Cycling Question

[yogi]

So I'm restarting my 40 breeder tank today after Sandy fresh restart.
Purchased 50 pounds of reef rocks, dry rocks.
Also put in about 70 pounds of dry sand.

I'm trying to start a pest free tank. By pest free I mean as much as possible. I understand once I buy frags for this tank, all bets are off even if i dip.

So my question is if I don't seed the tank with a rock from my previous tank will I still have the necessary bacteria to fully cycle my tank?

If I purchase chaetomorpha with pods, will that introduce pest?

Other than a shrimp, what are your favorite cycling techniques?

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Just throw in a pinch of fish food and let it cycle.

 

[yogi]

Thanks for your input. Any advice on my other questions.

Just throw in a pinch of fish food and let it cycle.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

The bacteria is there. The food will help them get a jumpstart. One tank I didn't have any dry food so I threw in a cube of mysis. As far as pest free, there is no way to be absolutely sure. Like you said once you start to add things there is always a chance, that includes cheato with pods. Pods shouldn't be introduced until the tank is cycled anyway.

 

[yogi]

The bacteria is there. The food will help them get a jumpstart. One tank I didn't have any dry food so I threw in a cube of mysis. As far as pest free, there is no way to be absolutely sure. Like you said once you start to add things there is always a chance, that includes cheato with pods. Pods shouldn't be introduced until the tank is cycled anyway.

Thanks for the heads up on not putting in pods till it's cycled.
Ok mysis cube it is. Thanks

 

[BuGG]

Can't you use a cup of sand from your old tank?

 

[yogi]

Can't you use a cup of sand from your old tank?

I'm scared of introducing bristle worms. My 90 gallon tank has tons of them.

 

[skene]

only reason for an abundance of them is that you probably overfed your tank. limit the food.. limit the worms.

 

[fishman1069]

Theres nothing wrong with bristle worms except if you touch one lol They are great rock cleaners

 

[yogi]

Been there done that lol

Theres nothing wrong with bristle worms except if you touch one lol They are great rock cleaners

 

[JimmyR1rider]

I always did the shrimp until I got an ammonia spike and used microbacter7 until the cycle was complete

 

[shookONES]

I started with 40lbs of base rock, 40lbs of reef sand, about 2lbs of super purple live rock from friends' tanks, a piece of market shrimp, and a bottle of Brightwell's Microbacter 7. I left the shrimp in there for a week or so until I saw ammonia rise, dosed MB7 daily, and was patient. The whole process took about 6-7 weeks until my nitrates were nil.