Can someone please explain to me about reef conferences?

[igot2gats]

I'm really trying to wrap my head around this concept, as it seems to contradict everything we try to do, "the right way" of setting up our tanks in our homes.

I've never been to a reef trade show of any kind, so bear with me...maybe I have this wrong:

Vendors come in, and fill tanks up with pre-made saltwater, and put live rock, coral, fish, inverts, right in the tanks? Without cycling the tanks?

Does this really happen? Or is there more to it? And if it really happens, if someone did this to their tank on here, a lot of people would be up in arms....

Thoughts?

 

[thegrun]

There are two workable ways that this is done. One method is to use all pre-cycled rock so it processes the ammonia. The second and most common is since the trade shows are usually only two or three days in duration they simply do not start to see appreciable levels of ammonia that quickly. The tanks are set-up with new saltwater and within the two to three days there is not enough waste produced to raise the ammonia and Amquel or other ammonia neutralizing products are also usually added.

 

[d2mini]

Yep, there is no reason to cycle because the tanks are not up for long enough.
Especially the coral tanks.

 

[igot2gats]

Interesting. Thanks for the insight.

 

[hlaalu]

My friend sets up for his pet shop at some of these things. He uses cured rock, aged filter media, and cured sand. Really the only thing that changes is the water which doesn't hold the beneficial bacteria anyways.

 

[thegrun]

We just finished up at Reef-A-Palooza, our club set up a 300 and 450 gallon system for the event. We just used new saltwater. The tanks were fairly heavily stocked. Set the tanks up Friday, broke them down last night (Sunday) and there was not enough ammonia yet to register.