40G First Time Cycling

[brandon429]

That's really good but there's one edit I recommend


Lfs cured rock isn't from the ocean recently it's just coralline rock after the cure wait

you have them lumped into the same category as tbs live rock, they're different sourcing. Here's skip cycle live rock from an Austin pet store


Not from the ocean recently, nothing to cure off, skips cycle always

Ocean uncured rock has every spindly growth known to mankind

Those are just highly cured coralline spotted rocks: we can see the differences, no testing needed.

Close inspection there in person shows micro starfish arms poking out from every hole

And pods crawl like ants

Some rocks have asterina stars

That's how we know it's not just painted rock set in the tank yesterday, we don't even need the input of the pet store employees to guide the purchase and the cycle

 

[brandon429]

As long as cycle rule makers always allow for one group of rocks that need no testing AND no delay to be able to reef instantly (that kind above, it's what runs reef conventions) then I'm on board

Whatever they want to do with the other two sets of rocks (uncured, dry rocks) is fine by me. But that one group has earned its own rule set and salute.

 

[Tired]

That's really good but there's one edit I recommend


Lfs cured rock isn't from the ocean it's just coralline rock, you have them lumped into the same category as tbs live rock, they're different sourcing. Here's skip cycle live rock from an Austin pet store


Not from the ocean, nothing to cure off, skips cycle always

View attachment 3053255

Oo, what store and how recent is this? Doesn't look like Aquadome or Aquatek, unless that's an old photo.

 

[brandon429]

Anyone here could go pick the top four large coralline rocks from that stack, get a gen4 radion light, get a 40 breeder a 40 breeder and put it all in, buy $1200 in hq frags and begin day one with fish.

No bottle bac

No testing

No discussion with the front counter needed, literally a 'go' reef.

This guy did it pretty much:

 

[JFinlay]

How to unstick any seemingly stuck cycle

@Brandon thanks for all the contributions you make on this forum. I’m not sure if you even want this data since I don’t have a Seneye but I cycled with Wet sand, dry rock, Tim’s one and only with ammonia drops. After 3 days my ammonia climbed to 1.5 ppm (API and Salifert) and then by day 6 was...

www.reef2reef.com

there comes a point where anecdote becomes science by raw pattern. that's an example above, that anyone's cycle is ready by day ten even if their api says otherwise (those are dry start cycles, not the easy live rock ones)

it's not possible to luck into that many cycled reefs by guessing or by bad science.

that being said, I think anyone including us who buck conventional rules should be vetted mercilessly. all I can do is keep pumping out working tanks for more years, until the pattern wins over and gets accepted or denied by the practicing masses. let the record reflect: in 2001 they told me pico reefs were just anecdote and could not be repeated by anyone

Yea my LFS seems to be on the same page as you, they don’t even stock ammonia drops because they don’t believe in it. He just wants me to add live rock, a little food for ammonia, and wait a week and I’ll be good for fish as long as ammonia levels are down according to him. I don’t have the confidence to not test, but I do get your point. I unfortunately couldn’t setup today because my packages were delayed, so I just stopped in to talk things over with him again.

 

[Tired]

Yep, sounds about right. Any half-decent live rock will instantly cycle a tank. There is, of course, no harm in testing and being sure, nor in letting things sit for a week. In fact, those two things are highly advisable for anyone new to aquarium-keeping, just in case something goes awry somehow.

 

[brandon429]

it will go awry via disease transfer into the tank vs any cycling issue

strong recommend is put all concerns into disease prep vector control from the disease forum

 

[JFinlay]

it will go awry via disease transfer into the tank vs any cycling issue

strong recommend is put all concerns into disease prep vector control

Yes I’m starting to feel confident about cycling now, any recommendations for disease prep? I just don’t have it in me right off the bat to setup a whole second tank. I’ve looked at UV sterilizers but there doesn’t seem like a good option since I’m not running a sump? Not sure what else I could do.

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

Hello!My last question is I basically want every fish to serve a purpose, for livestock I'm thinking something like this.
Pink streak Wrasse
Clowns
Lawnmower blenny
Lubbock Fairy Wrasse
Royal Gramma
Some type of Goby, thinking YWG and Pistol shrimp but have heard bad things about Pistols as well so not sure.
Feel like my tank should have more room than for what I can think of? Do I make everyone upset and say a Tang too? JK

when do you think I should start adding them? My build is definitely considered a "budget build", therefore I won't be quarantining but trusting my LFS. No room for a QT tank.

I’m a firm adherent to the ‘any fish must serve a purpose’ approach. In your newly set up system what purpose would any of the fish in your list serve? Would they be pulling their weight and actually helping your system mature or would their early addition be a potential hinderance?

Some in your list are useful, but I’m not sure they have a job yet. Maybe wait a bit to see what direction your company takes before bringing the employees on board.

 

[JFinlay]

I’m a firm adherent to the ‘any fish must serve a purpose’ approach. In your newly set up system what purpose would any of the fish in your list serve? Would they be pulling their weight and actually helping your system mature or would their early addition be a potential hinderance?

Some in your list are useful, but I’m not sure they have a job yet. Maybe wait a bit to see what direction your company takes before bringing the employees on board.

You do have a good point, what other fish do you suggest as starters? My kids do like the cardinalfish quite a bit so was thinking of one of those possibly for them

 

[JFinlay]

If my kids and fiancé had their way, I would have seahorses and starfish only. Lol!

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

First one on your list with a job to do will likely be the lawnmower blenny. They generally go after film algae and have a good rasping grazing habit. If he doesn’t have enough to eat though, you’ll need to supplement.

The wrasses you listed are nice fish and will predate on certain undesirable pests but they will go after beneficial micro crustaceans. You want to build up your population of micro crustaceans in the start up phase so introducing a predator may be counterproductive. Maybe wait a bit before adding.

The Royal Gramma can be territorial so may not be a good starter fish. Nice fish though.

I’ve got no experience with the watchman but can definitely recommend the Rainford Goby.

The clowns…well I guess they raise morale