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10/06/2009, 07:07 PM | #1 |
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cycling
hello, i am trying to find out how to cycle a tank and i had a few questions i couldn't find myself.
do you have to have a specific type of water to cycle with? is tap ok? when can you introduce fish to help cycle? and does the size of the tank effect how long the cycle is? |
10/06/2009, 07:21 PM | #2 |
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1. Salt water made from RO/DI water or bought pre-mixed. Tap water will add all kinds of things you do not want in the water and end up causing algae blooms amounst other problems.
2. You need to wait until after the cycle to introduce fish, it is cruel to make them endure ammonia poisoning that is likely to kill them. If you want to speed things along, add a dead raw shrimp to the tank, but the cycle is most likely going to take 4-6 weeks. Spend the time reading up on the hobby to help you avoid costly and frustrating mistakes. 3. No, the size does not effect the durartion of the cycle assuming a proportional amount of live rock is used. |
10/06/2009, 07:22 PM | #3 |
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^^^ what he said ^^^
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10/07/2009, 12:06 PM | #4 | |
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10/07/2009, 12:13 PM | #5 | |
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Second, the size of the tank only has marginal impact on the time of cycle. May be just a few days. The more volume of water vs the same nitrification bacteria population means just slightly longer time for ammonia and nitrite to rise to a high concentration and then drop to zero. 1 ppm N Ammonia in 100 gals of water has twice the ammonia of 1 ppm in 50 gals; the same number of bacteria will take just a bit longer to process 100 gals of 1 ppm. |
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10/07/2009, 01:25 PM | #6 |
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+2 some good advise here.
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"I've fixed it, it'll work this time." Just upgraded to a 58g Oceanic and the only thing I broke was the old tank. |
10/07/2009, 02:04 PM | #7 | |
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Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club) |
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10/07/2009, 03:33 PM | #8 | |
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10/07/2009, 03:36 PM | #9 |
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you have already introduced cycled media into your water, i doubt you will see a spike at all, just keep monitoring for a few days, id add some snails if no readings after a week or so as the dreaded diatoms will probably show its face
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Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club) |
10/07/2009, 03:36 PM | #10 | |
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Some is loss not due to death of bacteria on the LR. It is because a lot of bacteria in the old tank do not live on LR. There are many substrates for bacteria that are not transfered, typically. |
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10/07/2009, 03:53 PM | #11 | |
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10/07/2009, 03:58 PM | #12 | |
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Quote:
__________________
Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club) |
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alicia, cycling, fish, tank, tanks |
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