speed

[samier]

Hi all is there anyway to speed up my new set up. i used RO water added some bio start, used tropic marine salt, also added 10kg cured live rock. i know its all about patience but is there anyway i could speed it up. could i get some sand from a mature tank and add it in.

 

[Krish]

The cured LR as well as mature sand can speed it up a bit, but the name of the game is patience. You'd need to test your water to see where your ammonia and nitrite is sitting at. Once they get to zero you should be safe to add some damsels to help finish up the cycling process. I wouldn't rush things though. It will pay off in the end. Best of luck

 

[wrightme43]

Fast reef tanks are usually dead reef tanks. Slow and steady is the way to go. Add all the rock you are ever going to add, then let it sit untill it is stable, then add stuff. It really pays off in the end.

 

[Blazer88]

I doubled my rock #'s in one day when I got the new tank up and running. Now I have been paying the price with nasty hair algae for the last four months Slow is the way to go.

 

[NaH2O]

samier - how long have you been cycling the tank? What are your water parameters?

 

[Rock-N-Ruin]

1. MarineLand's Bio-Spira. From my experience the stuff works very well. I have cycled a few tanks with it, It's expensive though, last time I used it, it was $50.00 for the smallest size which did about 50gal.(if I remember right) and it comes refrigerated.
Check it out!!!!!
http://www.marineland.com/products/mllabs/ML_biospira.asp

2. The transplant method: you can get a bunch of live rock, sand, and filtration media from an already established tank and just transplant the bacteria, works well also.

Last time I used Bio-Spira, I started with 2 false perc's. I tested my water daily for the first 2 weeks, then every other day for a week or so.. It worked just like advertised, no amonia spikes, nitrites, nothin.. If I had to cycle another tank, I would gladly use that product again. ps. and I don't think I'd bother to test the water...

 

[samier]

Thanks all for the replies I'll do whats best and wait for the tank to mature will keep u guys posted.
Rock and ruin cant find bio spira here in south africa.
Thanks again guys.

 

[Rock-N-Ruin]

oops, sorry about that.. I should have looked at where you were, it didn't even cross my mind!!!

 

[NaH2O]

ps. and I don't think I'd bother to test the water...

Why is that?