now I am confused.

[Monkey55]

I have been reading, and reading, and reading. I have read that once my ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate have hit zero, my tank is cycled. I put 43lbs of fully cured live rock in my 29 Gallon tank 8 days ago. Today all my levels hit zero. So I figured I would get a clean up crew in 4 days. But the guy who sells them , says that it takes 6 weeks before my tank will be "fully cycled". Is this true?

Can I put the crew in as planned?

I was going to start with:

2-Trochus snails
2 - Cerrith snails
15 - blue leg hermit crabs
1 - sand sifting star
1 - peppermint shrimp

Should I go ahead with this in 4 days?




I am gettin tired of askin questions

[drummereef]

Cycling time really depends on many factors. You probably had a short cycle because you used cured live rock. As long as your levels are checking out for the next few days, then it would be ok to start adding your cleanup crew. Keep testing over the next couple days to make sure the tank has stabilized and there are no other mini cycles.

As far as the cleanup crew goes I'd start slow and small. I'd do a couple cerith and nassarius snails. Crabs tend to be opportunistic with snails. If they need a new home, they will get it. The star probably isn't a good idea and I'd wait on the shrimp.

[sunfish11]

When using cured live rock you can cycle quickly. I usually average about 2 weeks and then add cleaning crew. I usually wait for the first hair algea or bloom and then add the crew. They must eat you know. By a month I start adding fish and coral. Watch your tests. That is how you know when the cycle is done, not by what the LFS says.

There are a few very reliable sources that say that you should let the tank go for awhile before adding anything though, and I do believe that you get more micro fauna that way. I have let it go for a long time without adding creatures and I find that you get a more diverse and populous pod population by letting them develop without fish. Do you see little white bugs on your glass?

Do not, I repeat, Do not add a sandsifting star to your tank. It is much to small and the star will starve to death. They need a much more mature tank and many square feet of sand to survive. They will sterilize your sand bed and then slowly die. Please leave this one in the ocean, or at least at the LFS.

[Monkey55]

thanx, some good info, I wait another week

[drummereef]

Sounds like a good plan.

[TekCat]

The only thing I can add is when you get diatoms add Cerith snails, they love this stuff. Then when green hair algae starts popping up add Trochus snails. While waiting for things to happen, you could start feeding imaginary fish. Twice a week you can drop a few pellets in. Also adding some phythoplankton would encourage pod growth. But, make sure that ammonia and nitrite stay at zero.

[Shagsbeard]

Also, you want to let your tank get "established" as well as "cycled". Your LFS might be combining these terms. After your parameters zero out, you should give your tank a bit of time to go through it's blooms of algae and diatom growth before considering your tank established. Giving your tank a preditor free period of time will let your detrivores settle into their new home and find the best hiding places.

[Monkey55]

okay, I added phytoplankto one the firstt and sixth day, so I am good there, You actually recommend putting a bit od fish food in there already?

I have a peppermint shrimp and 6 blue leg hermits that came with rock in there, should I give them a little extra food? and what?

[luke33]

I'd feed them frozen brime shrimp or mysis to get the bacteria to really start growing. Remember to take it very slow when adding fish to your tank. The biological filration won't be ready to handle alot of waste when you first start out. You have to gradually build it up. So when you add fish, watch for amm, and trite to rise. Good luck, the fun has just begun!

[D-Rod]

just some FYI...

when i set up my current FOWLR with cured LR and than waited for all those talked about algae outbreaks and i waited, waited, and waited...THEY NEVER HAPPENED even to this day 9 months later not a sign of algae.

I waited 4 weeks then added my cleanup crew then a week later moved my QT fish into there new home.

So things don't always go by the book!

[Monkey55]

thanx

[TekCat]

Shagsbeard brought a good point. There is a difference between cycled tank and established. Cycled - is when bacteria in your tank is able to keep up with current production of ammonia from LR and critters. And instead of established I'd use the word Matured. Matured tank is when bio system had tuned itself over period of time and found equilibrium: algae outbreaks had passed, water parameters stable (Ca, Alk, Mg, pH, SG, Temp, NO3, PO4, ....) Maturity of the tank is also could be attributed to skill of the tank keeper's ability to maintain abovementioned water parameters, feeding habbits, etc....

There was a thread somewhere on RC about system's maturity, but I lost the link. Anyone?

Reef ON!!!

[Randall_James]

I have taken new tanks with fully cured live rock and moved entire systems into them. (Fish, corals, inverts) without any problems. Not recommending this but if the rock is cured, you may need to dump a bit of food into the tank during this self imposed waiting period to keep the bacteria thriving...

[dippin61]

do NOT put a sand sifting star in a tank that small. it WILL starve and die.

you dont have a large enough tank with enough sand to sustain, and let the starfish thrive. they need fairly large tanks, with a very deep sand bed. otherwise, it will dessimate your live sand, then slowly starve over the months.