Cycling the tank

[L98-Z]

I'm about to cycle my tank for the first time. There is nothing at all living in it, just RODI water, sand, and base rock.

My intentions were to cycle it first, then add some live rock. I planned to cycle it with pure ammonia (I assume this can be found at wal-mart). Any issues with this?

Do I need to add salt now, or can I wait after the cycle? How often to the lights need to be ran if at all?

Thanks.

 

[Skeptic_07]

First, Dont use ammonia. Store bought ammonia is not natural and has a slightly different chemical makeup and is MUCH more potent than ammonia found in our aquariums, typically ammonium.

DO definitely add your salt. the nitrogen cycle is driven by bacteria which metabolize all the waste. I'm pretty sure the bacteria in FW tanks are different species than in SW so if you cycled your tank with FW and then added the salt it would probably kill all the bacteria and you'd have to start over anyway.

You want to cycle your tank with the live rock since thats were the bacteria will be living. Go ahead and makup saltwater in you tank to 1.025 SG let it run for a day or two and then you can go ahead and buy some live rock. There is life on the live rock so there will also be death. This will provide ammonium to start the cycle. You can also add a bit of food to get things going. Always monitor your levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate through the first month of the tank being setup with test kits.

good luck!

 

[L98-Z]

Thanks.

I knew that FW and SW both go through a nitrogen cycle, but I wasn't familiar with them being different.

As for the ammonia, I've read in multiple places saying that actually one of the ideal ways of cycling. Instead of buying live rock or using a dead shrimp, to just get pure ammonia.

 

[gimmic]

I had to call around and find pure ammonia for my freshwater tank cycle back in the day. walmart's 100% ammonia IS NOT THAT. If I remember right, you can shake it- if it foams, it is not pure.
I found some at a hardware store, in the cleaner's section.

Also might bear mentioning that you only use half a cap-full of the stuff for a 50 gallon tank. It is quite potent.

 

[L98-Z]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13247627#post13247627 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gimmic
I had to call around and find pure ammonia for my freshwater tank cycle back in the day. walmart's 100% ammonia IS NOT THAT. If I remember right, you can shake it- if it foams, it is not pure.
I found some at a hardware store, in the cleaner's section.

Also might bear mentioning that you only use half a cap-full of the stuff for a 50 gallon tank. It is quite potent.

I guess I could always use the shrimp method to ensure nothing I don't want gets in there.

 

[gimmic]

Thats what I'm doing with my tank, L98-Z.

 

[mindytoy]

you can pee in it....im serious.


but just mix ur saltwater, add LR, wait like a month. test once a week....when nitrates are 0 add clean up crew. then wait 2 weeks, if nitrates still at 0, start the stocking with less agressive to most agressive fish.