hello everyone i just set up my aquapod 24 on saturday with 30 pounds of live rock and 20 pounds of live sand. all my expierence is freshwater sorry. but i know i need a fish to make waste to start the nitrogen cycle correct? i was wanting a fish hardy enough to handle this that i can leave in the tank after complete. i was thinking a cromis or something i want to have a peaceful reef tank is it to soon to do this does anyone have any ideas. thanks so much for helpin a noob.
need a fish to cycle my reef tank
- Thread starter joedodge
- Start date
jason2459
Well-known member
You don't need a fish to do this.
All of these are better methods:
Blend up a shrimp and throw that into the tank.
Put some fish food in the tank
Get some established sand or rock from another reefer to put in there.
Pee into the tank
Then wait and test for your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to hit 0.
All of these are better methods:
Blend up a shrimp and throw that into the tank.
Put some fish food in the tank
Get some established sand or rock from another reefer to put in there.
Pee into the tank
Then wait and test for your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate to hit 0.
jason2459
Well-known member
I would then test every few days for ammonia and nitrite level. The ammonia should eventually hit 0 and your nitrite will spike. Then soon after your nitrite should hit 0. You nitrate will go really high and you'll want to do a pretty decent sized water change which will help reduce the nitrate. The nitrate should continue to go down. Once it's at a pretty decent level then add a CUC and soon after that slowly add in some fish.
At least that's what I did. Some may like to wait till everything is 0/0/0. Some like to add corals first. Etc. etc.
Could take a couple weeks to month. Took my system about 3 weeks if I remember right to hit 0/0/0 and I started with some partially cured live rock so I didn't add anything to start the cycle. I had some die off on the live rock and some old dead rock to kick start the cycle.
finksmart
Member
You will get a cycle, regardless. The duration of it may vary, but it will cycle. It is impossible for it not to.
jason2459
Well-known member
It'll add ammonia and like I said it's better then throwing in a poor fish. :spin2:
Do not pee in the tank. The human body has far too many toxins in it. This was a method used in the 70s and 80s and is no longer viable considering we now know the side effects of such an action.
jason2459
Well-known member
Cycles never end. Being this is a new tank setup a small but noticeable cycle should occur. If it was all established live rock and substrate where there was 0 die off then there might be a very small and unnoticeable cycle and it may go really fast. In that case I'd either test every day or just wait 4 weeks just to b e sure and add in a CUC and after that slowly add in some fish.
I start tanks with established rock all the time and get no detectable cycle. If you have enough bacteria on the rock to handle the (very) limited die off you have in this situation, you will not get a cycle.
ChuckG
New member
Phosphates is one... PO4 will be sky high if you pee in the tank. I second not peeing in your fish tank.
You get no detectable levels of ammonia or nitrite. Does not mean the water does not cycle.
Good start with the info here.
Welcome to Reef Central community and Good Luck!
Welcome to Reef Central community and Good Luck!
returnofsid
New member
"Water" doesn't cycle. The beneficial bacteria does not populate the water column. It populates hard surfaces, such as live rock, sand, glass, equipment. The Bacterial colony is what cycles.
RegalAngel
Member
jason2459
Well-known member
If you have those levels then you don't really need to add anything. Looks like you had some die off which is okay. Wait for the ammonia and nitrite to hit 0 before you consider adding anything.
