Quick cycling for 1000 gallon system

[boogie]

Hello everyone - love your site. I have read many articles and posts - extremely interesting. I need your help. I am setting up an 880 gallon main tank plus a 200 gallon refugium - yes, lots of fun. However, I really want to push the cycle - quicken it. I have read many articles and spoke with dozens of salt water fish stores and ALL have different information - very frustrating . What is your expert opinion on quickening the cycle and too late, don't try to tell me to be patient - it's simply not in my personality. I do have 3 other fresh water tanks but this is my first salt water. The man setting it up says he is going to put a dead hallibut in it yet I read that I can simply buy amonia and yet my nearest fish store sells a concoction that will cycle in 1 to 2 weeks but would cost yes, $800 - ouch. Thank you and I am so glad I found your site .

[squibley2]

Well with the amount of water you have the cycle should not be a hugh deal. I would ask how much live rock and how much dead rock are you putting in the tank?

[jhnrb]

Well you have several choices here. as you have already found out for that size of a tank the premixed is not affordable. I like the idea of the halibut. this will definitely kick off a cycle. you might consider cycling with uncured live rock. you can add some aragalive, get some sludge from mature systems, and yes use ammonia, but I do not favor the latter. you could start the cycle from your refugium and that is where i would concentrate. it will spread out to the main with the amount of water you are proposing and if the refugium is seasoned you can add stuff fairly quick. how much you can add is another question. if you can keep your ammonia under control and keep your nitrates low you can add until you see a cycle start. since you have such a large system, you will be wanting to add a lot of stuff, so, doing so may create a new tank syndrome. so just bewate that fast starts are doable but with that some risks come with it. A mature system takes time to develope that is why some go along for a while and then the system crashes. If you could add seasoned live rock and substrait that would be the best way to get if up and stable. good luck. keep us posted and I hope something here helps. pic's please and welcome to the site. Glad you found us.

[boogie]

Thanks a lot for your help. The man setting up the aquarium is supposedly bringing in around 2000 lbs of live rock - but I'd never know the difference - it's all happening while I'm at work and also bringing in live sand. I really appreciate your insites! Thanks again. OH - one more thing, let's say I do get the dreaded new tank syndrome - can I constantly replace partial water everyday to keep it in check - I did this with my 165 fresh water when I had a catastrophe. Just wanting to know, incase there is a catastrophe if I can help it along with 25% - 30% water changes every day - it helped my freshwater. But don't worry - I do not want to lose any fish - I am a fish fan, so I will try to keep myself in check and not rush the system. Thanks.

[squibley2]

If you are actually going to have 2000lbs of cured LR and a DSB of live sand to start the system off then you should be in really good shape. With the water volume to dilute any ammo created you should be able to stock fairly quickly. I would just keep a very close eye on your ammo maybe even getting a couple of the constant monitors and then test every day or other day just to double check and yes if you do end up with a new tank syndrome problem you can do water changes with premixed water, I always keep about 10-20% of fresh salt water ready just in case. Not a bad idea just in case something dies or whatever and you need to do an emergency water change.

[jhnrb]

With the live rock and sand, once all is in and your pumps and filters are running, you need only to test water to check for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. if you read any ammonia or nitrite do not add animals. once the cycle if there is a cycle completes wait at least 10 days, sometimes a second cycle will develope. if all is stable for at least 10 days you can start to add animals. again when adding watch the water parameters and when you see ammonia or nitrite do not add until the system settles down. Sounds like you are in good hands and with the little info you have provided I have a sense you are heading in the right direction. so good luck and do keep us posted.

[boogie]

Thanks

[Reinfinity]

I wanna see pictures!
And... I don't know who you're dealing with but if someone said they could quick cycle a tank but it was $800 I think my first action would be to find a more reputable dealer.
Sorry, but that just sounds like a "I saw you coming" thing there.

[boogie]

Thank you for your reply!!! By the way - it has been a total nightmare setting this up!!! I do not suggest such a large system unless you hire more people to set it up. I found them on ebay and they are not far from me, but they did not have enough workers - uggh!

Say, they brought rock, but it has been outside in the sun in no water, etc so now it is dead rock. What good does that do me? Should I buy live rock elsewhere? Also, they put in a lot of their own water which cost a ton, water from their pet store tanks yet the one worker was standing in it for four hours working on plumbing - standing in water up to his knees, etc. Uggh! So now that water is good for nothing right?

It's been a nightmare... The tank looks great - the refugium looks great - the set up ....... Anyway, I bought a bunch of bacteria that cost a ton. What is your opinion on how to right all the wrongs that have happened. Sorry - long reply!

[boogie]

Hello, and thank you for your advice - it is deeply appreciated. I've been doing a lot of reseach on line. Have you ever heard of Right Now! Bacteria? It is distributed by HDL (hdltd.com) and sold by memory-doctor.com - weird, I know. But they have outrageous claims and the price is right. Any thoughts?