Krish
RF STAFF
Just as the question states...What method do you use to cycle a new tank?? I will set the poll up to accept multiple choices if you use more than one method. 
What method do you use to cycle a new tank??
- Thread starter Krish
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Krish
RF STAFF
I voted for liverock. I just let liverock run it's course until I read zero ammonia and nitrites and then I toss in a hardy fish afterwards to add more waste to the tank and also, incase of something spiking.
Krish
RF STAFF
I've never tried the raw shrimp method. Seems like a good method/alternative to putting in a fish to cycle the tank.
1guydude
Well-known member
usually i just drink a six pack and take a nice big pee in it! Gets the amnonia going real good...learned this from the old timers!
E
eww
Guest
Our new tank is set up with all dead rock and new sand. We went with a product from SeaChem that they promoted to us at SeaMax. They say it works well so we will see. It seems to be moving along through the cycle just fine so far. We might still throw a raw shrimp in just to make sure though. We have time since we don;t even have our plumbing or lights completed yet.
Aquanaut
I Love Big Torts!
Think quarantine tank. In a rubbermaid bin to get things cooking I'll use maxi jet w/airation, seeded sponge blocks started in aged sump, raw shrimp to feed and keep the bacteria up and ceramic homes. When ready to use, just place a sponge block in the filtration area of bare/new set-up and add the ceramic homes before adding the new fish to be QT'd and fresh made water. Because, there are times when medicating your only able to keep things simple and bare with most meds.
gimmito
Well-known member
I tried Dr. Tim's "one and only" bacteria. The raw shrimp is fine, but I have a open tank and could not afford to stink up the house. Another plus using the bacteria in a bottle method is you can control the ammonia (via ammonium chloride) to a 2-3 ppm which seems to be the sweet spot for the nitrifying bacteria. I also used 40 lbs of live sand to seed the tank.
The tank cycled in less than two weeks.
The tank cycled in less than two weeks.
Krish
RF STAFF
I tried Dr. Tim's "one and only" bacteria. The raw shrimp is fine, but I have a open tank and could not afford to stink up the house. Another plus using the bacteria in a bottle method is you can control the ammonia (via ammonium chloride) to a 2-3 ppm which seems to be the sweet spot for the nitrifying bacteria. I also used 40 lbs of live sand to seed the tank.
The tank cycled in less than two weeks.
Pretty cool!! Your setup is too sweet to stink up the house IMO so you win
. You are the second person recently speaking of bacteria in a bottle. As I mentioned on the other thread, it's been around for a while and does it's job just like livesand, liverock, fish poop, raw decaying shrimp etc. does. Just another alternative route. The thing about building up bacteria in our tanks though it is a never ending cycle it seems until you find that right balance. As more livestock is added, bacterial populations will need to increase and shift. I like your approach with the base rock though and kinda want to try that next time to avoid the un-wanted pests being transferred as I've always used liverock. The downfall for me though is I like the good hitchikers as well. Feather dusters, tube worms, coralline etc, but living where I do, it isn't hard to come by. gimmito
Well-known member
Agreed, there are many ways to accomplish the cycling period in our tanks. Damsels were the old way, raw shrimp are tried and true, but I think bacteria will play a huge part in the hobby in the near future (probiotics being one of them). I'm paranoid about unwanted pests entering our tanks via live rock and cycled mine atleast 6 months. I'm already seeing coraline algae on the rocks, it will be interesting what else pops up.
pitkat
Well-known member
As someone who is about to get a new tank up and running this thread made a great read. thanks
seattlereef
Well-known member
I'm in the process of setting up a tank and am planning on going with Base Rock + Dr Tim's one and adding a hardy fish or two right away. Mr Salt water TV had an episode on it so am planning on giving it a shot. The only open item for me is base sand vs live sand.
BigAl07
Well-known member
I'm a big fan of:
90% Base Rock + 10% Live Rock (from an established and trusted tank)
90% Dry Sand + 10% Mature Sand (again from trusted tank)
All except my first tank (set it up Thursday started stocking HEAVY Saturday per LFS advice) I use Raw Deli Shrimp to feed the cycle. I've had great succes with this method but I do think my next tank set-up will include a bottle (or two) of a product called
Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter7
The reason I want to try this one is because it has more "Variety" in it's bacteria rather than just obligated bacteria that will reduce ammonia to nitrite and then down to nitrate. This one also contains some faculative bacteria which in time as anaerobic zones develop will take down the nitrates and help to "Complete" the cycle. In reality the cycle is NEVER complete until you take the tank down or crash it because the tank is always building and losing bacteria in direct proportion to available food for them.
Make note I'm not using the Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter7 in lieu of the deli shrimp because if you don't FEED the bacteria then they wont colonize in any #'s sufficient to handle a bio-load of fish. You need to PUSH them up front before stocking and then stock slowly. After every new bio-addition you need to let the system colonize to meet the new demands on the system THEN add another bioload.
90% Base Rock + 10% Live Rock (from an established and trusted tank)
90% Dry Sand + 10% Mature Sand (again from trusted tank)
All except my first tank (set it up Thursday started stocking HEAVY Saturday per LFS advice) I use Raw Deli Shrimp to feed the cycle. I've had great succes with this method but I do think my next tank set-up will include a bottle (or two) of a product called
Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter7
The reason I want to try this one is because it has more "Variety" in it's bacteria rather than just obligated bacteria that will reduce ammonia to nitrite and then down to nitrate. This one also contains some faculative bacteria which in time as anaerobic zones develop will take down the nitrates and help to "Complete" the cycle. In reality the cycle is NEVER complete until you take the tank down or crash it because the tank is always building and losing bacteria in direct proportion to available food for them.
Make note I'm not using the Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter7 in lieu of the deli shrimp because if you don't FEED the bacteria then they wont colonize in any #'s sufficient to handle a bio-load of fish. You need to PUSH them up front before stocking and then stock slowly. After every new bio-addition you need to let the system colonize to meet the new demands on the system THEN add another bioload.
For me its nothing live, all dead rock and dead sand. With the ability to keep bacteria alive well and then the proper identification of bacterial strains I would bypass the old dead shrimp thing. When you add a dead thing you are adding a whole other level of bacterial decomposition thats not required. So this is how I am going to do it.
>Dead rock and sand in the tank, this way I can take my time with rock-scaping
> then add water and wait for the milky water to be cleared out via Socks in the sump.
> Then I want to add just a obligated nitrifing bacteria to allow it to build up a population in the tank. I perfer the "All in One" bacteria from Dr. Tim because it is just that and the Brightwell has both obligated (that just does Nitrifing( and faculative (which will convert to De-nitrifing). The reaosn behind this is that when the faculative turn anaerobic you take a hit on your nitrifing bacteria population and I dont want that.
>From their you can add fish the next day to provide poop for the bacteria and keep the nitrifing bacteria happy. If you dont want to do that then just dose ammonia chloride.
> after about a week or when I see a slight rise in Nitrates I add a product called Waste Away which is the Faculative de-Nitrifing bacteria and it will deal with the nitrate with out the nitrifing bacteria population being disturbed.
> then just wait for the diatom and / or slight algae build to come
Mojo
>Dead rock and sand in the tank, this way I can take my time with rock-scaping
> then add water and wait for the milky water to be cleared out via Socks in the sump.
> Then I want to add just a obligated nitrifing bacteria to allow it to build up a population in the tank. I perfer the "All in One" bacteria from Dr. Tim because it is just that and the Brightwell has both obligated (that just does Nitrifing( and faculative (which will convert to De-nitrifing). The reaosn behind this is that when the faculative turn anaerobic you take a hit on your nitrifing bacteria population and I dont want that.
>From their you can add fish the next day to provide poop for the bacteria and keep the nitrifing bacteria happy. If you dont want to do that then just dose ammonia chloride.
> after about a week or when I see a slight rise in Nitrates I add a product called Waste Away which is the Faculative de-Nitrifing bacteria and it will deal with the nitrate with out the nitrifing bacteria population being disturbed.
> then just wait for the diatom and / or slight algae build to come
Mojo
BigAl07
Well-known member
Mike what would you suggest using to "Feed" the bacteria during the colonization (aka cycle)?
If your not going to have fish pooping then you want to use a regent grade ammonia chloride. In the case of Dr. Tims, if you tell them you want to do a fishless cycle they will give you a bottle for free. If you dont go the Tims route you can try and find a Pure Ammonia product that does not have surficants, and of course has not other additives.
Mojo
Mojo
BigAl07
Well-known member
ahh gotcha. I'm think my next set-up I will go Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter7 & Ammonia and see how that works out. I admit I've taken the easy route lately and tossed in the shrimp and just tested 1x a day. No dosing just testing and waiting.
