Should I add 'reef supplements' while cycling the tank (LR/LS)?

[drtechno]

I assume all I need to do is cycle it (contains LR/LS) with just the salt water without adding other supplemenation in terms of trace elements. But someone said this may be needed to feed what little life remains on the rocks... ??

 

[reefnetworth]

no, you dont need to add supplements. a small pinch of fish food will add bacteria to speed the cycle process.
never place any living thing in your tank untill you are sure cycle is complete.
JDM...

 

[Frick-n-Frags]

someone is mistaken.

all you are looking to do is to have whatever biodegradeable stuff is on the LR or dead shrimp or whatever rot, make ammonia, make nitries, make nitrates, settle down. the biodegradeable stuff IS the food heh.

you want these levels to peak to feed the correct amount of the next stage of bacteria, so no adding nothing, no changing nothing, let it cook


also, many cured LR tanks don't cycle because the curing and subsequent lack of lots of dieoff gives you a balacne pretty much right off the bat. The only danger to this lean cycle is that you can majorly re-cycle if you throw a bunch of fish in all at once, which the bacteria colony was in no way prepared to handle.

So the trick is to cycle lite, but sneak stuff in, something every month or couple months to let the tank re-cycle. the trick is not ever load it down so much as to noticeable re-cycle