new 20 gallon

[jesman002]

was wondering if anyone could tell me how long it should take for my tank to be done cycling its a 20 gallon tank with 20 lbs of lr and 10 pounds of ls how often should i test my water any help?

[Telco Guy]

A lot depends on the LR. Was it pre-cured? Cycling can take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks or more. As for testing, well, that's up to you, but usually once or twice weekly should be enough.

[jesman002]

the rock was cured also what type of rusults should i expect from the test and would it be a good idea to put any inverts or fish in the tank yet? its been going for about a week now

[MikeS]

you are not going to want to add any livestock until you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite. Your ammonia will peak, then drop, nitrite will rise, then drop. Once both these levels reach 0, you can slowly start to add livestock. Remember to add them slowly, giving your tank time to adjust to the new bioload placed on it.

Mike

[jesman002]

should i run carbon in my filter while its cycling or a skimmer

[MikeS]

No, I'd skip the skimmer and carbon while it cycles...By letting it run its course without skimming or carbon, you'll end up with a larger number of good bacteria. Once ammonia and nitrite reach zero, you can start skimming. I wouldn't use the carbon unless you have to, as carbon removes some good stuff too....

Mike

[Charles Poole]

Well, as seems to be the usual thing these days, I see things from a slightly different view.

I don't run carbon all the time, but that is only due to my Canister filter taking a poop on me... :)

I recommend setting up and running all equipment on you tank from day one. Reason behind this is that the key to stability is just that, stability.

If you cycle you tank without a skimmer, then later on you add one, you will remove a lot of the organic compounds that the bacteria are feeeding off of. This causes the bacteria to die, which adds more polution to the tank, and so on and so forth. The other reason is that a skimmer will help to keep the aerobic bacteria fed with ample supplies of oxygen during the break-in. These bacteria often suffer due to high levels of ammonia and other organic compounds, which lower the oxygen saturation levels, thereby reducing the effectiveness and health of the bacteria.

Once the tank has cycled with all the equipment on it, there is little left to do, but slowly add new inhabitants, and do regular water changes.

Skimmers may also remove good stuff, but the two will remove different "nasties", thereby comlimenting each other well. I am searching for a link to a great article in a past issue of SeaScope. It explains in better detail the actuall compound that skimmers and carbon are likely to remove, and why running both may be more beneficial than either one by itself.

Please don't :uzi: the messenger... :lol:

[jesman002]

should i be using r/o water and if so is there anywhere i can get it without buying a system?Also how long should i be leaving my lights on for i have 2X65 watt pc

[Paidbychrist0825]

yes!!!!!! use R/O water. it has removed most of the pollutants, ( including some phosphates) and it does not have many of the heavy metals that will hurt your reef. R/O also removes chlorine, which needs not to be in our water. R/O water is sold at many quality LFS's and may be bought at some grocery stores. I would go with R/O from the fish store, necause it is more likely to have fresh filters, as the LFS may use their own R/O water for water changes, and they will want high quality water in their own tanks

[MikeS]

I'd never shoot the messenger, Chuck! :wink:

That's why I come to these forums, both to hopefully offer some help, to learn from others, and to read different viewpoints (sometimes changing my own! )

Skimming and Carbon during initial tank cycle is yet ANOHTER debated topic, I have heard Chucks recommondation before as no doubt he has heard mine. Chuck makes some very good points, but my humble opinion on the subject remains the same, I feel that skimming and carbon use during a break in cycle "robs" the growing bacteria of nutirents while it is trying to establish itself, potentially causing a weaker biological filter. The bacteria in the tank will always tend to try to "equilize" their population in ratio to available nutrients...I'd rather have them reducing in population than trying to catch up once the cycle is complete and you are adding new livestock, feeding, ect. For what it is worth....in my old FO days, when skimmers were (reletively) new, I used to set up new tanks all the time. I found that the tanks I used my new skimmers on tended to break in fairly quickly, but seemed to go through more pronounced cycles when I added livestock initially. Long term, however, there was no difference in tank health.

In the end, I guess it all boils down to personal prefference. Plenty of people use either method when cycling a new tank. Whichever method you choose to use, neither will hinder the growth of your tank as long as you are careful when adding new livestock, feeding, diligent about tank maintenance, water testing, ect.

On the RO water, whatever the source, just test the water for nitrate and phosphate, esp. grocery store water....sometimes they don't change the filters often enough...

Lights....I'd say you are ok for a 10-12 hour photoperiod....



Mike