What method(s) have you used to cycle a new saltwater aquarium?

[andrewjwatson]

Originally Posted by jpadams555

Thanks a lot for the advice i was peeing in my tank and fell off the ladder now my tank wont cycle and my arm hurts

Darn, should have put a disclaimer on my statement. LOL, all jokes aside I recommended raw shrimp. My girlfriend said if I peed in a tank to start the cycle she would not help take care of my tank when I'm gone lol

[uncle salty]

Live rock, live sand, patience. Works like a charm.

[Skynyrd Fish]

Grab a bunch of water from a friends water change, some substrate, and some established rocks. This has always worked for me, I cycled my tank with a purple tang, a desarian and a naso. No problems. And it was a mandatory last minute deal. I moved and went from a 50 gal to a 125 with sump. I took as much water as I could, some of the substrate and the rocks. And I dumped all the bioballs from the old wet/dry into my new sump.

Paul b nice to see you here. My 125 been up for 12 years. Only 30 more to catch you.

[320 shallow]

What I have always done was find a fellow reefer that uses filter floss and strain the old floss Into the new system. Always worked for me never had a problem
Hope this helps

[HP2012Mac]

I only use sand, but I'm thinking about incorporating some rock as well. Sand doesn't seem to be doing the trick recently.

[tearlessnikon]

I use water from one of my other established tanks to jump start my bio load and help quickin my cycle time...but the only thing I keep in my tank is live rock while I cycle

[tdb320reef]

An ounce or two of nice and dark skimmate.

[CrazyKonen]

My first two tanks I used the chunk of shrimp method. To be honest, now I usually don't ever wait for the cycle of a tank. I've used nitrifying bacteria (Stability or MicroBacter7) to the amount that it says to dose, and have never seen a cycle since using this method. If I have a tank currently set up, or the live media to do so, I will seed the tank on top of this. Perhaps it's not old school, but it has proven successful for me.

[wubiz]

A lil whiz and I'mnot talking about the movie

[Tsannik]

The first salt water I ever set up was a ten gallon tank I had been raising guppies in to feed my cichlids. The output to input on guppies was not worth the bottom line. So I transferred the remaining guppies to the cichlid tank, did some research, added salt mix, bought an actinic bulb, and 3 pieces of live rock from Fish Doctors. For over two months I was absolutely fascinated with my little tank full of underwater bugs. I would watch them for hours, fighting for control over tiny little holes in a stupid rock. Then came a clown, who ruled over the bugs and scared them into an underground society. Later I moved it into a 29, and so on and so forth. Now I just set up the new tank (powerheads, heater), add water, add salt to proper levels, add substrate, let settle, then when I do water changes I take the water from the old take put it in the new tank, and use the newly mixed water from the new tank to add to the old tank. Good to go in no time. But I will never forget my first time, and recommend everyone do it like that at some point, a lot of folks don't even know those little guys are there.

[amc78cj7]

Originally Posted by Paul b

I set up the tank with ocean water and added mud and some rocks from the Long Island Sound. I still add some mud a few times a year.

I had a gf in college who lived in Fairfield CT on long island sound. She said it was full of medical waste, syringes, etc. No thanks!

[Slimkid]

A little pee, let it run for a week or two. Drain it all. Fill it back up with fresh saltwater, ready to go.
I work at the LPS and we do it to start the koii system ever spring.