how do i properly cycle a reef tank?

[Aw3s0m3]

I have done it both ways. Cycling with rotting shrimp and seeded clean live rock from a store. I had no problems either way. I got to add more fish faster with the LFS rock. That combined with inverts not adding to bio and the small number of fish that get put into reef tanks. As long as the perams are testing good and you have a good level of seeded LFS rock you should be good for a "plug and play" system. There won't be much die off in the LFS rock that you bring home. Just make sure they are mature rocks. Don't grab fresh shipped rocks as you will likely fail.

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This is true. Lfs live rock is already cured unless it came directly from the rock so it would be faster. I personally enjoy starting off with uncured. Even though it takes a little longer, I love watching the random hitch hikers that pop up in uncured rock.


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[sbuse]

This is true. Lfs live rock is already cured unless it came directly from the rock so it would be faster. I personally enjoy starting off with uncured. Even though it takes a little longer, I love watching the random hitch hikers that pop up in uncured rock.


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That is why you do a mix. All the little starfish and what nots would still show up.

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[Otherone]

.......then you find out those lil' neat critters drill holes thru your corals, sting your nems and corals and fish and overrun your tank

 

[oc435]

Just get live rock from clean running LFS tanks. Then add fish as you choose. It isn't that hard. If you don't believe me watch the show tanked. They build new setups and fully stock them with seeded live rock from the stores. It is that simple. If you order your rock dry or off an online source. Add LFS rock that is good and clean and you are set. People like to over complicate things. Happens in every section.

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The show Tanked is completely incorrect. They only know how to build tanks, and not how to care for the fish. Just recently in season 2, they put a nurse shark in a tank that was way to small, something like 700 gallons! they also over stock their tanks, and don't cycle them properly. they think that if you put some instant cycle sulution in their for 3 days, the tank will be fine! The show is fun to watch, but not educational to any aquarist, no matter how experienced. This is the show that got me hooked on fish, but i quickly learned that lots of the things that they did were incorrect. anyway, I think i will add my snail only clean up crew as soon as my amonia and nitrites are at 0, and my first fish (2 blue/green reef chromis) 2 weeks later.

 

[ckcdrummer]

The show Tanked is completely incorrect. They only know how to build tanks, and not how to care for the fish. Just recently in season 2, they put a nurse shark in a tank that was way to small, something like 700 gallons! they also over stock their tanks, and don't cycle them properly. they think that if you put some instant cycle sulution in their for 3 days, the tank will be fine! The show is fun to watch, but not educational to any aquarist, no matter how experienced. This is the show that got me hooked on fish, but i quickly learned that lots of the things that they did were incorrect. anyway, I think i will add my snail only clean up crew as soon as my amonia and nitrites are at 0, and my first fish (2 blue/green reef chromis) 2 weeks later.

Not to mention that they mix aggressive and small non-aggressive fish that will eventually get eaten


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