Oops. I thought I could cycle a saltwater tank (my 20 gallon Q tank) with some hardy fish as I cycle my freshwater tank. I got 3 damsels to cycle it and they all died this week. Does anyone have any advice on cycling a tank without using live fish? I've heard of the table shrimp method but is it really slow? And should the tank be cycled in the dark or with the lights on the timer as if there were fish?
Flushed 3 fish in one week!
- Thread starter IcantTHINKofONE
- Start date
Cycling a tank is incredibly easy (fresh or salt) ..... as easy as throwing any nitrogenous load into an aquarium. One does not need to cycle with fish. Dead Shrimp works just as well. Skimmate works fine. Fish food works great. Fact is, anything with assimiliated nitrogen will kick start the N cycle. Key is patience. I would wait 8 weeks for the aquarium to stabilize before introducing general livestock, even if the N cycle is established prior to 8 weeks. Of course, introduce livestock slowly over the course of several months/years. The number one rule of reefkeeping is patience. If you have none, you should shop around for another hobby 
Light doesn't have a significant impact on the N cycle. However, one good reason to cycle with the lights off is to curb initial algae blooms.
Light doesn't have a significant impact on the N cycle. However, one good reason to cycle with the lights off is to curb initial algae blooms.
No. This is my first saltwater tank. I've read a lot and overlooked the cycling posts and articles because i assumed it was the same as freshwater. I'm an ass for ASSuming huh? Anyway...i found this article http://www.tomgriffin.com/aquamag/cycle2.html Has anyone done this? How do you all cycle your tanks?
If you introduce live rock, that's a nitrogen sink in and of itself. Live rock, by itself, is more then capable of getting the N-cycle rollling without adding anything else to the tank.
Probably a little too advanced for you, but here's my N-cycle article: http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/arti ... cycle.html
Probably a little too advanced for you, but here's my N-cycle article: http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/arti ... cycle.html
Somewhere I heard that we should only put something like 2 inches of fish per 10 gallons in a saltwater tank. Three damsels would seem like a whole lotta fish.
Somebody's Signature here says "Money will get you trinkery, but patience builds a reef."
Somebody's Signature here says "Money will get you trinkery, but patience builds a reef."
Your approach sounds fine to me. Although most people add live rock and sand at the same time with great success, your method is ok. <edit> I do agree with danmhippo that the sand also requires time to be innoculated with nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. If you're gonna do the stepped approach, expect to wait much longer then if you introduced rock and sand at the same.</edit>
Inch per gallon rule doesn't work. It negates many critical variables, such as behavior and metabolism.
Inch per gallon rule doesn't work. It negates many critical variables, such as behavior and metabolism.
No, Add sand and LR at same time. Sand need time to cycle as well as LR. You can cycle both at same waiting period, instead of 8 weeks for LR, then another 8 weeks for the sand. It is recommended for you to add sand to the tank, then LR on top of the sand.
I suppose the inch per gallon rule really doesn't have a practical use, but for me, It held my desires to purchase more fish at bay. I probably would have overloaded my tank if I just put what looked pretty.
I always wait at least two weeks before I add a new thing. Regardless if it is a piece of rock or animal.....
:roll:
I always wait at least two weeks before I add a new thing. Regardless if it is a piece of rock or animal.....
:roll:
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