During the cycle?

Rogergolf66

Can you please help me I have cycled tanks before but I know more now what is not always good, so now I am wondering all these things. I am cycling the tank with live rock and live sand. 200 lbs of sand and right now about 80lbs of live rock I will have about 180lbs of live rock when I am fully set up. I don't plan on putting any livestock in the tank till it is fully cycled. I am not in any rush

1. Does it mater how much flow is in the display tank during the cycle?

2. Does it mater how many times the main display cycles to the sump if your filtration is live rock and it is in the main display? (the only other filtration is a micron sock. I have no food or anythink for the sock to remove.

3. when do I need to add the lighting?

Thanks Roger

mHeinitz57

i'm not a saltwater expert so please correct me if i'm wrong people, but you should still have some biomedia in your sump with water flowing to it. The live rock will grow anaerobic bacteria due to the oxygen gradient which is great for actually breaking down nitrate and creating that "ecosystem" effect. You should create an area in your sump though that aerobic bacteria can grow undisturbed and can break down ammonia and nitrate. Again, i'm not that experienced with live rock saltwater aquariums so that is just my 2 cents

mHeinitz57

oh ps...looks like a cool setup though, good job

Mrmofo

well you would want 20-30 turn over rate from the get go i reacon, i heard that the sump needs to cycle the tank 3-4 times an hour for good denitrification, the sock will become a nitrate factory eventually when u start feeding, better to remove it from what ive been reading, also heard putting a dead somthing or rather in ur tank will build up ammonia and nitrite to kick start things off where as just live rock will slowly release ammonia if it isnt 100% cured. lighting can be added anytime but if u want coraline algea to grow, its good to start this process early, not sure if u can while it has ammo and nitrite spikes tho. but id say earlier the better