Okay, I'm in Day 3 of Cycling...how long do I wait?

[Abarnswell]

I am in Day 3 (drum roll, please) of cycling my first nano reef tank. It's an AGA 15g. with live sand and live rock, Nutri-SeaWater, heater (80 degrees), mechanical filter, and a 65w. Satellite PC light.

The salinity is reading perfect, all water quality tests are reading good. How long do I wait before adding a first few goodies? My live rock is mostly cured, but it does seem to have a lot of biological material sloughing off of it. Should I expect a spike in readings after a certain amount of time?

Next question: when it is time to add a few inhabitants, what do I add first? In the long run, want to have an easy-to-manage, very peaceful reef tank with soft corals, snails, hermits, a green emerald crab (?), and maybe a Tomato Clown (or a pair?). How would a pair do? Is a 15g. big enough for a pair of Tomato Clowns? I love Tomato Clowns because they will cozy up to just about anything, including soft corals.

 

[mel]

Absolutely. 3 days is not nearly long enough...especially if you are seeing stuff slough off the rock...what kind of *stuff* is sloughing off the rock...maybe consider a inexpensive fish(goby) it will help to cycle the tank as ammonia is created as a part of their breathing and waste elimination. I haven't a nano tank yet..but maintain a 140 gallon and a 85 gallon corner tank in my bedroom...

 

[sadielynn]

add nothing to cycle your tank . You will get it to cycle with out a fish .
test 1 to 2 times a week when all your levels remain 0 you can start to add some things like your clean up crew after that wait a week or so check your levels if they are 0 again it is safe to add a fish .... then wait (if you get a mated pair of fish add them at the same time is safe ) let your levels 0 out again and stableize . to answer your first question you probably should wait another couple of weeks with testing (I would even have the lfs test just as a double check ) corals should be added after the tank is up around 2 -3 month mark . These are just my opinions and others may differ on their schedule and way of doing things

 

[hooterhead]

first your amonia will spike, then nitrItes, and finally nitrAtes. once you get your nitrAtes below 10 ppm, you can add something. a pair of tomato clowns get way too big for a 15 gal. you could probably get away with a pair of true percs but the tomatos get big. even with the percs, you'll have to stay on top of your water params. it's very very easy to let a small tank get out of whack. one bit of advice...GO SLOW. if you rush in this hobby, bad things happen

 

[mel]

Sadie notice I said "maybe consider"...I never stated that there was a need to add anything. Most experienced reef hobbyists will add something to decay or to cause the tank to move into the cycling more quickly than just waiting for the tank to cycle normally.....the generally accepted rule of thumb is about 30 days if you want the truth..irregardless if you add nothing or add something. :isorry

 

[sadielynn]

Mel no need to apologize , (nothing in my post was a direct attack on you I am sorry if you construed it that way)adding fish is still a widely used practice ,tho not recomened or as widley accepted as once before I admit that I misread the "maybe consider" , with so many diffrent opinions and typing it is hard to see and hear the meaning behind the words and conversations . This hobbyhas many diffrent opinions but one thing that you will find is that we all share common ground , to properly care for our fishys . I also failed to say welcome to nano tank , I dont want to get off on the wrong foot and scare you away , so for that I also say I am sorry if you felt that I stepped on toes I certianly did not mean to .

 

[hooterhead]

i'm sorry but it's just cruel to put a fish through the cycle process. that's torture to a fish. just because people usually use cheap and undesirable fish (damsels/chromis) doesn't make it ok.

 

[sadielynn]

I totally agree hooter it is mean . I have found that it is just easier to wait because once a fish is in a reef tank well its harder than anything to get it out .Rule of thumb only add something that is compatiable and will be staying

 

[djconn]

Sounds like you're on the right track April. Most cycles can take 2-6 weeks depending on your rock. I'd just play the waiting game a few more weeks and continue to test. When everything levels off and zeros out, you are ready to go.

The worst thing you can do right now is jump the gun and start throwing in corals before your cycle is completely over. I'd also keep your lights off, which you may already be doing.

Take care and keep us updated.

 

[Abarnswell]

Thanks, djconn. Do you suggest turning off the lights to keep down the algae growth? I have turned them off, as you suggested (except for occasional sneak-peaks at the rocks; they look so cool with the lights on!)

I do have one teeny tiny feather duster that came with one of the live rocks. So I have started putting DT Live Marine Phytoplankton in the tank to feed him. I haven't seen anything else yet in the rocks, or on them, but I do look.

What will start the cycling process when there are no fish or critters in there?

 

[drty811]

feedign the feather duster will help start the cycling of the tank.

 

[djconn]

Depending on the quality & stage of your live rock (cured vs. uncured), simple die-off from transporting your rock/sand will start a cycle in your tank.

Yes, the idea is to limit the algae blooms in your tank by keeping your lights off.