Cycling question

[rickbrown85]

I have a few questions about cycling. The first question is when should I start my skimmer and GFO and carbon reactor during the cycle. I have the skimmer going right now with the collection cup off for the 24 hour break in. As far as the reactor idk what to do about that or when to start it. The last question is can I go ahead and put say 4 raw shrimp in there to start the cycle.

 

[reepher315]

You dont need any of that yet. I skimmed just to get sand particles out but no need to unless there is a bio load. What size tank we talkin here? 4 shrimp seems like alot. Try 1 cut in half.

 

[rickbrown85]

I have a few questions about cycling. The first question is when should I start my skimmer and GFO and carbon reactor during the cycle. I have the skimmer going right now with the collection cup off for the 24 hour break in. As far as the reactor idk what to do about that or when to start it. The last question is can I go ahead and put say 4 raw shrimp in there to start the cycle.

It is a 125 with a ruby 36 sump.

 

[rickbrown85]

I qouted myself lol. Didn't mean to do that.

 

[sk8elenex92]

How long has the tank been running for?

 

[rickbrown85]

How long has the tank been running for?

Just got finished filling it up today.

 

[reepher315]

Id throw the shrimp in and let the powerheads run. If your breaking in the skimmer thats fine. No needs for anything else but time now bruthuh

 

[rickbrown85]

Id throw the shrimp in and let the powerheads run. If your breaking in the skimmer thats fine. No needs for anything else but time now bruthuh

How many do you think I should throw in? And yeah it is just break in. Going to turn it back off after 24 hours.

 

[sk8elenex92]

Oh nice congrats. Did you use live rock? I would use 1 shrimp as we'll no need for 4. You can run the skimmer but not nec. And you don't need any of the other stuff yet.

 

[reepher315]

Yup just one is good. Check your ammnia levels in a week or so

 

[rickbrown85]

Oh nice congrats. Did you use live rock? I would use 1 shrimp as we'll no need for 4. You can run the skimmer but not nec. And you don't need any of the other stuff yet.

Thank you! And as of right now it is just dry rock. But I am going to get some live rock to seed the dry.

 

[reepher315]

Thats a good idea. Try to snag it from a friend who has a clean tank or choose wisely at the LFS. You never know what beast may be inside that rock.

 

[rickbrown85]

Thats a good idea. Try to snag it from a friend who has a clean tank or choose wisely at the LFS. You never know what beast may be inside that rock.

That is very true just wish I could find friends in the hobby. Yeah I am going to pick very wisely.

 

[OnceTrueFalseBr]

Try some aquascsping make it ready for creative coral location and cool hidig dpots fo it before fish n inverts are in. Much easier

Think about how the corals will grow and sway in the water to prevent corsls fighting for space and stinging eachother

 

[rickbrown85]

Try some aquascsping make it ready for creative coral location and cool hidig dpots fo it before fish n inverts are in. Much easier

Think about how the corals will grow and seay in the water to prevent corsls fighting for space and stinging eachother

Will do thank you.

 

[rfgonzo]

Your skimmer is going to take a week or two to break in, so just let it run. Don't run GFO or carbon till needed, (witch may be never) 1 shrimp is fine and get your heaters up around 80 bacteria likes a higher temperature. Keep your hands out of the tank and let it do it's thing. Then test in about 3 weeks.

 

[rickbrown85]

Your skimmer is going to take a week or two to break in, so just let it run. Don't run GFO or carbon till needed, (witch may be never) 1 shrimp is fine and get your heaters up around 80 bacteria likes a higher temperature. Keep your hands out of the tank and let it do it's thing. Then test in about 3 weeks.

OK thank you for your input. And I ran into a road block. As I was running my skimmer without the collection cup on, it overflowed onto the overflow on the sump and ran over the sump so idk how I am going to break it in. Can I do a break in with the collection cup on?

 

[rfgonzo]

Yes you can, But I'm not following you when you say (it overflowed onto the overflow) and ran over the sump?

 

[rickbrown85]

Yes you can, But I'm not following you when you say (it overflowed onto the overflow) and ran over the sump?

Pretty much it is a very tight fit to get it into my first chamber of my sump. There is an overflow lip that hangs over into my sump from where the tank over flows into. Whenever my I leave my collection cup off the skimmer it overflows onto that lip and then onto my stand.

There is a overhang where the overflow goes into those micron filters in the picture. So it goes onto that over hang and then out of the sump.

 

[gone fishin]

If you wish to run the skimmer put the top on and run it. In the grand scheme of things, it will not matter if you run it or do not run it during the cycle. I have done it both ways and the tank still cycled. The bacteria will grow and colonize the rock and sand bed not the water column. Good luck.