My 29 gallon tank

[aclos3]

With the small amount of LR there, you shouldn't need to "feed it" to get it to cycle. That LR should be able to start your cycle on its own. When I get a new tank going, I always try to seed it with either LR from an established tank or some other gunk. Like rubble / goop from a sump. Its nasty stuff, but it WILL get the cycle going.

 

[ReefArtist]

Your tank is looking really good - keep up the good work. I have to tell you I did put just a little pinch of food in mine to help it cycle. I'm really not sure if it did anything but it made me feel like I was part of it

 

[badgers034]

Yea, I think that I will just put a pinch of food in there. I do wanna be part of it. Just a little pinch is all I will put in. My tank looks the same as yesterday. When do you think my first algae bloom will come?? I have a cheap small PC on the LR for until I get a true PC setup.

 

[badgers034]

Ok, well either today or tomorrow, I am going to go get some "base-rock" Now, is this just low-end LR, or is it a non-living rock. What kind of rock is it?? Thats what is confusing me. Is it Limestone?? Lace Rock?? Lava Rock??

 

[sir_dudeguy]

base rock is non living. Completely dry rock. theres places online that sell base rock for like 2 bucks a pound (the 2 main buisinesses just went out of work it seems tho...)
But i'd just rinse it off really good before putting it in the tank.

 

[badgers034]

Ok, kool. and What are your views on feeding the tank?? I kinda want to, but I dont want to mess anything up.

 

[ReefArtist]

Well not that this is the thing to do, but I just used some of my fresh water food. Remember it was just a pinch to see what would happen.

 

[badgers034]

Thats exactly what I already did. I cant see it hurting the tank at all.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

adding flake wont cause any problems. It could start a weak spike that might get the cycle going, but it just might not be enough...hard to say. Oh, and it doesnt matter if its freshwater food or saltwater...either one will cause amonia to spike. you could also pee in the tank to get the cycle started, but idk who in their right minds would do that lol. But it does work.

 

[Mistamurray]

thanks for that, i actually laughed out loud at that one!, Great tank, im just about to get some salt water in my 29 gal too!

 

[badgers034]

but idk who in their right minds would do that lol.

Actually, on a freshwater forum, I heard of a person doing that. He said that his biology teacher told him that it would work. lol. Anyways, I dod some better aquascaping with some lava-rock as my makeshift base-rock. Will lava -rock hurt my tank at all?? Anyways, I will take some pictures now, and take some more pictures when I get the better flourescent.

 

[Pico Keeper]

No one has mentioned this, but I'm going too.

You really need more live rock, alot more! I wouldn't even bother trying to cycle a 30 gallon with only 2lbs of rock. If you add rock at a later date (especially uncured) you will incur another cycle. There is definately not enough rock in there to filter the water. Add some base rock, but get atleast 10 more lbs of live rock.

 

[badgers034]

Oh, yeah I do have some base-rock in ther that I forgot to mention. I just put it in there about 2 days ago. Its tufa-rock, about maybe 10 lbs not too sure.

 

[badgers034]

Right Side

Left Side

Again, left side.

Right to left.

Whole tank.

Now, what kind of rock is the new stuff I added on the right side. I got it kinda set up so, the new rock is on the bottom, and the LR is on the top so the new rock gets seeded. Every once in a while, a bubble will come out if the new rock, so I think that its like maybe a worm of some sort, or some kind of "pod" in there moving around. You think so??

 

[badgers034]

[EDIT] "Now, what kind of rock is the new stuff I added on the right side."
^^^Should be LEFT side

 

[badgers034]

Comments???

 

[Henry22]

That base is kinda ugly, how much is your liverock. Mine was 8 and I got 17lbs fiji and 3 lbs live base(not cool shapes) for 3$ a lbs. Just spend the money on nice Live Rock. I would order like 45 lbs online. Alot of places have good deals on liverock.

 

[mister crabs]

depending on where ur located try searching different forums, craigslist, and maybe even your local newspaper for someone getting out of the hobby so u can get rock cheap. also....dont go with the canister filter.....probable nitrate trap unless you want to clean it every couple of days. Look around the forum to find a thread where a aquaclear 70 or 110 HOB filter is modded into a refugium. It will help ur water stay stable since it looks like you wont be using a sump. Plus it will give you added flow and a place to hide your heater. just my .02

 

[badgers034]

I am definately seriously thinking about doing the AC 110 modded into a fuge. I saw a sweet one the other day on here that I really liked. And, yea my base roc is pretty ugly, but Im hoping that some corraline algae will grow on it and cover it all up.

 

[badgers034]

Well, I got some more base-rock. It kinda looks purple. I like it, but I dont like how my 2 different colored rocks kinda clash with eachother... As you can see, I cant aquascape for crap.

left side.

right side.