How do you all cycle your tanks?

[ferraridude112]

Hey everybody I was just wondering how you all cycle a new tank...do you just throw the LR in and let it do its thing or do you put a small piece of raw shrimp in and let it rot (ive heard this from a few places and didnt know if it was right?) Just post here and thanks in advance!

 

[cr500_af]

The shrimp will work... but if you are using uncured live rock, there will be more than enough dieoff to start things rolling. The only time you need to "kickstart" it is if you are using dry/dead rock completely.

 

[coolsurf]

I use Ammonium Chloride...works great and faster IMO.

 

[ralph atl]

either way above.........

 

[ichthyoid]

Ammonia (the household kind without surfactants, ie-does not causes bubbles when shaken) used with the following.

https://www.fritzzyme.com/fritz-zyme-9/">https://www.fritzzyme.com/fritz-zyme-9/</a>

I have also used Seachem Stability successfully, with fish present.

 

[ferraridude112]

Alright...sounds good...if i did use stability or the fritzzyme how would i use that??
Thanks Everybody!

 

[ichthyoid]

Great reference article. You may want to save this one. Read all the way through. Lots of links at the bottom too.

 

[ichthyoid]

FWIW- Fritzzyme also makes Turbostart which I have not used but is more concentrated, needs refrigeration and has a shelf life.

https://www.fritzzyme.com/fritz-zyme-900/">https://www.fritzzyme.com/fritz-zyme-900/</a>

Whichever you choose, get it FRESH from a LFS or order direct from Fritz.

 

[ichthyoid]

Shrimp works, if you don't mind having dead meat in the tank and waiting 6 weeks.

FWIW- The ammonia method has been studied and supposedly shown to yield a stronger bacterial colony.

I use the bacteria to cycle a tank in 5 days. See below-

Conventional timetable,

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With bacterial acceleration,

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You choose.

 

[ferraridude112]

Wow...sounds like it practically works miracles as far as cycling goes...thanks and you can use this with live rock right?

 

[ichthyoid]

Yes.

I used it on a 125 gallon with about 200 lbs. of live rock and watched my tank go through the 'peaks' of cycling in 5 days, using ammonia instead of fish. Easiest tank start ever. Very stable afterwards, but I still added fish slowly.

 

[ferraridude112]

Wow...sounds awesome...thanks so much and it saves me alot of trouble...ill probably use it but its gonna be about another month or two before i even get water in my tank

 

[ichthyoid]

As mentioned in my PM. It matters whether you use fresh 'uncured' live rock or cured live rock. The fresh stuff will have a die off of life forms due to shipping, lack of light, etc. This has the effect of continuing to add ammonia to the tank. If fresh live rock is used you should monitor ammonia and nitrite until they both fall. Then do a large water change and begin to gradually add fish.

This applies whether you use a bacteria additive or not. The difference being that the addition of bacteria will speed up the process/stabilization and decline of ammonia and nitrite.

 

[cr500_af]

AndyMan;525861 wrote: I add a crankshaft to left side of tank, 21 gears to right side of tank, gear changer to the frontmost overflow box, couple of pedals and start peddling like mad .. who needs handlebars

Do you use uni-seals where the shaft goes from side to side through the water or what?

 

[smoothie]

cr500_af;525866 wrote: Do you use uni-seals where the shaft goes from side to side through the water or what?

You're a better man than me. I deleted about ten different things before just giving up on a reply

 

[cr500_af]

Andy is a man of taste for good equipment... I'd say his cycling tank has all Campagnolo components.

He might be able to do that without drilling the glass if he Frankensteined a couple of Vortechs in a creative fashion.

 

[ichthyoid]

AndyMan;525861 wrote: I add a crankshaft to left side of tank, 21 gears to right side of tank, gear changer to the frontmost overflow box, couple of pedals and start peddling like mad .. who needs handlebars

I gave up the peddles, and added a blown 454 big block with a Muncie 4 speed gear-box.