Any benefit w cheato during cycle?

[yousmellsfishy]

I am about to begin the cycle of a 2.5 gal nano with an Aquaclear 70 filter set up as a refugium. Would it be a good idea to add chaetomorpha to the refuge now with the LR rubble?

 

[Phillybean]

Good question, I have no idea but I am started a cycle right away so want to know as well.

 

[silverwolf72]

It should lengthen your cycle. Cycling is developing your bacteria by using cheato your removing some of the stuff it needs to grow

 

[yousmellsfishy]

Isn't the cycle specifically an ammonia, nitrates, nitrites thing? I would think the chaeto wouldn't have anything to do with that. I was hoping it might prevent an algae bloom during the cycle, no?

 

[::PixelFish::]

Cheato reduces nitrates so it will interact with the cycle. Some people do large waterchanges during cycling to reduce ammonia, nitrites and trates to try and preserve life on the live rock, I'm not sure if cheato will have the same effect or just lenghten your cycle.

 

[yousmellsfishy]

My plan is to take a 5 gallon bucket with 80 degree SW in it to the LFS when I buy my LR to bring it home in. This should help reduce the die off right?

 

[xraydoc]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11880074#post11880074 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yousmellsfishy
My plan is to take a 5 gallon bucket with 80 degree SW in it to the LFS when I buy my LR to bring it home in. This should help reduce the die off right?

I think that depends on how far you have to drive. Most of the die off experienced with live rock occurs when the rock is shipped from the distributor to the retailer. If you are only driving a short distance I would say that you are just making more work for yourself.

 

[Patrick12]

Agree with xraydoc. You are not going to have die off from a 15 minute car trip home if the rock stays wet. Not a bad idea to do what you suggested...just a potential mess in the car.

Chaetomorphia would be unnecessary and would potentially limit the size of your bacteria colony you are trying to establish. You will only develop enough bacteria to meet the demands of the food presented to them. Water changes and other things that remove the nutrients will lenghten the cycle and limit the number of bacteria that develop. I'm not saying that your tank will not cycle, but it will not create the degree of bacteria that you should want. Patience is hard but it will be worth it in the long run...especially with this crucial first step.

 

[Patrick12]

Also, if you buy totally cured LR and place it in the tank, you will very likely not even have a cycle because the LR will already be colonized with enough nitrobacter. I have set up nano tanks and fully stocked them in the same day without any problems, but all the sand and rock was fully cured and cycled.

 

[ihopss]

It will not make it through the cycle,and it dying would add to your
nitrate,phosphate.

 

[gatman13]

buy cured rock . wrap it with wet news paper . bring plastic bag to keep your car dry

 

[yousmellsfishy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11880317#post11880317 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Patrick12
Also, if you buy totally cured LR and place it in the tank, you will very likely not even have a cycle because the LR will already be colonized with enough nitrobacter. I have set up nano tanks and fully stocked them in the same day without any problems, but all the sand and rock was fully cured and cycled.

That's what happenned when I set up my BC8. I tested the water every day for 2 weeks after I set it up and had 0 NH4, NH3 the whole time. I'm shooting for doing that again this time around. The LFS I get my rock has the best live rock around. This is a pic of the LR I bought 10 months ago when setting up the BC8. Lots of dusters, worms, pods, sponges etc.