Cycling Questions

ReeferGil · 10/07/2012, 12:41 PM

New to the forums and to the hobby.

I am currently cycling a 75 gallon with about 70lbs of Reef Saver dry rock and a 2" Nature's Ocean sandbed. Running a proflex model 3 sumps with a refugium (chato), miracle mud, skimmer, phosphate reactor and LED lights.

SG 1.024, temp 78-80 degrees

Using one small piece of LR and two damsels to kick off the cycle. Day 13 and 0 everything. My questions are:

1) Lights on or off? I am running lights on, but would like to hear opinions on this topic.

2) Do I care about dosing, pH levels? I was thinking about doing this only to experiment with dosing measurements since I have no corals to mess up.

Zappo · 10/07/2012, 12:48 PM

1) Lights are optional while cycling. I like to leave them off to prevent algae growth before there's anything in the tank to eat it.

2) You should care very much about ph levels. Most animals dislike swimming in acids. As for dosing, NEVER add anything to your tank that you're not testing for. Dosing is done to replenish things that are being used up faster than your water changes can keep up with. If nothing is in short supply, dosing can only hurt your water chemistry.

thegrun · 10/07/2012, 12:51 PM

I do not recommend cycling with live fish, it subjects them to ammonia poisoning which is cruel and not necessary. Drop a couple of dead raw shrimp in the tank and let them rot, you will end up with the same results. That said:
1. No you do not need to run the lights during the cycle.
2. Don't worry about ph or dosing during the cycle, your water chemistry is going to bounce all over the place. Monitor your ammonia, nitrites and possibly nitrates, don't sweat the other chemicals yet.

ReeferGil · 10/07/2012, 01:06 PM

Well the fish are already in there and with 70lbs of porous rock, they are not coming out without some sort of trap. Do you think dropping dead shrimp in there would speed up the cycle process?

Zappo · 10/07/2012, 01:15 PM

Definitely don't add a shrimp with the fish in there. You'll just cause an ammonia spike and kill the damsels. Speaking of which, you should really consider removing the blue devilfish from the tank. They're quite mean and probably won't let you add any other fish.

ReeferGil · 10/07/2012, 01:55 PM

I have two Azure Damsels in there now. Supposedly they are the more docile of the damsel family, but I am only repeating what my LFS guys told me. I've had damsels before and yes, they can be turds. These guys have yet to chase eachother. My last "successful" reef was a 55 gallon some 12 years ago. I then tried my hand at it again a couple years ago with a nano, big failure.

I hear you about the shrimp and damsels. I've also heard they sell "Ammonia Supplements" to kick start cycles. Has anyone ever used this? Clearly won't cycle my tank with anything but my damsels since they are already in there. Just curious.

bnumair · 10/07/2012, 02:20 PM

LFS just care to get in ur pockets while not caring for fish or toxic levels a cycling tank exposes them to burning gills and killing fish. more fish you kill more money they make. fish is a dollar sign to LSF. anyways now we are past the stage and ur 13-15 days into cycle.
I wouldnt add any dead shrimp in there now. let it be and just check ammonia levels and nitrites when they both hit 0 ur cycle is complete.

ReeferGil · 10/07/2012, 02:27 PM

You're right about LFS wanting to make cash. I test for ammonia daily. Really excited to get this tank going. Thanks for the advice. If you're bored and have time, check out my youtube channel and provide any feedback. Search for ReeferGil, there are only a couple of videos showing my progression.

10/07/2012, 12:41 PM	#1
ReeferGil Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 180	Cycling Questions New to the forums and to the hobby. I am currently cycling a 75 gallon with about 70lbs of Reef Saver *dry* rock and a 2" Nature's Ocean sandbed. Running a proflex model 3 sumps with a refugium (chato), miracle mud, skimmer, phosphate reactor and LED lights. SG 1.024, temp 78-80 degrees Using one small piece of LR and two damsels to kick off the cycle. Day 13 and 0 everything. My questions are: 1) Lights on or off? I am running lights on, but would like to hear opinions on this topic. 2) Do I care about dosing, pH levels? I was thinking about doing this only to experiment with dosing measurements since I have no corals to mess up.

10/07/2012, 02:20 PM	#7
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	LFS just care to get in ur pockets while not caring for fish or toxic levels a cycling tank exposes them to burning gills and killing fish. more fish you kill more money they make. fish is a dollar sign to LSF. anyways now we are past the stage and ur 13-15 days into cycle. I wouldnt add any dead shrimp in there now. let it be and just check ammonia levels and nitrites when they both hit 0 ur cycle is complete. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

10/07/2012, 12:48 PM	#2
Zappo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnetonka, MN Posts: 582	1) Lights are optional while cycling. I like to leave them off to prevent algae growth before there's anything in the tank to eat it. 2) You should care very much about ph levels. Most animals dislike swimming in acids. As for dosing, NEVER add anything to your tank that you're not testing for. Dosing is done to replenish things that are being used up faster than your water changes can keep up with. If nothing is in short supply, dosing can only hurt your water chemistry.

10/07/2012, 12:51 PM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I do not recommend cycling with live fish, it subjects them to ammonia poisoning which is cruel and not necessary. Drop a couple of dead raw shrimp in the tank and let them rot, you will end up with the same results. That said: 1. No you do not need to run the lights during the cycle. 2. Don't worry about ph or dosing during the cycle, your water chemistry is going to bounce all over the place. Monitor your ammonia, nitrites and possibly nitrates, don't sweat the other chemicals yet.

10/07/2012, 01:06 PM	#4
ReeferGil Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 180	Well the fish are already in there and with 70lbs of porous rock, they are not coming out without some sort of trap. Do you think dropping dead shrimp in there would speed up the cycle process?

10/07/2012, 01:15 PM	#5
Zappo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnetonka, MN Posts: 582	Definitely don't add a shrimp with the fish in there. You'll just cause an ammonia spike and kill the damsels. Speaking of which, you should really consider removing the blue devilfish from the tank. They're quite mean and probably won't let you add any other fish.

10/07/2012, 01:55 PM	#6
ReeferGil Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 180	I have two Azure Damsels in there now. Supposedly they are the more docile of the damsel family, but I am only repeating what my LFS guys told me. I've had damsels before and yes, they can be turds. These guys have yet to chase eachother. My last "successful" reef was a 55 gallon some 12 years ago. I then tried my hand at it again a couple years ago with a nano, big failure. I hear you about the shrimp and damsels. I've also heard they sell "Ammonia Supplements" to kick start cycles. Has anyone ever used this? Clearly won't cycle my tank with anything but my damsels since they are already in there. Just curious.

10/07/2012, 02:27 PM	#8
ReeferGil Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 180	You're right about LFS wanting to make cash. I test for ammonia daily. Really excited to get this tank going. Thanks for the advice. If you're bored and have time, check out my youtube channel and provide any feedback. Search for ReeferGil, there are only a couple of videos showing my progression.