New 3' tank how long need to cycle?

[ECBM]

can any one tell me how long need to cycle a 3'x2'x2' tank? i have test the PH value is 8.0 and Nitrite level abt drop 0.1 mg from 0.5 mg since last week. Ihave abt 36 kg of LR and 4" of #1 sand in the tank. well... can I add in LS into the tank now? pls advice..thanks...

[Tanzy]

Add the Livesand now.

When nitrite is zero and you get a reading for nitrates then your tank can be considered cycled.

[hydra]

It will takes quite a while, maybe a month. I used Nutrafin Cycle, and it takes

like 1.5 weeks for reading to be near 0.

[tigershark]

i'm using ocean Free BB... cycled for 20 days to make the nitrite reading 0.... if without using any form of commercial BB, it think it would takes at least 6 weeks ~8 weeks...... from what i read from other forum/article....

[kelstorm]

personally, i dun use any form of bottled bacteria to kick start my system.. i dun believe that they work.. firstly, when sealed, where does the bacteria gets their oxygen and food from?

i used the natural method of cycling my tank.. using converted mollies and used filter media from my old tank.... the process is shorten as a result of this.. if i start from scratch, it will take me abt 28 days to 6 weeks to get it cycled..

from what i know, there is not known standard formula to calculate the cycling period according to tank size..

[Tanzy]

Bacteria in a Bottle is a bunk!

It's one of the biggest con in aquarium keeping. Bacteria is available free of charge in the air.

I feel cheated.

[loonz]

ECMB, do you mean adding Livestock or Livesand??I don't know where you got livesand in Singapore but if you do have some then add it in. Not for livestock though, I'd make sure nitrite and ammonia is undetectable before adding any. Better yet, wait for nitrate to be undetectable as well! Cheers!

[tigershark]

ECMB, do you mean adding Livestock or Livesand??I don't know where you got livesand in Singapore but if you do have some then add it in. Not for livestock though, I'd make sure nitrite and ammonia is undetectable before adding any. Better yet, wait for nitrate to be undetectable as well! Cheers!

look for any brother who live nearby you.... get 1 cup of sand (it's LS)from his matured marine tank.... mix his cup of sand with your's and your sand will "live" in a few weeks time....

[hongqixian]

pH tests are one of the most useless kits because your tank 's pH will stay naturally constant if the alk and buffers are maintained. Anyway, I think that the Ocean Free bacteria doesn't work well but I like Cycle. Don't bother to continually add bacteria every few weeks though because it will not be needed .

[VANAN]

I cycle my tank with dead prawns and which after i go through another cycle with live rocks... I feel safe this way... It took me abt 4 weeks to cycle without liverocks and another two weeks with liverock.

[VANAN]

pH tests are one of the most useless kits because your tank 's pH will stay naturally constant if the alk and buffers are maintained. Anyway, I think that the Ocean Free bacteria doesn't work well but I like Cycle. Don't bother to continually add bacteria every few weeks though because it will not be needed .

Seriously, i have not used any PH test kit for my tank up till now....

Is 'cycle' a brand of bottled bacteria????

[hongqixian]

Yes it is. Sells about $10++ a small bottle. It could be rubbish for all I know but I know that it does no harm and lets me breathe easier when I use it (still mourning over tank crashes a year ago)

[Tanzy]

Cycle does nothing. The bacteria in it isn't even the right bacteria for marine tanks.