fish food to Cycle

[new2scene]

I have a question. Does it matter what kind of fish food you use to start a cycle in a tank. I have some goldfish food lying around. Might be a stupid question but just thought I'd ask.

 

[reefnetworth]

that will be fine. at least youre not using live animals and i thank you for that. a med. size pinch should do the trick. turn off your filter or remove carbon if you have any installed.
JDM...:smokin:...

 

[Reno Reef]

A tank with LR and/or LS will cycle on its own. You shouldn't need to add anything to the tank.

 

[jdieck]

There is more than enough detritus in the rock to cycle without the need to adding anything, on the contrary adding more stuf will just make the Ammonia spike higher endangering the survival of the things you really want to preserve in your live rock and will just end up on higher Nitrates at the end of the cycle.

 

[rkelman]

It may not cycle on its own if the rock is really well cured / transported he may not see a cycle from the rock. I'd say if it doesn't start a cycle use the food.

 

[jdieck]

If the rock is fully cured (although IME never is) and there is no ammonia in one week, the tank is ready for cleaning crew which will be enough bioload to initiate bacterial growth.

 

[new2scene]

I bought cured rock Fiji about 40 lbs and basically everything's at zero. Nitrates are slightly above. I'm getting growth on the rock's and have a snail hitchhiker that I discovered last night. I am going to Big Als today and buy a skimmer and I have the colour coded test kit which I am going to take back as it's not accurate and exchange. I hope they can test a sample from the tank and let me know if it's okay to add a cleanup crew. Could the nitrates be slightly high as I'm using a cannister with all the media (carbon) Also, if everythings ok, can I get a peppermint shrimp and what to feed it.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

It may not cycle on its own if the rock is really well cured / transported he may not see a cycle from the rock. I'd say if it doesn't start a cycle use the food.

cured=cycled...if you have really cured rock, you've got cycled rock, therefore there wouldnt be any cycle (other than a very very small spike occasionally)

 

[jdieck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9442742#post9442742 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by new2scene
I bought cured rock Fiji about 40 lbs and basically everything's at zero. Nitrates are slightly above. I'm getting growth on the rock's and have a snail hitchhiker that I discovered last night. I am going to Big Als today and buy a skimmer and I have the colour coded test kit which I am going to take back as it's not accurate and exchange. I hope they can test a sample from the tank and let me know if it's okay to add a cleanup crew. Could the nitrates be slightly high as I'm using a cannister with all the media (carbon) Also, if everythings ok, can I get a peppermint shrimp and what to feed it.

Insure that you really have no Ammonia, As I mentioned even fully cured rock will give up some. For the time being I would recommend no critters other than some snails until the system is stable your Alkalinity and Calcium is under control and your skimmer is installed and kicked in.

 

[new2scene]

Thanks

 

[lifesworksataol]

i usually either use bio zyme or a piece of cocktail shrimp - well a piece of a piece