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Unread 09/13/2006, 11:06 AM   #79
HowardW
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Aurora, IL
Posts: 1,763
<<< At one point you said you had very little cycle, like almost no ammonia. Is that really true, or did the cycle just happen quickly? It has to happen some how. >>>

I have always experienced a very mild cycle with TBS rock with free ammonia usually never exceeding .5 and the cycle completing and nitrate readings in about 8-14 days. The mild cycle is because the rock is shipped in water hence very little dieoff. I also use Seachem Stability every day for the first 10 days which I feel also really helps the cycle along.




<<< Where did you get your sand to go with the live rock and at what point did you put it in relative to the LR. I like the coarse nature of the material, seems it would have a lot of places for critters to live and hide. Although I wonder if the coarser, more permeable nature of it would minimize it's ability to denitrify? >>>


I have always used the Live Sand from TBS with their rock, and always put the sand in first. The coarse grade of the TBS sand does make an excellent habitat for all the critters that live in the sandbed like some burrowing snails, worms, starfish, etc. I've never worried about the ability of my sandbed for denitrification because I also use a fuge stuffed with macroalgae which keeps my nitrates at nearly zero all the time. The macroalgae that grows on the rock will also aid in reducing nitrates along with water changes. I know some people also use about 1/2 live sand and mix dry sand in with it when starting their tank.


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