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Reefing Newbie
12/17/2011, 09:10 PM
About ready to get my tank started on cycling and just have a couple of questions. I know you aren't supposed to run the skimmer during the cycle because it will take out some of the protiens that help feed the cycle. Could I have my GFO reactor running from the start? I decided to plan on waiting until my cycle is finished to put any macro in because I want to encourage the anerobic bacteria to grow in the DSB of my fuge. I also wanted to get ahead of the phosphates. Not sure if this makes sense but I think it would be easier to prevent phosphate issues from the start than to fight them off, is this correct? My lights will not be on during the cycle to prevent algae competing with bacteria for nitrate. Now my next question is, how high do you want the ammonia to spike? I have read 1 ppm, but want to double check. Going to try and preserve as much life on my LR as I can being that the stuff is almost 2 yrs old!

BCreefmaker
12/17/2011, 11:55 PM
I have to respond to the first part of your question in two parts:

1. If your using fresh live rock, either from someone's tank or a store you are best off starting to skim and use GFO from day 1.

2. If your using dry rock, skimming and GFO at the first few weeks can hinder the initial start up of your bacterial population.

As for ammonia spikes, it is possible to cycle with no spikes. I Think that answers your question if 1ppm is high enough.

Sisterlimonpot
12/18/2011, 12:00 AM
What I would suggest is wait until the cycle is over before you start running GFO, and if you want to keep as much zooplankton alive in the tank I wouldn't go more than 1ppm ammonia.

Reefing Newbie
12/18/2011, 01:48 AM
The rock is from when the tank was torn down 2 months ago. There will be around 50lbs of dry rock added to replace what LR I can't use for aquascaping(really don't like rock walls). About a fourth of the LR I have is in a 46 gallon tank that has two fish in it, so it has plenty of bacteria. So do you recommend I run skimmer and GFO from the start?

I wasn't looking to save the zooplankton so much as the vermatid snails, sponges, and mini feather dusters. I will most likely be getting pods to reseed the tank. Before the tank was taken down all I would see was amphipods, literally thousands(in the fuge alone). I would be getting more copepods to eventually sustain a mandarin.

BCreefmaker
12/18/2011, 11:00 AM
If you are not interested in keeping the most possible flora and fauna alive on the LR do not bother running GFO untill your cycle is over. It is a waste at that point.

Reefing Newbie
12/18/2011, 11:08 AM
Okay shall I run the skimmer or leave it off as well?

Sisterlimonpot
12/18/2011, 11:13 AM
I would definitely run the skimmer, especially when you're using live rock.

BCreefmaker
12/18/2011, 11:19 AM
I would definitely run the skimmer, especially when you're using live rock.

+1, Only dry rock need the skimmate left in the water for the first few weeks.

The Punisher
12/18/2011, 12:40 PM
I would run the skimmer and GFO from the start. The only reason I wouldn't run the GFO is if you're concerned about the cost, but a cup or two of GFO isn't that expensive. You are correct that it's easier to deal with phosphates from the start rather than let them build then try and lower them.

Reefing Newbie
12/18/2011, 03:23 PM
Okay, I will get the reactor filled after I finish getting the tank filled up. I had algae problems before the tank was taken down and really don't want them to be invited again. I am okay with the normal blooms as a part of stabilization, but more than that will not be okay. Thanks for the help so far!!