livestock. An empty tank WILL be stable... because there's nothing in it. Once it cycles, it will sit there just like it was because there's nothing to change it. The instability will start once you start adding stuff - regardless of how long it sat empty. Granted... there's no harm in letting it sit for a while, but on the other hand, you're not guaranteeing future stability because of it.

 

[thincat]

nope already got lighting, thanks though

??????????????

 

[th08tu]

oh somebody posted an add to their company which I guess has now been deleted. It was one of those ones where they sign up to the forum just to post their add. Anyways I responded to them and now the add is gone lol.

 

[thincat]

Hahaha, lol!!!
Now it makes sense.