I know patience is a virtue...

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skyking

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But I'm running out. I'm staring at a beautiful 150 that needs some life.

Here's my scenario; New build 150.
Jan 21 - Added salt to my tap h20 (Didn't want to use RO/DI water for cycling)
Jan 23 - Added aragonite and carib sea live sand.
Jan 26 - Added 100 lbs fully cured live rock that was in a different system for 6 months or so.
Jan 27 - Dosed with Stability and Prime.

Now I know that normally the tank go's through a 4-6 week cycling process. But, since I added the live sand, live rock, and Stability, how long do you think the cycling process is now? I've been checking my parameters and Nitrite and nitrate hasnt changed at all (undetectable).

Many thanks,
Jeff
 
Sorry to say this but you are going to run into trouble. Tap water has way to much crap in it. In this Hobby you use RO/DI water for everything or you will run into major issues. Ask anyone who uses tap water, you will crush your experience with this hobby before you get started. The next thing I can almost guarantee is if you do not do a major water change get as much as that tap water out, you will go through a series of algae blooms which will feed off the junk in that tap water. Just my 2 cents.
 
islandreef;833259 wrote: sorry to say this but you are going to run into trouble. Tap water has way to much crap in it. In this hobby you use ro/di water for everything or you will run into major issues.
Click to expand...

+++1111
 
Prime wont magically remove chlorine and all the other junk that doesn't get biologically processed by organisms :(. It will snowball on itself, take their advice as well as mine and invest in RO/DI unit now for a tank that size. (If you dont already have one)
 
skyking;833262 wrote: Doesn't Prime alleviate those issues?
Click to expand...

You see in a freshwater tank prime helps to make the water ok for FRESHWATER. But in the saltwater hobby phosphates are not your friend. An RO/DI Unit takes all the other crap out. Most people who start with Freshwater end up leaving the hobby because your go from one problem to the next. Trust me, take as much of that water out as your can without totally emptying your tank "although that would probably be wiser". Its better to start out the right way, that to be fighting your tank from the very beginning. Also if your in a hurry there is a product from http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/treat-aquarium-nitrite-ammonia-levels">Dr. Tim</a> Aquatics called One & Only Nitrifying bacteria. I used it on my system and my tank was cycled with a week. Its been more than a year now and tank has never had any issues.

But use that after you take out the water and refill with RO/DI water.
 
I have a RO/DI system. Just didnt want to waste the RO/DI water on the multitude of water changes associated with cycling a tank. Guess I'll crank that thing up and start over. Sigh...
 
as mentioned, tap water is a big mistake. Get rid of that now.

Also, if you're using FULLY CURED LIVE ROCK (as in, rock from an established tank, fully cultured, etc) you will not likely ever see a cycle. Cycling is the process of "curing" the live rock. Use fully cured liverock and you're good to go on day 1. Granted, you still need to add SLOW, but you don't need to wait to begin.
 
skyking;833270 wrote: I have a RO/DI system. Just didnt want to waste the RO/DI water on the multitude of water changes associated with cycling a tank. Guess I'll crank that thing up and start over. Sigh...
Click to expand...

Trust me you wont be sorry. Its a headache I know to start over, but if you dont I can almost guarantee you will be breaking down that tank in 6 months if you last that long. Do it right now and have a good experience with it. One reason for joining a forum like this is your have guys and gals who have been in this hobby for years. I have been in this hobby since I was 21, I am 42 years old now and although technology has made it much easier to keep these animals alive, one thing never changed. RO/DI Water is a MUSSSSTTTTTT!!!!!!!!
 
Yes, best to take care of the small faults before they become big ones/harder to deal with. I made a similar mistake by getting in a hurry and not researching my sand, now 6 months + down the road I regret every bit of not taking my time as I cant just remove it now...

Its not that you cant eventually reduce the levels to safe, but there are things in tap water that COULD hang around even after water changes potentially. Using chemicals/media to absorb the nasties now or later will outweigh the costs of a few gallons of homemade saltwater mix. The other thing to keep note here is even if those rocks are cured and live, the introduction of tap water for an extended period of time without something else absorbing could lead to the rocks absorbing stuff you don't want and retaining it and later leaching it back into your after cycle water.
 
Lol why are you all bashing him starting with tap? every tank Ive ever started over 60g was started with tap with zero issues.

Just throw a piece of shrimp or a damsel in the sump and when your ammonia and nitrite spike drop back to 0 youre good to go.
 
My last tank I STARTED with tap and had no issues. I eventually started using RO/DI. Sounds lke the water here in Georgia is quite a bit worse than in Wisconsin. So, that being said, I'm not taking any chances and am currently changing out the water. Better to be safe than sorry. Any other comments like "I've never had an issue with using tap at first" are greatly welcomed. It'll help settle my anxiety. :)
 
Well I guess we shall see then. Choice is his.

Edit: You guys who started with Tap water, show me pics of your tank.
 
Tap water sucks, but it isn't toxic (normally). I ran tap water for almost a year and a half. Sure, there were issues, but I didn't lose livestock and had decent growth (including algae of course!)

That being said, you need to wait longer. If you look at my post last month (
showthread.php
 
Here is my take. Is starting with tap the end of the world? No. But why do it? If you have a RO/DI what is the issue except for the bit of wast generated? Some have not had issues but maybe they hard pristine water out of the tap. Is yours? Did you have it tested? With RO/DI you can be sure. I would rather be sure.
 
JeF4y;833272 wrote: as mentioned, tap water is a big mistake. Get rid of that now.

Also, if you're using FULLY CURED LIVE ROCK (as in, rock from an established tank, fully cultured, etc) you will not likely ever see a cycle. Cycling is the process of "curing" the live rock. Use fully cured liverock and you're good to go on day 1. Granted, you still need to add SLOW, but you don't need to wait to begin.
Click to expand...

Very good advice but I would add one thing. Get some pure ammonia (Ace brand Janitorial Strength is pure) and put a drop in. Test to see what the AM reads. Wait 24 hours and test AM, Nitrite and Nitrate. If nitrate is up but ammonia and nitrite are 0 you have cycled. If you read anything on Ammonia and/or nitrite you have not cycled and you are not ready for livestock.
 
I used solely tap water for years.

I would suggest using RODI from here on out, but kick starting it with tap is not the end of the world.
 
Ah there's the key. "Took care of it in time". :-). Were you an experience reef keeper or new to the game? I think the point that has been made that it is hard enough for a beginner without having to fight off algae blooms that could have been avoided.

But of course I could be wrong. :-)
 
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