New tank cycling process

Ok so I have started my first 55 gallon saltwater tank. I started out with some live rock and sand and I put about 15-20 gallons of already cycled water. It has been running for about a week now with power heads and skimmer running. How much longer will it take to where it will be safe enough to put in some coral/fish/crabs ext..

 

I wouldn't put corals and inverts in right away ..... but you will be able to tell there will be like a brownish algae bloom on pretty much everything then do a water change....

 

Probably be closer to another week... Just do some test

 

Yes there is brown algae bloom I can see on my sand. So I should do maybe around 20 gallon water change?

 

F*** it... Do the water change, and go by one fish/crab and see how it goes

 

Haha alright

 

Get some dr Tim's nitrifying Bactria and put it in to be safe then put a coup,e clown fish in

 

Go cheap on the fish lol!! A damsel.

 

Probably put in a less agressive fish.

 

You will need to add ammonia and then have the beneficial bacteria to complete the nitrogen cycle. You can buy ammonia for ~$4 a bottle that is sold just for cycling a tank and also the bacteria. You will have some of the bacteria in the live rock you added, but very little in the water you added from another tank because they(the bacteria) reside on surfaces (like rockwork, sponges, etc). Please don't buy fish or anything alive *just* to help cycle a tank. You will likely end up hating the fish later on and they are often a big pita to catch again to remove. It's also very imprecise as well as cruel to the fish you use.



Read the info HERE about cycling a tank. The video on that page is talking about freshwater cycling.......but the written stuff is relevant. Or Google fishless cycling and you will come up with lots of info on how to do it.



Dr. Tim's sells great products and there are many good bottled bacteria products out there besides his. It usually takes closer to 3-4+ weeks to cycle a tank, as the bacteria are slow to reproduce in great enough numbers.

 

More FISHLESS CYCLING info.....

 

Buy some frozen fish food for carnivores and put a little in your tank. It will do the trick and you can use the rest to feed your fish when you do get some for your tank.

 

A cup or two of sand from an established, pest free tank will help you out as well. Patience the cycle will happen.