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12-15-2007, 11:51 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 30
Karma: 1
 |  Fishless Cycle Questions
I have a new tank that I've been cycling without any fish for about a month now.
The tank doesn't have anything in it, except for the salt water. During the first two weeks of the cycle I was putting frozen brine shrimp in there, until the Ammonia spiked (to greater then 10ppm, and has stayed there) and since then I haven't put anymore food, except for some tropical fish flakes I put in once.
In the last two weeks the ammonia has stayed the same and the nitrites really aren't doing much at all, they are less then 1 ppm.
I've also added active-bac a couple of times.
I would've thought I would start seeing more Nitrites by now. Should I still be putting more food in? Or should I just keep waiting and let it do its thing?
The pet shop said to put some Live Rock in there after a few weeks, but I'm a bit afraid it might die when we go away over Xmas due to the temperature getting too hot, what temperature can Live Rock survive up to? Would it be a good idea to put some Live Rock in there now?
Also should the tank light be on at all while the cycle is taking place?
Thanks in advance! | 
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12-15-2007, 11:58 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Miami, FL Age: 39
Posts: 4,917
 
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Yes, I would. You have to start producing the bact. that converts ammonia into nitrites and then to nitrates. What kind of filter do you have? A wet/dry, refug., algae filter, sump or a canister? _________ 9YR OLD 90G/55g custom sump/refug Mag18 Aquac 180skimmer 692w MH AC jr,yel&kole tang,midas&convict blenny,B&G chromies,Blk/yel fin chromie blackcap,nemo,neon goby,6line; Blastomussa Merleti,Acan ,BUBBLE,Torch,LTA, Acropora(2) Moon, assort zoas, yel& G star polyps, P&B ricordia, montiporas, cup&candy corals, xenias,B/G mush,flower ane(2), cherry red mussa, dusters,cleaning crew..  | |
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12-16-2007, 12:05 AM
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#3 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 30
Karma: 1
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I've got a canister filter.
How much Live Rock would you suggest getting?
My tank is 170L | |
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12-16-2007, 04:09 AM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Giant Squid
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Elizabethtown, IN Age: 40
Posts: 3,829
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1lb of LR per gallon of water is a good rule of thumb. You need to get a fish in there to keep the bacteria alive. Stop using chemicals to do what mother nature will do with time. I cycled my with one and only one yellow tailed damsel and it is doing great and I never see the little guy except for feeding time. _________ Scott 265g (Peninsula)
3x400w MH's, 4x95w Actinics, AAT Lunar Lights, OM 4-way CL, PM Bullet 3 Skimmer, DelZone Eclipse 1 O3 Generator, WavySea Plus for return, AAT Kalk Reactor, KNOP Ca Reactor w/PM Second Chamber, TradeWinds Chiller, ACIII Controller, Oceanus ATO, PM PO4 Reactor, 75g Sump, 30g Fuge Born March 5, 2007 Parameters My 265 Gal. Tank Thread   | |
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12-26-2007, 02:51 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Astrea Snail
Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Jersey Age: 20
Posts: 62
Karma: 42
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I used one damsel to cycle my 75 gallon tank and saw signs of nitrites after 2 weeks. I also cycled my 20 gallon tank with fish food, but I would suggest using damsels and your tank should be ready in about 4 weeks.
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90 gallon reef
20 gallon sump w/fuge
260 watt orbit lighting
-Marineland dual bio wheel filter,110 lbs live rock, 2 Clarkii clown fish,spotted tang, blue hippo tang. 10 gallon quarintine tank | |
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12-26-2007, 03:04 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Flamingo Tongue
Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: North Dakota Age: 31
Posts: 107
Karma: 19
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You can also use a freshwater molly acclimated over to cycle and then when you're done can be cycled back to freshwater if you don't want damsels -- the mollies are alot easier to catch than damsels if you don't want them after the cycling process.
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90 gallon with 26 gallon sump/refugium, 2 x 250 MH lighting, 100lbs live rock, 1 - yellow tang,1 damsel, 1 - cleaner shrimp, 1 - coral banded shrimp, 3 - emerald crabs, 2 - porcelin crabs, 6 - peppermint shrimp, 1 - green ricordia, 1 - toadstool, 1 - brittle starfish, 1 - sand sifting star, 100's baby feather dusters,Ass mushrooms, frogspawn, xenia, 1 clam,
6 - Leather coral, Green star polyps,Lime green/orange button polyps,1 huge carpet anenome,various snails/hermit crabs | |
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12-26-2007, 03:16 PM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Stylophora
Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Quebec City
Posts: 952
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If you decide on the live rock I would not suggest you buy premium rock just yet just buy some live building rock but not the total amount this will save you a few bucks _________ 
55gl skimmerless, 80lbs live rock, DIY wavemaker running 3x MJ1200 with hydor deflector.
2 DIY fluidized reactors Carbon & ROWAphos
LIghts- 2x 50/50 atinics T10's , 2x life gro T10's ,
1x20,000K T12, 1x6,000K T10.
Fish-3
Coral-13. | |
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