tank cycling question.

reefkeeper429

New member
well I got my tank up and running. It is a 65 gal So far I have 50 lbs of live rock in it. Will my tank still have to cycle. The guy at store said it wouldn't since I put in the rock. Do I still need to put in a damsil or something to get the cycle started?
 
The die off from the Live Rock should start the cycle process. You might want to add a little more rock. At least 1 pound per gallon.
 
shouldnt use fish to cycle.keep an eye on your perms, and wait 3 or 4 weeks then start with a cleanup crew they say 6 weeks minimum before adding stock and add little by little as to not put to much of a load on your system.LFS just want your money.
 
The tank will cycle with the live rock no need for fish.
It would be best to add a little more rock to make it at least 65 lbs.

Sometimes a tank won't show much of a cycle or none at all depending on the live rock and how much it's cured and how much die off there is on it.
I set up a 12 gal. aquapod using well established rock and sand from my 150 and it never showed a cycle.
I would start testing for ammonia in a few days and see how it goes. If there is'nt any ammonia in a week or 2 then it prolly won't cycle.
After about a week or after ammonia appears start testing for nitrite also. When those are both at 0 you can start to add the clean up crew.
Even if it does'nt cycle you still have to go slow adding animals as each time you add something the bacteria have to catch up to the load and if it does'nt ammonia will show up and have a mini cycle.

Take it slow and test to be sure.

kass
 
I have a new skimmer and it isn't producing any foam yet. Is this because the tank is only a week old and there isn't much waste with only the rockin there?
 
yea rocks alone wont produce enough waste to collect but good to leave on just adjust it low and as you add stock you will see skimmer pulling more and more nasty smelly waste from your tank.
 
Plus a new skimmer always needs break in time to get like a coating on the new plastic before it actually works right.

kass
 
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