Im baaaack :)~

[whodeydan76]

Hello everyone.. Long time no talk. I have been away since May of 12 and I just decided to log back in and say Hi and see how everyone is doing.
In the last 8 months, my fiance and I split up and I moved out.. I had to stay at my moms for a bit while the apartment I got came open.. needless to say my tank went to crap.:headwally: I ended up selling all of the fish, having a friend hold all the corral.. and I sold my light, tank, and stand. I put all of my rock in a friends sump (thank god for good friends) and now that I am moved and settled in I am planning on getting another tank... Im not sure if I want to get another 75, get an acrylic built, buy a friends 90 gal cube, or what. I already have over 200 lbs of live rock that was in my 75 and like I said it is in a sump so doing well. Any suggestions since I am mostly starting from scratch?
I know I will have to get the tank set up and let it cycle for 6 weeks.... when I do so, do I add the rock right away or do I just fill with water and let sit? I know for a fact I am getting a drilled tank this time... HECK with the hob overflows... I never overflowed mine, but man they are a huge pain to run.. especially when you have to clean them.. and then use a hose to suck start the overflow box...lol.
I do have a friend (same one that has the rock) that said he will contribute over half of his water from his sump, he runs a rodi system in his basement and his sump alone holds 135 gallons....his dt is 90 lol. I was thinking with good water that was already cycling in a live tank that would help me get a jump start on the cycle.

Any info is helpful. sorry for such a long post. :deadhorse:

 

[whodeydan76]

not sure why this posted twice.. but whatever.. if an admin can remove one of them that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ReeferBatman]

I know I will have to get the tank set up and let it cycle for 6 weeks.... when I do so, do I add the rock right away or do I just fill with water and let sit?

I was thinking with good water that was already cycling in a live tank that would help me get a jump start on the cycle.

Adding established water can't hurt, but don't expect it to do all that much as the bacteria you need to 'cycle' live on surface area (tank walls, sand, Live Rock!) not really free-flowing in the water.

Yes, you can add the live-rock when you start the tank. If it's already in an established tank (and actually 'live) then it will cut down your cycling time drastically with that much rock.

 

[Painted skin]

Adding established water can't hurt, but don't expect it to do all that much as the bacteria you need to 'cycle' live on surface area (tank walls, sand, Live Rock!) not really free-flowing in the water.

Yes, you can add the live-rock when you start the tank. If it's already in an established tank (and actually 'live) then it will cut down your cycling time drastically with that much rock.

+1 I would also get your friend to donate a cup of live sand to seed your tank sand bed.

 

[whodeydan76]

I made the mistake of mixing sand and crushed corral on my first tank... then I built a second tank and added some of that to it as well... I had no problems with levels of any kind but I am going the sand route this time. I like the look better.
I asked about getting some live sand from him...he said he would hook me up and I also get on garf.com when I start a tank and buy a reef maint kit...after the inital 2 or 3 weeks. This cycled my first tank completely in 4 weeks instead of the regular 6 weeks. The reef kit contains,60 of each snails and crabs, 2 chunks of live rock covered in corraline and coral, a 5lb bag of garfs grunge (live sand with pods) a 2lb bag of super grunge (bigger chunks.. but lots of extra shells for the crabs and snails) a bag of green algae... I think its called macro? and a bag o bugs... it is a sandwich baggy size bag of pods and little critters in water. I think I paid $250 for that set up and it shipped on tuesday from boise ID and arrived in Lima Oh on thur.... I only had 1 sluggish crab and 2 dead snails with my order and Leroy there said he would throw in a few extra snails and crabs on my next order.

 

[whodeydan76]

I made the mistake of mixing sand and crushed corral on my first tank... then I built a second tank and added some of that to it as well... I had no problems with levels of any kind but I am going the sand route this time. I like the look better.
I asked about getting some live sand from him...he said he would hook me up and I also get on garf.org when I start a tank and buy a reef maint kit...after the inital 2 or 3 weeks. This cycled my first tank completely in 4 weeks instead of the regular 6 weeks. The reef kit contains,60 of each snails and crabs, 2 chunks of live rock covered in corraline and coral, a 5lb bag of garfs grunge (live sand with pods) a 2lb bag of super grunge (bigger chunks.. but lots of extra shells for the crabs and snails) a bag of green algae... I think its called macro? and a bag o bugs... it is a sandwich baggy size bag of pods and little critters in water. I think I paid $250 for that set up and it shipped on tuesday from boise ID and arrived in Lima Oh on thur.... I only had 1 sluggish crab and 2 dead snails with my order and Leroy there said he would throw in a few extra snails and crabs on my next order.

 

[whodeydan76]

My internet sucks I guess that is why it keeps double posting everything GRRRRR

 

[Painted skin]

Save your money during cycling if you have some good live rock, a cup of live sand to seed and a piece of raw shrimp or fish food to seed the tank is what all you need to get the nitrogen process going. The CUC and critters are great to have after when you have live stock and feeding your tank as they are scavengers, it's not needed nor help with the nitrogen cycle process.