Cycling a tank, adding fish and corals

Jmck said:
You NEED Live rock, live sand, salt water, powerhead, heater in order to cycle. The skimmer is better to run while cycling because it will run it in and lights are optional but it is best to get everything in the tank running together correctly from the beginning.

Refugium is an area where you keep macro algae which takes toxins out of the water to grow and is a natural biological filter. It is an excellent thing and you should have a look into one for your tank. Generally, a refugium is a section within your sump.
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What if we want to add corals or anything similar, do we add them at the same time we add our rock... or how does that work? Do they have to come in before fish?
 
Say.. we start with a 30 gallon & we have everything in our tank. What if we want to upgrade to a 55.. could we just transfer everything in the old tank to the new one?
 
You do not need to add corals at the same time as your rock. Heck, you don't even have to add all your rock at once.

If you wanted to upgrade to a 55 (which IMO, if you're going to upgrade to a 55 you should just get a 75) you absolutely could just move all your stuff over.
 
ErinCahir said:
You do not need to add corals at the same time as your rock. Heck, you don't even have to add all your rock at once.

If you wanted to upgrade to a 55 (which IMO, if you're going to upgrade to a 55 you should just get a 75) you absolutely could just move all your stuff over.
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Thank you. So we can add all of our rock and cycle our tank.. then later if we want corals we can add them? Or we can add them together?

We can't decide! Lol.. we're going to the fish store this weekend, then maybe we'll know what size we wanna stick with. We are beginners... and we want easy!
 
Yeah, you don't want to add corals before you cycle your tank.

And please, please don't take your advice from the LFS.. they're just trying to make a buck. Also, I hope you know you shouldn't cycle with a fish.
 
ErinCahir said:
Yeah, you don't want to add corals before you cycle your tank.

And please, please don't take your advice from the LFS.. they're just trying to make a buck. Also, I hope you know you shouldn't cycle with a fish.
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Oh okay. So, just add live rock & sand.. then fish after cycled.. and wait a little bit for corals.

Whose LFS? and thanks
 
LoveJC03 said:
Thank you. So we can add all of our rock and cycle our tank.. then later if we want corals we can add them? Or we can add them together?

We can't decide! Lol.. we're going to the fish store this weekend, then maybe we'll know what size we wanna stick with. We are beginners... and we want easy!
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I wouldn't say the hobby is hard, but I wouldn't say it's easy either. If it's easy now, it'll be much harder later, when you have algae and bacteria outbreaks to deal with. Then you'll wish you did it 'right' the first time.

As Erin already said, if you want to go to a 55, might as well go with a 75. Chances are, you'll see how little room there is with your 30, and will desire more front to back space. A 55 is still only 12" wide, a 75 is 18". And she's also right that you don't want to cycle with fish, and don't trust your LFS. Your LFS might be a good one, but most of us have had really bad experiences with them. They want to sell you fish and corals as soon as possible for money. They won't care if they die in your tank, because they know you'll just come back to replace them.

Tank, water, heater, powerheads, sand, rock. A cycle can take two weeks to a month, depending on your live rock. If it's cured live rock from an LFS, then it shouldn't take very long. Use test kits.

After the cycle, do a 10-20% water change, and then you can add your first fish. I know it's hard, but don't worry about what you're going to put in it yet, unless those things happen to be an anemone or other sensitive corals. Most people recommend not getting an anemone for at least a year; by this time you'll know whether the hobby is really for you or not, and how stable your tank is. Anemones are kind of the unicorn in a lot of reefs, you need the best water quality and lighting available for them. If you want to an anemone later, then you'll have to take their needs into consideration now, by using the best water available from the get go. Lighting you can add when you get your anemone, but water needs to be perfect. I know I keep pushing it, but a RODI is the best decision you can make early on. It's as easy as hooking it up to a kitchen sink faucet. There are more permanent solutions, but it doesn't have to be complicated. Mine is hooked up the garden hose outside, for example, and I just let the waste water wash down the driveway. The good water goes into a brute trash can for storage. I'm going to hook it up to my washroom when winter gets here.

Take it slow, don't rush it. If you do, your beautiful vision of the ocean will turn into an algae farm. The more time you take setting up, the less chances there are you'll throw it on craigslist a year from now out of frustration.
 
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What test kit should we get?

API Reef Master Test Kit - (tests for: calcium, carbonate hardness, phosphate and nitrate levels)

API Saltwater Master Test Kit - (tests for: high range pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate)
 
Because I mentioned that you use live rock to cycle your tank. If you buy live rock and leave it out for even 5 minutes, there is die off in the tank. So this going into your tank will create the nitrate spike. the shrimp method is another excellent way of doing it however :)

I do not condone the use of live fish!
 
I have started cycling my tank, and I am in day 6. The matter which surprises me is that my tests are 0 with nitrates being around 5. I never encountered a spike, nor high levels (first test was performed on day 3). Unless the spike is still coming? I am looking to put about 5 inverts in the tank next Friday.
 

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