Cycle: do I need lights?

flyhigh123 · 08/30/2011, 04:52 PM

Do I need lights to cycle my tank?

sporto0 · 08/30/2011, 05:00 PM

Quite simply put, no.

flyhigh123 · 08/30/2011, 05:01 PM

i havent cycled a tank in 5 years so i dont remember anymore... will the diatom bloom still happen without the lights?

aecasasus · 08/30/2011, 05:02 PM

Nope! No lights needed... Better off without them.

Tim gixxerman · 08/30/2011, 06:44 PM

No lights and no skimmer!!!!!!!

snorvich · 08/30/2011, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim gixxerman

No lights and no skimmer!!!!!!!

Especially no skimmer.

hollister · 08/30/2011, 08:45 PM

No lights needed but its a good time to accumulate your tank to the lights.

Start with an hour or 2 and add a little time every day until desired time met.

flyhigh123 · 08/30/2011, 08:54 PM

No skimmer??? Sure? It's foaming up a lot.

Tim gixxerman · 08/30/2011, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyhigh123

No skimmer??? Sure? It's foaming up a lot.

But that is the stuff you want in there for the cycling process. ( unless your where being sarcastic, then never mind!)

frankpayne32 · 08/31/2011, 07:09 AM

Why would you not want to use a skimmer? That sounds very counter-intuitive. You don't want tons of nutrients in there as the oscillations in the cycle will be extreme. The whole goal of "cycling" is to get your oscillations as minimal as possible. Not having a skimmer would probably extend that process.

castaway · 08/31/2011, 04:06 PM

A skimmer will just prolong the cycle time.

jdantunes · 08/31/2011, 04:25 PM

I guess it depends...

I started cycling my tank three weeks ago. My goal is 12 weeks. I'm using all dry rock. I read in another thread, were one hobbyist turn his supplement light 4 hours a day, only to get Coraline growth.

I know that I need a rock full of Coraline algae to seed the rest of the rock, but other than good building elements in the water, I guess the light is also necessary to grow Coraline.

Tim gixxerman · 08/31/2011, 05:40 PM

The only way in know how to tell ya is your kinda trying to crash your tank, so you can make good bacteria to eat the bad. This will turn everything in to harmless gases that escape out the top of your tank.

frankpayne32 · 09/01/2011, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by castaway

A skimmer will just prolong the cycle time.

This doesn't make any sense to me. In my mind a skimmer would shorten the "cycle" time. Which, by the way, a cycle by definition does not have a time as it is continuous. Can someone explain to me why you think a skimmer will prolong the initial "cycle"?

frankpayne32 · 09/08/2011, 11:36 AM

Anyone able to answer my question from above? I really am curious about this. Apologies to the OP for highjacking, if it's a problem I can start a new thread.

sporto0 · 09/08/2011, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankpayne32

Anyone able to answer my question from above? I really am curious about this. Apologies to the OP for highjacking, if it's a problem I can start a new thread.

A skimmer removes organic waste from the water column, since this "waste" is what produces ammonia which starts the nitrogen cycle, it is better to leave it in the tank, the more ammonia = more bacteria colonized simply put. If you remove the food source for the bacteria colony, you may limit it's size & then when you go to put more of a bio-load on it with livestock, you may end up with another cycle because your bacteria can't keep up. A skimmer won't speed up a cycle, but it could leave it incomplete.

kcinnick · 09/08/2011, 12:09 PM

Don't worry about using a skimmer, they don't remove enough waste to kill your "cycle" or even retard your cycle.

Mine mostly removed sand particles and the dieing algae bloom from me being silly and using an old light fixture with old bulbs for a few days during a cycle because I was too impatient to wait for my LED's.

sporto0 · 09/08/2011, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcinnick

Don't worry about using a skimmer, they don't remove enough waste to kill your "cycle" or even retard your cycle.

Mine mostly removed sand particles and the dieing algae bloom from me being silly and using an old light fixture with old bulbs for a few days during a cycle because I was too impatient to wait for my LED's.

So even if I agreed with you about the skimmer not pulling enough waste to matter, which I do not, what in your opinion is the advantage gained by running a skimmer during the cycle?

08/30/2011, 04:52 PM	#1
flyhigh123 funky member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hacienda Heights (605 and 60 fwy) Posts: 1,893	Cycle: do I need lights? Do I need lights to cycle my tank?

08/30/2011, 05:02 PM	#4
aecasasus Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 343	Nope! No lights needed... Better off without them. __________________ Breathe IN...Breathe OUT! http://www.youtube.com/user/aecasasus?feature=results_main Current Tank Info: 150gallon, 40g Innovative Marine

08/31/2011, 07:09 AM	#10
frankpayne32 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,177	Why would you not want to use a skimmer? That sounds very counter-intuitive. You don't want tons of nutrients in there as the oscillations in the cycle will be extreme. The whole goal of "cycling" is to get your oscillations as minimal as possible. Not having a skimmer would probably extend that process. __________________ Frank Payne Advice to new hobbyists: listen to people that have a tank you would like to have one day, not to those with a high post count. Current Tank Info: 125 gallon in-wall (build thread is my homepage).

08/31/2011, 04:06 PM	#11
castaway Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Pa. Posts: 65	A skimmer will just prolong the cycle time. __________________ You dont win second place.

08/31/2011, 04:25 PM	#12
jdantunes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 549	I guess it depends... I started cycling my tank three weeks ago. My goal is 12 weeks. I'm using all dry rock. I read in another thread, were one hobbyist turn his supplement light 4 hours a day, only to get Coraline growth. I know that I need a rock full of Coraline algae to seed the rest of the rock, but other than good building elements in the water, I guess the light is also necessary to grow Coraline. __________________ Jonathan Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon Deep Blue Rimless

08/30/2011, 05:00 PM	#2
sporto0 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. Posts: 2,924	Quite simply put, no.

08/30/2011, 05:01 PM	#3
flyhigh123 funky member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hacienda Heights (605 and 60 fwy) Posts: 1,893	i havent cycled a tank in 5 years so i dont remember anymore... will the diatom bloom still happen without the lights?

08/30/2011, 06:44 PM	#5
Tim gixxerman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Lynchburg,VA Posts: 204	No lights and no skimmer!!!!!!!

08/30/2011, 08:45 PM	#7
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	No lights needed but its a good time to accumulate your tank to the lights. Start with an hour or 2 and add a little time every day until desired time met.

08/30/2011, 08:54 PM	#8
flyhigh123 funky member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hacienda Heights (605 and 60 fwy) Posts: 1,893	No skimmer??? Sure? It's foaming up a lot.

08/31/2011, 05:40 PM	#13
Tim gixxerman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Lynchburg,VA Posts: 204	The only way in know how to tell ya is your kinda trying to crash your tank, so you can make good bacteria to eat the bad. This will turn everything in to harmless gases that escape out the top of your tank.

09/08/2011, 11:36 AM	#15
frankpayne32 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,177	Anyone able to answer my question from above? I really am curious about this. Apologies to the OP for highjacking, if it's a problem I can start a new thread. __________________ Frank Payne Advice to new hobbyists: listen to people that have a tank you would like to have one day, not to those with a high post count. Current Tank Info: 125 gallon in-wall (build thread is my homepage).

09/08/2011, 12:09 PM	#17
kcinnick Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 200	Don't worry about using a skimmer, they don't remove enough waste to kill your "cycle" or even retard your cycle. Mine mostly removed sand particles and the dieing algae bloom from me being silly and using an old light fixture with old bulbs for a few days during a cycle because I was too impatient to wait for my LED's.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Need Help Finding a Light	newreef23	New to the Hobby	11	05/12/2010 07:46 PM
Apex Lighting	DaFishHead	Neptune Systems	24	10/28/2009 06:04 PM
t5 lighting suggestions?	surfnturf	Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment	7	10/17/2009 11:06 AM
Pictures of your lighting ideas	DaFishHead	Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment	5	10/05/2009 09:48 PM