My cycle is going faaaast!

I didn't catch if you had your lights on or not during this cycle? And if so what kind and for how long each day?

 

I don't know if he did or not, but I don't think the lights have anything to do with a cycle. I could be wrong. I know there are people on here that have cycled their tanks prior to buying lights though.

 

I'm almost certain that it's not a good idea too have the lights on during the cycle. With lack of bacteria to break everything down and by having your levels all over the board, I could only assume it would help promote algae outbreaks. I'd just think stability before the lighting would help you from pulling your hair out! LOL

 

IDK, i'd lean towards having them on! i want everything growing, including the algae to get the tank ready for inhabitnts! Without algae, your CUC is gonna need supplemented with food whch kinda goes against the concept of a CUC!

 

Yeah I've got them on. 10 hours a day. The only algae I've noticed is some diatoms on the rocks, but just a little. The reason I have them on its to have a little bit of algae for my crabs and to get my pH stable.

 

I have always left my lights on during a cycle.

True you might have a more significant algae bloom but that is about as much harm as it does. If you are using RO/DI water the diatoms, GHA should come and go without issue regardless of whether you left the lights on.

I want to see all the cool critters.

 

I'm sure I've already asked this but whenever my levels hit 005 or 000 should I wait a few days before adding fish or just throw em in?

 

I would make sure the params are stable for a day or two at least.

 

Cool. I'll go three just to make sure.

Today's params:
Ammonia: 0
Trite: still at 5
Trate: 10-20
pH: 7.8

 

Me I would do a 10% water change, throw a pinch of dry fish food in and test again in 2 days. If the system does not handle a pinch of fish food it will not handle a fish.