My tank is set up!!!!!

[mutts]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I finally got the 55 gal tank set up in my room. I've got about 25 lbs of pool sand in the bottom and once it all gets room temp I'm going to add my salt then add anywhere from 20-40 lbs of Agro Live Sand. Then I'm adding a ton of bleached (and cleaned) coral. Right now I have a double filter, with one power head. With in the next few weeks while it is cycleing I'm going to get another powerhead, and a portein skimmer. I'm going to get a better filter for christmas, which if everything works out around the time I should be able to add my fish. Also have foresant lights. I will post pics asap!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[zoo-a-holic]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#congratulations! I havea 90 gallon tank in my room. And i know. It takes up a lot of room! haha. Well i cant wait to see the pics.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graphixx]

mutts, congrats buddy. you have to take pics!!!!!! This is where the fun starts. its a roller coaster ride from here on outl.

[mutts]

I have a question about it now. Right now I have 25 lbs of regular sand in it, and 40 lbs of Agro Live sand in it. But there is no life in the sand no hichhikers nothing that could be dead. My question is this would it be safe to add my coral (mind you it is dead and bleached so it won't be decaying any farther) then in a week or so add some snails to get the cycleing started? Would this work? Or is it pointless? Just wondering. I want to do this right, but I don't want to wait a month or so add some fish to tank I thought was safe then for everything to die. Thanks!

[Guido]

I can't give you the best answer, you might want to wait for someone else with more experience, but In my opinion... it's better to be safe then sorry. If your trying to cycle it, i would use the shrimp tech.. You put a dead shrimp (i believe its a dead shrimp) into the tank for a while and let the ammonia spike. I would assume you take it out after the ammonia spikes to a high point. Then the tank will cycle. Not sure if you want to be hasty and start adding fish or corals and run the risk of losing them because your tank cant handle the biological load. But, again, you might want to wait for a better answer.

[dakar]

The sand and stuff toss it all in there and start kick off the cycle. Snails will not kick off the cycle. If you aren't going to start off with live rock, then just toss in a raw cocktail shrimp (peeled works better) and as it decomposes it will start your cycle for you. You can add LR during the cycle if you want later, it may or may not increase the length of time for the cycle to complete.

Hold off on adding any inverts until after the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate spikes occur during the cycle... as the nitrates begin coming down they can be added then at the very earliest, though waiting until after the cycle is completed would be better. No sense stressing anything unnecessarily.

Some tanks cycle in a week others have taken up to 8 weeks or more. It's just one of those things. Patience will be the only thing you can't buy, but lack of it will cost you dearly.

[Guido]

Also, if your "coral" is dead, and isn't going to decay any further, then I'm not even really sure you will get an ammonia spike out of it. If your trying to cycle your tank, i would add a dead shrimp to it (or any dead fish would probably work really) and let it put out some ammonia, remove it, and let it cycle. But, you might want to wait for someone like grahpixx22 or dakar or someone of that nature who knows more about the hobby then me.

[Guido]

LoL, beat you by one minute dakar.

[mutts]

Ok thanks. I'll try the shrimp thing tomorrow. I didn't know the snail thing wouldn't work I read in somewhere that it would but you never know if thats all true so I'll trust you all. Thanks again guys.

[zoo-a-holic]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Well good luck, hope to hear the outcome soon!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#