Cycling?
- Thread starter drillsar
- Start date
EpicExposures
New member
don't due a water change until you have cycled. Your LIVE sand has the same beneficial bacteria as your LIVE rock. It doesn't matter if you put the sand in before or after the cycle personally I prefer my cycle to occur all at once. Live rock and all.
WetShepherd
New member
The only problem that sand will create is a potential spike in ammonia if the cycle isn't complete, or nitrates if it is - and that's assuming there is adequate dead matter in the sand. If the sand is very 'clean' then nothing will happen.
To the question of doing water changes during a cycle - the only additional factor beyond that of a normal established tank is that you are trying to culture the bacteria needed to convert your ammonia. To that end, you do want some ammonia present, but as noted you don't want to kill off the life in your live rock - so you try to work with reasonable numbers. For me, if the ammonia goes above 2ppm, I'd do a water change. The same goes for the end of your cycle ... if your nitrates are getting high, 20ppm+, then I'd do a change to balance that out too (you should either do your own research or get numbers from someone more experienced than me).
The consequences of doing water changes are the possibility of the cycle taking a bit longer. The consequences of not doing water changes are possible die off in your rocks, which you probably won't notice - and the associated spikes could also cause the cycle to be longer. In other words, you will get to the end eventually either way so neither opinion is technically wrong. So long as you don't cycle with fish, I think people are happy to hear how your choices pan out, whatever they are.
Good luck and don't forget the pics
To the question of doing water changes during a cycle - the only additional factor beyond that of a normal established tank is that you are trying to culture the bacteria needed to convert your ammonia. To that end, you do want some ammonia present, but as noted you don't want to kill off the life in your live rock - so you try to work with reasonable numbers. For me, if the ammonia goes above 2ppm, I'd do a water change. The same goes for the end of your cycle ... if your nitrates are getting high, 20ppm+, then I'd do a change to balance that out too (you should either do your own research or get numbers from someone more experienced than me).
The consequences of doing water changes are the possibility of the cycle taking a bit longer. The consequences of not doing water changes are possible die off in your rocks, which you probably won't notice - and the associated spikes could also cause the cycle to be longer. In other words, you will get to the end eventually either way so neither opinion is technically wrong. So long as you don't cycle with fish, I think people are happy to hear how your choices pan out, whatever they are.
Good luck and don't forget the pics
