cycling a new tank

Hey, so I'm about ready to start my tank and am pretty sure I want to use a sump but am not 100% sure yet. I'm wondering if it's fine to start my initial cycle without a sump, and then add one later if I choose. Would it be bad to add a sump (and the additional water required) in the middle of...

I am just starting out a reef tank and I’m wondering what fish I should put in the tank to start cycling it. Thanks!

Hello, I am setting up a new biocube 29 gallon. Im going to be picking up live rock from a guy with a huge tank, Should I just take as much of his water as I can with the live rock and chaeto I get? Or should I make my own saltwater and already have the tank filled? Would it cycle faster with...

Ok I understand the hole process of cycling a new tank but the one thing I don't remember once you see the ammonia spike do you pull the shrimp out or just leave it rot until there is nothing left?

Hey! I have acquired a new fish tank and I would like to start a dwarf seahorse tank. U probably remember me. I wanted to start a 5 gal. Tank with dwarfs but I crumbled from excitement and just made a nano reef tank. It is doing OK. I'll make a thread about that tanks problems later. I don't...

Hey guys, I've got my 29 gallon tank all set up and I think I'm ready to start stocking it. One of my concerns is that I've only had it set up with water and everything for about 3 weeks. I did the raw shrimp in the tank, got a big ammonia spike, but now that's at 0, my nitrite is at 0, and my...

I have a 55 gallon freshwater tank and I am doing well. Now I wish to add a 75 gallon saltwater tank. I understand the basics, like the things I will need to buy and what fish can or cant live together and all that. But I have no clue how to actually start. Do I buy the "living rock" and just...

Is it possible to move stuff from my well established old tank to completely brand new tank WITHOUT creating any cycle? I don't intend to take any short cuts or cutting corner but more to feed my curiosity. If I keep my new tank @ 1.025 and the right temperature but yes, there will be no...

Hello everyone, I am back in the hobby again! I used to have a 20 gallon reef tank last year. Unfortunately, I had to sell it because I was moving to a different city and did not want to have to take it with me. I finally got myself adjusted to my new place and found some local fish stores...

I know you'll probably say ... "what's with all these questions about water change during cycling" but I don't ask, I wouldn't know the answer, so I dare myself to ask these questions below and i hope they are not too silly questions. Tank & Issue: - 5g pico tank - Cycling with LR purchased...

Green plants are growing, not evasively but here and there. What are these? Good or bad? Tank is still on 'brewing' mode; inside 2 weeks period now.

I have been cycling my tank for about 1and half weeks. Ammonia .50 no nitrites yet. I have read to keep the lights on, then read to keep the lights off is it on or off? Or does it really mater. Should I be doing water changes with the tank cycling? help please

I am cycling my new tank and I am a little confused ..I thought the nitrates would not be measurable until the end of the cycle? My ammonia is between .50 and .25 nitrites are between 2 and 5 ( seems to have fallen slightly .. Yesterday at 5.. And nitrates between 10 and 20 Using API saltwater...

Thanks to these forums I have learned more than I did from TWO local fish stores! Still need help! (sorry it's long) Have 28g nanocube with approx 20lbs live rock, live sand, 2 clowns, 5 hermits, 5 snails & 1 emerald crab. We knew nothing about saltwater so had to rely on store for info. We...

Hi guys! So I have a aquamedic percula 90 its 260litre with built in sump trickle filter I have the custom protein skimmer working fine and all other filtration working spot on. The set up has been running now (no livestock) for 4 weeks I added live rock on first week and substrate I tested...

I got a new 55 gallon setup and added dr tims pure ammonia to start the cycle. It has been 15 days now and there are still high nitrites and ammonia. It won't turn into nitrates. I followed the instructions provided, and got a nice canister filter and air stone. The instructions said it...

I just started a 55 gallon reef tank with 40lbs of live sand and 55 pounds of dry rock with 20lbs of live rock. It is only the second day of cycling and i already .50ppm of ammonia and 2.0ppm of nitrite. is that normal to happen so soon in cycling. Other specs Phosphates,0 Nitrates,0 Ph,8.4...

Ok so im all about taking it slow perhaps guilty of taking it to slow lol. So i started my first ever SW tank back in January the only thing i had in the tank was dry rock and dry sand and the salt of course :) I was hoping to delay the cycling process by not adding anything live because we...

Or am I just being impatient? My new 125g has been running for almost two weeks now. All parameters are back at 0 and water looks great. 80lbs BRS pukani and reef saver rock combo. 120lbs CaribSea Figi arag sand I seeded the tank with one live rock from a 20g saltwater tank I have. I...

I am new to the hobby, I had a successful 55 FO 10 years ago for about a year. I have been cycling a new FOWLR 30 gallon tall hex tank with wet/dry and 10 gallon refugium with a softball size clump of Chaeto and 2 pounds live rock. I also have a DIY protein skimmer. Main tank has 20 lbs dry...