Tank cycling dilemma

firemountain · 07/10/2014, 09:18 AM

Everyone...I have a dilemma and need advice.

My tank is a few days away from finished cycling. Then I leave a for a 1.5 week vacation. Unfortunately I don't have anyone to check on the tank, and am concerned that if I don't add a few CUC...I will comeback with an algae bloom/problem. Right now algae is not a problem since I never put the lights on.

Can I get away with running a few CUC without turning the tank lights on while I am away? And more importantly.... Can I get away without any supplemental feeding the CUC. I was considering to add the following for the time being....

1 electric blue hermit
1 scarlet red hermit
1-3 Nessarious snails
1 Trochus snail
1 Fighting Conch
Handful of Dwarf Cerith snails.

I hate adding anything to the tank...esp. since it will be the first livestock I add. Now depends on when I add the CUC.....I may have like 3-5 days before I leave. I would feel more comfortable with having a few CUC in the tank to keep things in check. Or...I can just leave the tank alone until I come back.

Any I put would be greatly appreciated.

flipstyle72 · 07/10/2014, 10:54 AM

subscribed. i'm going to be in a similar situation and posed same question. right around the time i leave for 10 days, my tank should have finished up it's cycle. Everyone that replied said it would be ok to just leave it as if it was continuing the cycle. I feared if i introduced my CUC right before i left, something wacky might happen while i'm gone. I'd want at least a week of observation with the CUC. So, i'm waiting to see...how the cycle goes if i have enough time to add before i leave or just wait.

that probably doesn't help you lol but...

milto29 · 07/10/2014, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firemountain

Everyone...I have a dilemma and need advice.

My tank is a few days away from finished cycling. Then I leave a for a 1.5 week vacation. Unfortunately I don't have anyone to check on the tank, and am concerned that if I don't add a few CUC...I will comeback with an algae bloom/problem. Right now algae is not a problem since I never put the lights on.

Can I get away with running a few CUC without turning the tank lights on while I am away? And more importantly.... Can I get away without any supplemental feeding the CUC. I was considering to add the following for the time being....

1 electric blue hermit
1 scarlet red hermit
1-3 Nessarious snails
1 Trochus snail
1 Fighting Conch
Handful of Dwarf Cerith snails.

I hate adding anything to the tank...esp. since it will be the first livestock I add. Now depends on when I add the CUC.....I may have like 3-5 days before I leave. I would feel more comfortable with having a few CUC in the tank to keep things in check. Or...I can just leave the tank alone until I come back.

Any I put would be greatly appreciated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by flipstyle72

subscribed. i'm going to be in a similar situation and posed same question. right around the time i leave for 10 days, my tank should have finished up it's cycle. Everyone that replied said it would be ok to just leave it as if it was continuing the cycle. I feared if i introduced my CUC right before i left, something wacky might happen while i'm gone. I'd want at least a week of observation with the CUC. So, i'm waiting to see...how the cycle goes if i have enough time to add before i leave or just wait.

that probably doesn't help you lol but...

I think the best solution to this problem would be to wait until you get back.

Wazzel · 07/10/2014, 11:42 AM

If it were me I would leave it until I got back. Making changes right before you leave the tank unattend for a significant amount of time is not a good idea.

jrozzi · 07/10/2014, 01:09 PM

how do you know you are few days away from completing your cycle?

flipstyle72 · 07/10/2014, 01:56 PM

yeah, waiting won't hurt... but not waiting leaves opportunities open for problems. as jrozzi asked, how do you know how close you are? Once i'm cycled, and i see i still have a couple weeks before leaving, i'll probably stock the cuc but not right before i leave.

firemountain · 07/10/2014, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrozzi

how do you know you are few days away from completing your cycle?

I added 40 lbs. of live sand, 20 lbs. of live rock, and I used Dr. Tim's Nitrifying bacteria. It's been about a week since I added everything to the tank and started the cycle. My last test was between .25 and 0 ppm on Ammonia, and the Nitrites came up almost zero.

When I brought a sample to the LFS, he took some readings and felt that mine and theirs were comparable. He figured that another few days would probably be left..just his opinion though.

jrozzi · 07/11/2014, 07:55 AM

any nitrates?

billy mitchell · 07/19/2014, 06:45 PM

My tank has cycled for a few weeks now but I still have not put any fish in the DT yet
I have a QT just about ready for new fish but would like to know what do I do to DT while new fish are in QT..DT...have everything up and running
DT 220gal..
equiptment
2x40MP40w ..... bubble magus 200p skimmer .......Sump 43gal with grape calerpa 3" sand bed and a few live rocks and reef rubble
return 5000ltr/h split return to both ends
2x150watt LED's
cleanup crew ...6x blue legged hermits...3 large turbo's 1 small hitchhiker turbo
lots of coraline algae on rocks and pods are present
water test is
nitrate...0+
ph ....025
cal ..520
kh ..143.2
sal ...1.024

also for QT is it advisable to drop sal to 1.020/1.022 for new arrivals and gradually increase sal over a week or so back to 1.024/5
any information would be greatly appreciated

FranktheTankTx · 07/19/2014, 08:16 PM

CUC doesn't need lights. You don't necessarily need lights until you add coral.

LinkinReef · 07/20/2014, 07:45 AM

I would personally just wait. This way when you come back and add the cuc, you can keep an eye on what's going on in the tank after adding something.

As far as when a cycle is complete. I was told that you will probably see a diatom bloom in your tank and once that goes away it's almost safe to say that your cycle is complete.

When I cycled my tank after week 4 I had a HUGE nastly diatom bloom where I couldn't even see in the tank. 2 weeks later it went away on its own and now the water is crystal clear.

firemountain · 07/20/2014, 07:57 AM

I actually made the decision to wait a few days after the original post. Thanks everyone for their input...I will be back home in a few days....and then I will get my CUC in place.

07/10/2014, 09:18 AM	#1
firemountain Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 1,033	Tank cycling dilemma Everyone...I have a dilemma and need advice. My tank is a few days away from finished cycling. Then I leave a for a 1.5 week vacation. Unfortunately I don't have anyone to check on the tank, and am concerned that if I don't add a few CUC...I will comeback with an algae bloom/problem. Right now algae is not a problem since I never put the lights on. Can I get away with running a few CUC without turning the tank lights on while I am away? And more importantly.... Can I get away without any supplemental feeding the CUC. I was considering to add the following for the time being.... 1 electric blue hermit 1 scarlet red hermit 1-3 Nessarious snails 1 Trochus snail 1 Fighting Conch Handful of Dwarf Cerith snails. I hate adding anything to the tank...esp. since it will be the first livestock I add. Now depends on when I add the CUC.....I may have like 3-5 days before I leave. I would feel more comfortable with having a few CUC in the tank to keep things in check. Or...I can just leave the tank alone until I come back. Any I put would be greatly appreciated.

07/10/2014, 10:54 AM	#2
flipstyle72 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New Orleans, LA USA Posts: 81	subscribed. i'm going to be in a similar situation and posed same question. right around the time i leave for 10 days, my tank should have finished up it's cycle. Everyone that replied said it would be ok to just leave it as if it was continuing the cycle. I feared if i introduced my CUC right before i left, something wacky might happen while i'm gone. I'd want at least a week of observation with the CUC. So, i'm waiting to see...how the cycle goes if i have enough time to add before i leave or just wait. that probably doesn't help you lol but... __________________ that tasted salty.. 50g sqaquariums cube w/ 18.5g sump - 65g skimmer - wavemaker - jbj ato - 24in t5 ho approx. 80lbs lr and 50lbs live sand from tampa bay live rock Current Tank Info: 50g, 18g sump, cycled with tampa bay live rock and sand

07/10/2014, 11:42 AM	#4
Wazzel Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Houma, LA Posts: 4,743	If it were me I would leave it until I got back. Making changes right before you leave the tank unattend for a significant amount of time is not a good idea. __________________ Mark Beware the light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes it's a train. Current Tank Info: 120, LED, Bare Bottom, SPS/LPS

07/10/2014, 01:56 PM	#6
flipstyle72 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: New Orleans, LA USA Posts: 81	yeah, waiting won't hurt... but not waiting leaves opportunities open for problems. as jrozzi asked, how do you know how close you are? Once i'm cycled, and i see i still have a couple weeks before leaving, i'll probably stock the cuc but not right before i leave. __________________ that tasted salty.. 50g sqaquariums cube w/ 18.5g sump - 65g skimmer - wavemaker - jbj ato - 24in t5 ho approx. 80lbs lr and 50lbs live sand from tampa bay live rock Current Tank Info: 50g, 18g sump, cycled with tampa bay live rock and sand

07/19/2014, 08:16 PM	#10
FranktheTankTx Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 2,306	CUC doesn't need lights. You don't necessarily need lights until you add coral. __________________ Frank the Tank "What, I thought we were in the trust tree... in the nest? Are we not?" Current Tank Info: Custom Rimless 60g (30.5"x24.5"x18.5")

07/10/2014, 01:09 PM	#5
jrozzi Moved On Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 580	how do you know you are few days away from completing your cycle?

07/11/2014, 07:55 AM	#8
jrozzi Moved On Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 580	any nitrates?

07/19/2014, 06:45 PM	#9
billy mitchell Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Pak Kret Nonthanbury Thailand Posts: 103	My tank has cycled for a few weeks now but I still have not put any fish in the DT yet I have a QT just about ready for new fish but would like to know what do I do to DT while new fish are in QT..DT...have everything up and running DT 220gal.. equiptment 2x40MP40w ..... bubble magus 200p skimmer .......Sump 43gal with grape calerpa 3" sand bed and a few live rocks and reef rubble return 5000ltr/h split return to both ends 2x150watt LED's cleanup crew ...6x blue legged hermits...3 large turbo's 1 small hitchhiker turbo lots of coraline algae on rocks and pods are present water test is nitrate...0+ ph ....025 cal ..520 kh ..143.2 sal ...1.024 also for QT is it advisable to drop sal to 1.020/1.022 for new arrivals and gradually increase sal over a week or so back to 1.024/5 any information would be greatly appreciated

07/20/2014, 07:45 AM	#11
LinkinReef Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 987	I would personally just wait. This way when you come back and add the cuc, you can keep an eye on what's going on in the tank after adding something. As far as when a cycle is complete. I was told that you will probably see a diatom bloom in your tank and once that goes away it's almost safe to say that your cycle is complete. When I cycled my tank after week 4 I had a HUGE nastly diatom bloom where I couldn't even see in the tank. 2 weeks later it went away on its own and now the water is crystal clear. __________________ 34g

07/20/2014, 07:57 AM	#12
firemountain Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Bergen County, NJ Posts: 1,033	I actually made the decision to wait a few days after the original post. Thanks everyone for their input...I will be back home in a few days....and then I will get my CUC in place.