My new tank

[Clownfish25]

Ok well, we have our first ever tank going through the cycling process right now, we have about 7 pounds of live rock and 23 pounds of dry rock. I have heard that getting a domino damsel will help speed the cycling process up, would 6 weeks be an adequate amount of time for the cycling process before we get a clownfish? Also what is the best temperature for a fish only tank, right now it's set to 78? Looking forward to hearing from you all thanks.

 

[Choonchiesback]

The skull is awesome!!

 

[Choonchiesback]

Oh and don't cycle with fish it cruel to the fish. Do the shrimp or ammonia methods.

 

[MacDracor]

Temperature sounds about right. As for the amount of time for the cycle, that depends on how quickly the ammonia builds up, and how much bacteria is already in the tank. Sometimes the cycle takes 6 weeks, sometimes it takes much less than that.
As Choonchiesback mentioned, using fish to cycle a tank is extremely cruel and essentially amounts to torturing a fish by poison. Toss in a small, uncooked cocktail shrimp, add pure ammonia, or just wait. Test the water every few days. When Ammonia and Nitrite hit 0, do a large water change to reduce Nitrate.
After that, time to add your first fish, and start the clean up crew. Hermit crabs, snails, etc. Can't tell you for sure how long it'll take, just test the water diligently. The sooner you get up to about 4 ppm ammonia, the faster the bacteria can reproduce to metabolize it.
Good luck!

 

[EriksFish315]

You do not need your air pump you will cause salt creep and loose salinity.

 

[Clownfish25]

You do not need your air pump you will cause salt creep and loose salinity.

Doesn't the air pump create water movement and allow more oxygen in the water?

 

[carey]

You can get the same oxygen exchange using powerheads and not use an air pump which will cause salt creep on everything in the pumps area.

 

[Clownfish25]

You can get the same oxygen exchange using powerheads and not use an air pump which will cause salt creep on everything in the pumps area.

Is it ok at least to start with the pumps because I have one on each side and there is no salt creep. there was when I had just the one hooked up but it cleared.

 

[Clownfish25]

The skull is awesome!!

Thanks

 

[MacDracor]

The air pump is really just more trouble than it's worth. As long as there is surface agitation, there's gas exchange. More is better (to a point, obviously). The protein skimmer will also facilitate gas exchange.