New to Forum and SW

[Mikemont1991]

Hello! I am venturing out of the Freshwater world and will soon be setting up my first saltwater tank, very excited and have been researching extensively. I was hoping to get a question answered: If I plan to have live rock and live sand (I know live sand could be bs depending on who you ask), can I complete a fishless cycle without any seeded media or substrate? e.g. is live rock enough for a fishless cycle to occur or would it benefit me to get some mature sand from someone --- if that is the case, if there's anyone in the Buckhead/Sandy Springs area that wouldn't mind parting with seed, lemm

 

[ActiveAngel]

“Live” rock and “Live” Sand is seeded substrate. So if you’re using that, then that is your seed.

However, would it benefit to use more and/or from other sources? Yes, it would.

Welcome to ARC!

 

[wake125122]

I wouldn't recommend getting anyone sand. If anything I would buy possible live rock or something along those line. For sand just buy the live sand in the bag from your LFS. There is products you can buy to do a fishless cycle. Biosphere is one and there are many others as well. Some require you to do a ghost feeding (basically feeding the tank with no fish and letting the food break down). Check out Bulk reef supply videos on youtube. They go into pretty good detail on this subject. Search cycling tank on there videos it should pull up. 52 weeks of reefing is another great series to watch. Whatever method you use TAKE YOUR TIME!! I went awhole 2-3+ months before I added my first anything to my tank.

Also WELCOME TO THE CLUB!!! New members are required to like all of my posts BTW :cigar:

 

[ActiveAngel]

I would recommend getting some nitrifying bacteria as well, just for some extra microbial variety. I can recommend Turbostart, but most brands are comparable.

 

[ZapataInc]

Hey Welcome to ARC and the hobby. Feel free to continue to ask any and all of your questions. Everyone here was where you are now at some point in time. Its great that you are doing your research and asking questions already. Its even better that you have found ARC. we have a great community here and everyone is eager to help each other. What is your setup going to be? We highly encourage all of our members to post to the "Members tank" with their setup. We all love looking at what everyone else has.

And I concur with @ActiveAngel about adding some nitrifying bacteria. It does help the cycling process go by faster. Some of the company's even say that you can add a couple of fish right away when you dose their product.
Take a look at this as well if you want to go with getting the bacteria in a bottle option.

https://www.algaebarn.com/shop/kits-and-solutions/new-aquarium-cycle-pack/