The slow approach

[S.SReefer]

Hello,
I've just started my first reefing journey with a 90 litre. I started the on the rock to which I must admit I'm rather happy with my first rockscape. I'm going away for a one week vacation in August- leaving my family member looking after pets already I was worried about my marine.
For the past 4 weeks I had been walking past a empty tank with just rock inside so I decided why am I waiting when I can cycle my rock... right?

Well I got my saltwater in there, pink fuji live sand and now I'm thinking crap, is this even working? The lights are off. The heaters on. I need advice have I made a mistake? Am I wasting my time doing this? Am I wasting my electricity on this?
I'm going to be buying next week a ATO H2Ocean and some cleaning tools.
Please give me advice do I just leave it be and let it do its course for 2 months?? I'd appreciate the honesty and help.

Enjoy the photos

 

[revhtree]

Welcome to your new home for saltwater reef aquarium resources and fun! Welcome to the family!

 

[Nano_Man]

 

[Brisk]

Welcome!

 

[kevgib67]

Welcome, glad you are here!

 

[luis angel]

Welcome to Reef2Reef

 

[Ocean_Queenie]

Hello & Welcome, so glad you are here!

 

[Reef By Steele]

Hello,
I've just started my first reefing journey with a 90 litre. I started the on the rock to which I must admit I'm rather happy with my first rockscape. I'm going away for a one week vacation in August- leaving my family member looking after pets already I was worried about my marine.
For the past 4 weeks I had been walking past a empty tank with just rock inside so I decided why am I waiting when I can cycle my rock... right?

Well I got my saltwater in there, pink fuji live sand and now I'm thinking crap, is this even working? The lights are off. The heaters on. I need advice have I made a mistake? Am I wasting my time doing this? Am I wasting my electricity on this?
I'm going to be buying next week a ATO H2Ocean and some cleaning tools.
Please give me advice do I just leave it be and let it do its course for 2 months?? I'd appreciate the honesty and help.

Enjoy the photos

You have made no mistakes at this point. Running with the rock will not hurt a thing. If I were you I would either dose ammonia pure no surfactants (shouldn’t create lasting bubbles if you shake the jug) or a piece of raw shrimp. This will allow the biological filter to establish. This is what is referred to as the cycle.

I understand at least in some parts of Europe it is difficult to get pods, but I strongly recommend adding pods as soon as your nitrogen cycle is established. That combined with dosing live phytoplankton can have a significant impact on your ugly stage and how ugly it gets.

Being in the US I can’t help you with product, but feel free to reach out with questions.

Welcome to R2R. The greatest reefing forum of all time.

Kent

 

[Uncle99]

Welcome to R2R!
No mistake, let that cook while on vacation.

 

[56longroof]

Welcome to R2R

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[CO2TLEY]

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Welcome to Reef2reef!

 

[1112-425XL]

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Awesome start, agreed with @Reef By Steele. If I could tweak it. I’d buy a lbs. of shrimp and a bottle of cocktail sauce and a Coke Zero. Toss one of the shrimp in and enjoy the rest. You’re going to want to get a test kit to check results when you get back from your trip. Good luck.

 

[S.SReefer]

Welcome to Reef2reef!

Thank you

 

[S.SReefer]

Awesome start, agreed with @Reef By Steele. If I could tweak it. I’d buy a lbs. of shrimp and a bottle of cocktail sauce and a Coke Zero. Toss one of the shrimp in and enjoy the rest. You’re going to want to get a test kit to check results when you get back from your trip. Good luck.

Thank you for this, I've thrown in a frozen prawn that should do the trick, thank you for your support

 

[S.SReefer]

Welcome to your new home for saltwater reef aquarium resources and fun! Welcome to the family!

Thank you

 

[S.SReefer]

Thank you

 

[S.SReefer]

You have made no mistakes at this point. Running with the rock will not hurt a thing. If I were you I would either dose ammonia pure no surfactants (shouldn’t create lasting bubbles if you shake the jug) or a piece of raw shrimp. This will allow the biological filter to establish. This is what is referred to as the cycle.

I understand at least in some parts of Europe it is difficult to get pods, but I strongly recommend adding pods as soon as your nitrogen cycle is established. That combined with dosing live phytoplankton can have a significant impact on your ugly stage and how ugly it gets.

Being in the US I can’t help you with product, but feel free to reach out with questions.

Welcome to R2R. The greatest reefing forum of all time.

Kent

Thank you, I've thrown in a frozen prawn, I hope that's okay? I'm looking forward to all stages, I've got my perfers fish, corals and clean up crew all in my mind, I've been soo fixated on this. But as soon as I set it up my head went blank
I'll check out those pods,
Thank you for your support friend