How did you cycle your tank?

[Meus]

I was wondering how everyone else cycled their tanks. I cycled mine with live rock and regular additions of food and pure ammonium.

 

[cornraker]

I pooped in mine

 

[SushiGirl]

First 3 tanks 6 1/2 years ago, live rock & sand. This time around, I used my old dead rock, so I used a piece of raw fish. Next tank will just be with food cuz the results of the raw fish were off the chart nitrates for 6 weeks and gallons & gallons of water changes before I could get them down LOL.

 

[clownfreak]

I started with some pure cleaning ammonia, some food, and then a damsel . Damsel was one of those "typical" beginner mistakes.

 

[reefgeezer]

I added ammonium chloride to 5 ppm. Just dead rock in the tank. Once ammonia dropped to 0, I added it again to 10 ppm. Then waited for ammonia and nitrite to read 0. These reading were taken with really cheap dip and read test strips. Once the nitrites were gone, I did a 30% water change. Nitrates were initially 60 ppm, 40 ppm after the water change. It took about three more weeks and two more water changes to get nitrates down. I think if I do it again, I might not drive the ammonia level so high, but ammonia and nitrites have never tested above 0 again.

Oops. I forgot, this took about 5 weeks total. I didn't add anything alive or feed that tank until I got the nitrates below 10 ppm. Once I started adding fish and corals. ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates were well controlled.

 

[Green_Reefer]

I used a shrimp in mine and let it disappear in the tank, then I started to test. Ammonia spiked off the chart initially and 2 weeks later zero ammonia and nitrites. Started feeding the tank the same amount of food I was giving to my wrasses in QT and kept testing daily. Never saw any ammonia or nitrite again, even when I fed the tank more than the QT was receiving.

Ran a regular lighting schedule with a turf scrubber as the only filtration. 150g system volume with 130lbs dry base rock and 20lbs of live rock from local sources. Altogether the cycle lasted around 3 weeks.

 

[kmu]

I cycled my tank with 100 lbs of dry rock from Marco Rocks adn 200 lbs of dry sand and added only 3 lbs of live rock from my other tank.

I did empty my skimmate cup from my other tank a couple of times during the cycle to help speed up the ammonia and nitrite/nitrate cycle.

 

[joejoe1055]

when i first got into the hobby, the local aquarium mantience guy cycled my 55 with 2 large eels. always was scared they would jump out of the tank and i would get bit in the middle of the night. lol

 

[bobbychullo]

I had live rock and sand. i threw in a dead shrimp to speed it up. next time around i'll probably just throw in some food.

 

[TJ]

back 12 yrs. ago or so, we were told by more than 1 source to cycle w/damsels or mollies. Poor little fish. Glad we're living in a more enlightened age.

 

[Meus]

Bump

 

[aleonn]

Currently using some established LR from my old tank, as well as dead matter.

 

[Jstadler]

I used a combination of dry rock and live rock and sand with a raw shrimp for good measure.

 

[Holyreefer]

I actually had the tank seating in none moving, eater with LR for 3months and this is the 1st time ever ive had 0 i mean none...nitrates.
I emptied out all water and started fresh with new saltwater but my nitrates are undectable it is a great feeling

 

[Aporia]

back 12 yrs. ago or so, we were told by more than 1 source to cycle w/damsels or mollies. Poor little fish. Glad we're living in a more enlightened age.

Same here, the yellow tailed damsel survived and it took me forever to catch him. It harassed everything else I tried to put in the tank!

 

[RockinSmall]

i pooped in mine

lol

 

[willy7499]

Just live rock and food. Then I added a CUC and dosed phyto.

 

[extoker]

Dead shrimp or fish flakes, depends on how I feel.

 

[am3gross]

i will go to the local lfs and get a dead fish from there... throw it in and let it rot.... all those dead fish at the lfs has to be good for something!

 

[stormrider27]

I actually had the tank seating in none moving, eater

:hmm4: translation please. :hmm4: