1 Week On - Cycling!

[Lynden]

Thanks SkiFletch! I am going to re-test my perameters on Sat and if all is OK I will get my CUC. If everything is OK after another 2 weeks I will prob get a pair of clowns and see how I get on. I'm taking this nice and SLOWLY!

PS. Shall I just leave the stuff that is on the LR and let the CUC deal with it?

2 weeks is enough time for the bacteria to croak, so you might want to get the fish a little earlier. If not, that's fine too, just make sure to monitor in case of a re-cycle.

In my opinion the green leafy things look nice, so I would just leave them if I were you.

 

[SkiFletch]

2 weeks is enough time for the bacteria to croak, so you might want to get the fish a little earlier. If not, that's fine too, just make sure to monitor in case of a re-cycle.

Yeah, it is, but at the same time, it's a pretty large volume of LR at 22Kg and chances are not all the bacteria are gonna croak in just 2 weeks. Besides, I'm sure there's SOME dieoff in there to help feed them. This is really a cautionary argument of semantics and theory though.

Alex, 2 weeks sounds like a decent timeframe for adding clowns. Don't try and streatch it too much longer, cause Lynden's right, the bacteria will die eventually. I guess what we're sayin is go slow but not too slow How's that for specificity

 

[Lynden]

Thank you Ski for the constructive, clear, concise and kind reply.

On the topic of 'new tanks' don't introduce any animals but the clean up crew before your first fish, the reason being that the fish tend to stabilize the tank environment ever so slightly by completing any small cycle that may have formed; at least that's how I understand it.

 

[dilbert]

Sorry for highjacking the thread but I got this question:

Does it make any difference if the live rock came from an already set up tank?

Last Saturday, I bought 5.5 kg live rock from a local LFS and the guy took most of the live rock out of his large display tank where all sorts of fish and invertebrates were waiting to be sold.

The live rock has already algae on it and the guy confirmed that it is cured live rock being for weeks in his main diesplay tank.

 

[rabidric]

Phew, take it easy guys - it's a forum not an encyclopeadia and when doing things with fish there's always more than one way to skin a cat. Not sure what that really means but I think it gets the point across.
We started a tank with cured live rock and live sand and put in one fish within a few days and no problems. First time for marine too and other than power cuts we've had no real problems for the three months it been around. That is if you ignore a hogfish that's decided it likes to eat fungia.
My point is that no two systems or rock or sand or fish or people are the same and as a consequence there will be different rights and wrongs. Differences of opinion are healthy, getting arsy and name calling isn't. I've read a lot of both of your guys comments and this "tiff" doesn't do much for my opinion of you.
Mind you who am I to question - I shout at the TV and the car.

Good luck with the tank Alex

I'll wait for the comments.

 

[alexlark]

Many thanks for all your coments guys! I just needed a bit of reasurance that im on the right track! I'm gonna check my perameters later (will post them)
and then again on Sat.

After what has been said I will get my CUC on Sat and then a pair of clowns the week after (1st Dec!!)

(I must get round to updating my journal too! Got plenty of pics to show you all)

Thanks!!

 

[alexlark]

Hi!

Been busy the last 2 days. Bought 2kg of LR rubble for my canister on Monday. That takes the LR to 24Kg on a 175L setup! Tested my parameters this evening. And here we go -

PH - 7.8
Amonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0

I'm so pleased the way this has gone the last 2 weeks since filling the tank. CUC is going in on Sat!!

A pic of my tank, need to practice taking better pics!

 

[jetbox]

Anyone advise whether you should do any water chances during the cycle period?? After the first week I see no ammonia or Nitrite but now approx 15 Nitrate which appears to be climbing slowly

 

[SkiFletch]

IMO it's best to wait till nitrates level off and then do a BIG waterchange (50% plus) with water of equal salinity and temperature. That way you start off with low nitrates