How many fish to cycle a 90 gallon reef tank

[Tcat1k]

Hello Reefers!

so, tank has been up and running for over a week now. Started with non-live rock, Caribsea Arag-alive special for substrate and added bacteria. This is a 90 gallon tank. All parameters are perfect. I am adding 2 black snowflake clowns. 1 is an inch long and the other is about 3/4". My fear is that this isn't enough fish to keep the tank rolling forward. Was thinking of adding a blenny and maybe a pajama cardinal. Cmon, experts, pleases chime in. Am I adding too many too fast?

 

[glb]

I would suggest fishless cycling, using pure ammonia and a bacterial starter. Even a little ammonia in the water isn’t good for the fishes’ gills. Good luck!

 

[Nlara]

I found just using small doses of ammonia works best. But don’t add a lot of fish when first cycled. You want to make sure you have enough good bacteria to support livestock.

 

[LordofCinder]

Be patient, you can't keep things "rolling forward", things happen at their own pace

 

[Rmckoy]

Being 2023 there are far more humane ways to cycle a new tank . Using living animals is not the best …..
this is practice we used in 1990

there are so many products available to either take a short cut by “instant cycle” with nitrifying bacteria
Or by not rushing and dosing ammonia to let it naturally build the bacteria required to process toxic ammonia .

 

[Tamberav]

Hello Reefers!

so, tank has been up and running for over a week now. Started with non-live rock, Caribsea Arag-alive special for substrate and added bacteria. This is a 90 gallon tank. All parameters are perfect. I am adding 2 black snowflake clowns. 1 is an inch long and the other is about 3/4". My fear is that this isn't enough fish to keep the tank rolling forward. Was thinking of adding a blenny and maybe a pajama cardinal. Cmon, experts, pleases chime in. Am I adding too many too fast?

Two fish is fine, even no fish will keep a tank moving forward. Bacteria will literally live off the skin cells floating in the air that land in the tank

Just proceed as normal.

 

[Dbichler]

They are cycling perfectly fine one week in no fish yet added bacteria. Why are we critiquing. Two fish to start and wait 2-4 weeks per fish after.

 

[brandon429]

~75% of all cycles for reef displays for the last 15 years are a couple fish plus some bottle bac and the fish do fine since bottle bac is designed to work out of the gate if its one of the common brands for cycling

Don't add lots of fish fast because this is a near- certain disease outbreak mix from skipping quarantine, it has nothing to do with ammonia burning. The more you add initially the more certain velvet takes you down by Easter

 

[Rmckoy]

@vetteguy53081 your opinion on best practice to cycle a tank ?

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081 your opinion on best practice to cycle a tank ?

When fish are added, the bacteria population will increase with the new bio load, converting new waste to nitrates.
Overloading tank with too many fish initially will exceed what the bacteria can handle which is why its best to stock fish slowly and starting with two is very good.

 

[RedoubtReef]

0. there's no reason to use fish to cycle your tank. Just start feeding the tank.

 

[TheBear78]

Apart from a possibly.misleading title, when was a fish in cycle actually mentioned?
Bacteria in one week ago, parameters claimed to be perfect, considering adding two clown fish.

 

[brandon429]

The way I read it they started a tank on bottle bac, waited a week to add fish which is ok, the vast majority have already added the fish at the start/a couple clowns/ and those are fine too

The op does not need more fish to produce a better cycle. The two added plus feed they command is going to handle the tank fine. The bacteria added a week ago have already implanted anyway per Dr Reefs bottle bac thread. Two small fish in that much water dilution aren't any particular loading, this cycle will be just fine. I have threads where eight fish plus a full set of corals + huge anemone were added day one dry start reef on biospira, tank is still running to this day

Bottle bac works that well

The op would be wiser adding some basic enjoyable starter corals plus common clean up crew, adding crews, 0 unprepped fish, while reading in the disease forum about fallow and quarantine before adding any fish. Not due to ammonia risks but due to what happens in 100% of dry start reef tanks that skip disease protocol

 

[ronsonb]

The way I read it they started a tank on bottle bac, waited a week to add fish which is ok, the vast majority have already added the fish at the start/a couple clowns/ and those are fine too

The op does not need more fish to produce a better cycle. The two added plus feed they command is going to handle the tank fine. The bacteria added a week ago have already implanted anyway per Dr Reefs bottle bac thread. Two small fish in that much water dilution aren't any particular loading, this cycle will be just fine. I have threads where eight fish plus a full set of corals + huge anemone were added day one dry start reef on biospira, tank is still running to this day

Bottle bac works that well

The op would be wiser adding some basic enjoyable starter corals plus common clean up crew, adding crews, 0 unprepped fish, while reading in the disease forum about fallow and quarantine before adding any fish. Not due to ammonia risks but due to what happens in 100% of dry start reef tanks that skip disease protocol

Newbie lerking and reading a ton. Your contributions are gold thank you I’ve seen you mention on several posts about the fallow/QT. This is my first tank, Reefer 350/75g… should I buy a second tank just to QT coral/fish?

Got a sick deal on the tank not knowing what I was getting into hah Hours of r2r and YouTube later. Could I order Dr.Reef fish instead or should I just set up a small tank for that purpose? Seems like so much for entry into the hobby to setup two tanks off the bat. Thanks.