Cycling my new tank :)

[Payne Train]

I am starting my cycle tomorrow on my SR 80 gal.
I am currently making RODI water my my new unit from Melevs reef. So I should be mixing saltwater in the morning. I have bulkheads and heaters in both trash that's being filled with water.

I will then clean my Caribsea life rock with RODI water and get my aquascape cemented and super glued in place. In goes the rock and then my live sand . I went with 1/2 pink Fiji and 1/2 Grade A.

Here where my question starts. I have Marinepure 1 1/2 media spheres, and a bottle of turbo start.
I know that I shouldn't run chemi pure or run lights during the cycle BUT will the media spheres be okay "”- I'm trying to make sure I'm doing the whole process correctly..... any advice ?

 

[Sk8r]

Do you mean bioballs? They cause problems. Ceramic or porous balls would be ok. ANything like rock or sand you want to get bacteri-fied should be in during the cycle. My own method of cycle is just to drop a little fishfood in daily, about 1 flake per 10 gallons, and wait for the cycle, then continue to be sure the bacteria are on the job. Never have added bacteria in a bottle in marine, just freshwater, so I can't say how good it is.

 

[Payne Train]

It's ceramic spheres . Thanks for the reply - I thought I would be set up today but still waiting on the RODI to fill my trash cans up to mix the salt water .
I did however get my aquascape done today "”- I used a much of Stix cement and a large thing of thick super glue.

I'll try and post pictures once the sand and water get in tomorrow. Wish me luck

 

[Fiish]

Good luck, aren't you adding live rock to start colonizing your dry rock ??

 

[Payne Train]

I wasn't planning on it - I was planning for the live sand and turbo start to be the one to start the bacteria process that would eventually turn my rock into "œlive rock".

One question that I thought about last night was, do I need to add ammonia" for the bacteria to chow on. But everything I read said that wasn't necessary since I was the turbo start ?

I am planning on getting some pieces of coralin algae at the end of my cycle to start that process as well .

 

[HumbleFish]

One question that I thought about last night was, do I need to add ammonia” for the bacteria to chow on. But everything I read said that wasn’t necessary since I was the turbo start ?

I would dose 2 ppm ammonia: https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/AmmoniaCycling.php

It should process out in under 24 hours (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite) before your tank is established enough to support marine life.

 

[Payne Train]

Thanks Humble, I didn't think to look at my other post about Turbo 900 that you commented on.
That's what I'll plan to do - thanks !

 

[Payne Train]

I would dose 2 ppm ammonia: https://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/AmmoniaCycling.php

It should process out in under 24 hours (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite) before your tank is established enough to support marine life.

I ordered Dr Tims ammonium chloride and some more ceramic media spheres. So we will see how it all goes !

 

[Payne Train]

Will the cycle still go through all of the "ugly phases" with the red slime, brown diatoms, and all that jazz. It does this "bacteria in a bottle" help skip those issues ?

 

[smilet98]

That bottles mission is to get you to those issues


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[HumbleFish]

Will the cycle still go through all of the "ugly phases" with the red slime, brown diatoms, and all that jazz. It does this "bacteria in a bottle" help skip those issues ?

You'll probably still go through "the uglies". IMO; it's the addition of tiny critters and microfauna which help alleviate the nuisance algae.

This website lists some of the good "hitchhikers" many tanks are lacking: https://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/

 

[Payne Train]

My LFS has those available - should I wait until I read zero for ammon and nitrates ? I would assume so but thought I would make sure

 

[Payne Train]

Would the live sand have created enough ammonia for the turbo start bacteria to eat and stay going? I didn't add flaked fish food until 4 days after I did the turbo start.
Using caribea life rock.
I should have Dr Tims Liquid ammon. on Wednesday I believe. I figured I would put a couple flakes in each day until then.

 

[Payne Train]

Ran my tests tonight
Ph - 7.8
Ammonia - .15
Nitrate - 0
Nitrites - 0

 

[Payne Train]

Ran my tests again today.
Ammonia - zero/maybe .05 ?
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0

Today was a week exactly after I set the tank up and added Turbostart 900.

I have an 80 gal tank, I figured about 30 gallons worth is probably substrate and rock. So I dosed a third of a cap of Dr Tims Ammon. Chloride (the recommended amount for 50 gallons worth)

So I guess I need to test again 24 hours from now to make sure that everything is at zero ?

Thanks ahead of time for any additional info

 

[Payne Train]

Oh and my salinity is 1.024 (thumbs up emoji)

 

[Mcgeezer]

All tanks go through their “ugly phase” early on after the cycle (diatoms, cyano, rocks green due to initial corraline algae taking foot)

Kinda like our teenage years....it’s awkward. Just be sure that your tests are 0 across the board - a zero on ammonia is unmistakeable on color, so aim for that.

 

[Payne Train]

Thanks for the reply ! Once cycles, I am good to add a CUC though, correct ?

The ammonia is almost definitely 0 ... a very very very slightly light greenish tint.

I'm hoping for zero tomorrow after adding amm chlor tonight

 

[Mcgeezer]

Yes you can add CUC once you read 0 on all tests over at least 24 hours.

 

[Payne Train]

24 hours after Ammon Chlor dose

Ammon - 0.15
NI - 0.75
NA - almost looks like zero, but could have a slight shade in the direction of 1.0

Should I give it a couple days and then try to dose Ammon Chlor again to see if it gets to all zeros 24 hrs after dosing?