cycling question! - Page 2

BEELZEBOB · 09-20-2007, 04:53 PM

id say get a good batch of LR.

add and aquascape and geek out for a while. itll be fun and frustrating at the same time.

run some tests tomorrow, keep written yer results down...
and watch again for the 3 peaks... Amonia and nitrite and nitrates.

mare darn sure you gots adiquate flow too. its all about the flow yo !
like 10 - 20 times per hour (GPH wise), dependant on what your striving for.

more flow + LR and sand = greater surface area exposed to and filtering gunk from your water.

let it go from there and grow. there wil be algea. things youve never seen. creepy crawlers and the sort.

wait until youve accomplished kosher test scores

add a clean up crew. ask others for advice on the CUC.
(ill get yelled at for giving you crabs

)

then, once your tank is purdy, you have a nice establishe nitrogen cycle + the poo eaters, and go ape****.

(carfully)

bstu22 · 09-20-2007, 06:07 PM

well I just added 60 lbs of LR and my calcium is at 300 ppm

bstu22 · 09-20-2007, 06:09 PM

thanks for all the advice ive done the LR thing and I will test and wait for everything to settle thanks again for the help

BEELZEBOB · 09-20-2007, 06:16 PM

yea just chill with it man.

spend this time during thee cycle to figure out how all the stuff works.
you'll get the oppertunity to lean the methods how to keep all you levels kosher, SG,ph, amonia, blah blah blah.

do research. spend time to carefully figure out and buget for what you want.

patience pays off in this hobby. you have now found the internet uber geek society of aquarists (imagine a hord of angry people with lil fish nets)

you now have the oppertunity to always ask before you actually do.

i mean, i wish scientists knew this much about women!
(Its not sexist, just arrogant)

lcstorc · 09-20-2007, 06:49 PM

Was the LR cured or uncured? If uncured you are going to need to start vacuuming out die-off in the coming weeks. If it was cured you shouldn't have much die-off to deal with. Just watch the paramaters. You want a spike in amonia followed by a spike in nitrites followed by a spike in nitrates.

prow · 09-20-2007, 08:54 PM

nice glad you got the LR. like lynn said if its not cured start cleanning it and blow it off daily with a PH or turkey baster. basically it will be like you just started up the tank. give it a few weeks and keep your water flow good so there is no dead spots(lack of flow anywhere).

Rcpilot · 09-21-2007, 02:57 PM

How to cycle a new tank (my way)

Add sand or substrate
Add live rock
Fill it up
Turn on the pumps
Put the lights on a timer
Get the salinity at 1.023
Setup your refugium--DSB and some cheatomorpha macroalgae

Now go to the local grocery store and buy a fresh shrimp from the deli. One large prawn will usually do it for any tank under 100g. You could use a little bitty shrimp for a nano cube.

Drop the shrimp in the tank. Let it rot. It's going to take 6 or 8 weeks. It's going to stink. Don't mess with it. Just do your top off and kep your sailinty somewhere between 1.020 and 1.026 with freshwater top offs.

When the shrimp is COMPLETELY gone. You are done. It's okay if the shell is still in there. That won't break down for a long time. But ALL of the flesh must be completely rotted off and disolved. GONE.

Now you do an ammonia test. If it's over 10ppm--wait a week and do it again. When the ammonia drops down to 0, your ready to test your nitrite. When nitrite and ammonia are both at 0 you can test the nitrates. Nitrates shouldn't be bothered with until ammonia and nitrite are 0.

When ammonia and nitrite are 0, test the nitrate. IF you have ZERO ammonia and nitrite BUT you have some nitrate--it's okay to do a water change now. Change 50% of the water and test nitrate again in 2 or 3 days.

When ammonia, nitite are 0 and nitrate is below 5ppm--you can go get a fish. ONE fish--not a whole school of damsels. Not a clown and a puffer and a wrasse and 2 damsels. Get ONE fish and sit back for a bit.

I guess I'm a bit conservative. I cycled my 30g reef with a deli shrimp and live sand. Took 2 months. When all was at 0 , I went and got some cured rock. Went through a mini cycle that took 4 days to peak and drop back down. Then I let it stabilze for another 2 weeks. THEN I bought a damsel.

I haven't had a single water quality problem in 3 months of running this tank.

09-20-2007, 04:53 PM	#16 (permalink)
BEELZEBOB -CHAUVINIST PIG- Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Boulder Colorado Posts: 4,836 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: cycling question! id say get a good batch of LR. add and aquascape and geek out for a while. itll be fun and frustrating at the same time. run some tests tomorrow, keep written yer results down... and watch again for the 3 peaks... Amonia and nitrite and nitrates. mare darn sure you gots adiquate flow too. its all about the flow yo ! like 10 - 20 times per hour (GPH wise), dependant on what your striving for. more flow + LR and sand = greater surface area exposed to and filtering gunk from your water. let it go from there and grow. there wil be algea. things youve never seen. creepy crawlers and the sort. wait until youve accomplished kosher test scores add a clean up crew. ask others for advice on the CUC. (ill get yelled at for giving you crabs) then, once your tank is purdy, you have a nice establishe nitrogen cycle + the poo eaters, and go ape**. (carfully) __________________ 18Gal Mantis Tank 28lbs LR 22lbs Black Sand D&D Typhoone Skimmer96W CL PC (10K + AC) 2 Rio 90 P.H., 1 Nano Korilla Bane the Mantis Shrimp (G.Smithii) LIFE LESSON 8/8/08: Dont Poke Squirrells... LIFE LESSON 8/12/08: Chicks dont dig comic books... LIFE LESSON 8/26/2008: Pain is relative... LIFE LESSON 9/13/2008: Sometimes you just gotta pee in the sink... LIFE LESSON 10/1/2008: Her eyes say more than her mouth... LIFE LESSON 10/1 B: In retrospect, the shooting range was a bad first date idea... LIFE LESSON 10/19/2008: Bleach doesn't work well with out DETERGENT... But with it, WOW! LIFE LESSON 10/25/2008: "You're Such a Man," isnt necessarily a compliment... LIFE LESSON 10/28/2008: RC Helicopters are not Bob Proof... LIFE LESSON 10/29/2008: Dont where you eat, UNLESS, you are the company pooper scooper... BARB FREGGIN RULES**

09-20-2007, 06:07 PM	#17 (permalink)
bstu22 Tunicate Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Madera Ca Posts: 8 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: cycling question! well I just added 60 lbs of LR and my calcium is at 300 ppm

09-20-2007, 06:09 PM	#18 (permalink)
bstu22 Tunicate Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Madera Ca Posts: 8 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: cycling question! thanks for all the advice ive done the LR thing and I will test and wait for everything to settle thanks again for the help

09-20-2007, 06:16 PM	#19 (permalink)
BEELZEBOB -CHAUVINIST PIG- Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Boulder Colorado Posts: 4,836 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: cycling question! yea just chill with it man. spend this time during thee cycle to figure out how all the stuff works. you'll get the oppertunity to lean the methods how to keep all you levels kosher, SG,ph, amonia, blah blah blah. do research. spend time to carefully figure out and buget for what you want. patience pays off in this hobby. you have now found the internet uber geek society of aquarists (imagine a hord of angry people with lil fish nets) you now have the oppertunity to always ask before you actually do. i mean, i wish scientists knew this much about women! (Its not sexist, just arrogant) __________________ 18Gal Mantis Tank 28lbs LR 22lbs Black Sand D&D Typhoone Skimmer96W CL PC (10K + AC) 2 Rio 90 P.H., 1 Nano Korilla Bane the Mantis Shrimp (G.Smithii) LIFE LESSON 8/8/08: Dont Poke Squirrells... LIFE LESSON 8/12/08: Chicks dont dig comic books... LIFE LESSON 8/26/2008: Pain is relative... LIFE LESSON 9/13/2008: Sometimes you just gotta pee in the sink... LIFE LESSON 10/1/2008: Her eyes say more than her mouth... LIFE LESSON 10/1 B: In retrospect, the shooting range was a bad first date idea... LIFE LESSON 10/19/2008: Bleach doesn't work well with out DETERGENT... But with it, WOW! LIFE LESSON 10/25/2008: "You're Such a Man," isnt necessarily a compliment... LIFE LESSON 10/28/2008: RC Helicopters are not Bob Proof... LIFE LESSON 10/29/2008: Dont ** where you eat, UNLESS, you are the company pooper scooper... BARB FREGGIN RULES**

09-20-2007, 06:49 PM	#20 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 22,544 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: cycling question! Was the LR cured or uncured? If uncured you are going to need to start vacuuming out die-off in the coming weeks. If it was cured you shouldn't have much die-off to deal with. Just watch the paramaters. You want a spike in amonia followed by a spike in nitrites followed by a spike in nitrates. __________________ Peace LYNN Quote for the day courtesy of Big Al Basically it comes down to this... You RUSH it.... you CRASH IT!! Original member of Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Every 60 seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

09-20-2007, 08:54 PM	#21 (permalink)
prow Tridacna maxima Join Date: May 2005 Location: Redondo Beach, CA Posts: 4,454 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: cycling question! nice glad you got the LR. like lynn said if its not cured start cleanning it and blow it off daily with a PH or turkey baster. basically it will be like you just started up the tank. give it a few weeks and keep your water flow good so there is no dead spots(lack of flow anywhere). __________________ "He who sees things grow from their beginnings shall have the finest view of them" ........Aristotle........ "The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad." - Salvador Dali my chronicle........ http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...al-system.html my clamicle..........http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...my-tank-d.html

09-21-2007, 02:57 PM	#22 (permalink)
Rcpilot Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Arvada, CO. Posts: 297 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: cycling question! How to cycle a new tank (my way) Add sand or substrate Add live rock Fill it up Turn on the pumps Put the lights on a timer Get the salinity at 1.023 Setup your refugium--DSB and some cheatomorpha macroalgae Now go to the local grocery store and buy a fresh shrimp from the deli. One large prawn will usually do it for any tank under 100g. You could use a little bitty shrimp for a nano cube. Drop the shrimp in the tank. Let it rot. It's going to take 6 or 8 weeks. It's going to stink. Don't mess with it. Just do your top off and kep your sailinty somewhere between 1.020 and 1.026 with freshwater top offs. When the shrimp is COMPLETELY gone. You are done. It's okay if the shell is still in there. That won't break down for a long time. But ALL of the flesh must be completely rotted off and disolved. GONE. Now you do an ammonia test. If it's over 10ppm--wait a week and do it again. When the ammonia drops down to 0, your ready to test your nitrite. When nitrite and ammonia are both at 0 you can test the nitrates. Nitrates shouldn't be bothered with until ammonia and nitrite are 0. When ammonia and nitrite are 0, test the nitrate. IF you have ZERO ammonia and nitrite BUT you have some nitrate--it's okay to do a water change now. Change 50% of the water and test nitrate again in 2 or 3 days. When ammonia, nitite are 0 and nitrate is below 5ppm--you can go get a fish. ONE fish--not a whole school of damsels. Not a clown and a puffer and a wrasse and 2 damsels. Get ONE fish and sit back for a bit. I guess I'm a bit conservative. I cycled my 30g reef with a deli shrimp and live sand. Took 2 months. When all was at 0 , I went and got some cured rock. Went through a mini cycle that took 4 days to peak and drop back down. Then I let it stabilze for another 2 weeks. THEN I bought a damsel. I haven't had a single water quality problem in 3 months of running this tank.

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