Cycling new tank

Hello,

I am a new reefer and I was hoping for some suggestions as to how I can cycle my 46 gallon reef tank quickly. I have read the post suggesting adding a raw table shrimp, pee, or some damsels to the tank and was wondering other peoples impressions on these through experience. The LFS told me to add some beta fish food (I have betas) but that is all they suggested. Is a "raw table shrimp" that I referred to above just like the type of shrimp you buy at a grocery store (and dead)? Is it really cruel to add damsels in? How many would I add and how many days into the of the cycling process?

Right now all I have in there is water, salt, sand, 43 lbs of live rock, and 1 day worth of the chemicals to start the process. All of the sand dirt has not settled down yet so my tank is pretty milky.

Thanks so much!

 

Don't put any fish in there yet. It IS pretty torturous. If you have actual live rock in the tank, that's enough to start the tank's cycle. Keep an eye on the water parameters. I've heard of cycling taking anywhere from a week to a few months. Welcome to 3reef!

 

Put a piece of shrimp in there in a mesh bag so you can find it to take it back out. (If starting with dry rock)
Basically rotting meat or food of any type will produce ammonia and start the bacteria growing. I left my shrimp in a few days.
Using a damsel is not suggested. I 've done that before but what you end up with is a really mean fish that thinks it owns that tank. Every fish afterwards you put in the tank it will fight. They are pretty a mean fish. I left my damsel in and he was mean but did settle down after a few months of the bigger fish putting it in it's place. But... it seems kind of mean to make it suffer through the cycle period. It's just unnecessary.
A Typical Break-In Cycle

Don't fall for the cycle quickly stuff. This hobby is not one that you rush.

 

No need for addition of any live stock to cycle the tank. Even dry fish flake food will assist in providing enough decay (ammonia) to initiate and maintain the cycle until the biological filter has evolved enough to handle live animals. Let the live rock do it's thing and just sit back and be patient.

 

Thank you so much. I guess patience really is key.

I know that the skimmer is supposed to be off while cycling, but what about other electronics? Should my filter and currents be powered off too? I read that I should leave the light on for a couple hours each day. Do you agree? THANK YOU!

 

If your water is cloudy, or the salt in the water isn't mixed well enough, you can have your powerhead/s on to mix the water. Having your lights on will get your tank "used" to the photoperiod, but you should increase the lighting time gradually (30 mins every week or two). I think I started at 4 or 6 hours per day, and went up from there.

 

You'll need your powerheads running as the beneficial nitrifying bacteria requires oxygen which comes from good flow and surface circulation. You can use pads/floss in your filter to help clear up the water, but don't add chemical filtration (GAC/GFO) just yet, as that will remove the DOCs that break down into ammonia, your biofilter's source of food.

 

You said you added salt, sand live rock and chemicals...what chemicals did you add?

 

I added Alpha for reefs to remove chlorine, chloramines, and ammonia and to detoxify nitrates and nitrates because I filled my tank with tap water. Additionally, I am using Stability New Tank Stabilization System for new tanks. I am using this daily for the first week of the cycle and then once a month thereafter to correspond with each water change (I was told 25% of the water/water change once a month). Is this cycling method and water change schedule consistent with your experience (46 gallon tank, HOB filter, and in tank skimmer).

 

I cycled my tank with uncured rock, and live sand. Took 6 weeks for the ammonia to drop off. You just have to be patient.