What to do - thoughts appreciated

[lockrookie]

you should wait be patient never rush i rushed my first tank and regretted it ore problems than enjoyment.. to be on the safe side... you could chance it and be ok but you have planned this long done all this work to what take a chance and add something. your rock is cured wait the full 4 weeks. or when you go to j&l purchase some prodibio start up add that to the tank let it run its course then add fish and coral.. but as i said you have put alot of thought into this. tank dontset yourself up to fail now

just my opinion

[gregzz4]

I see both your points, and both are still eating at me ...

Lock, what am I missing here ?
I cured the rock for 3 months. It's been in the tank for 11 days with no cycle and I used Seachem Stability for 7 days until Thursday

I see no issue with adding something now, yet you say to wait 4 weeks ... I'm puzzled

[lockrookie]

i cured my rock for my 50g and at week 3 i got an ammonia spike. most my rock was dry. but the tank itself needs to go through a cycle. no different than a fw tank needs to cycle. instead of using a fish(goldfish) like ppl do in fw. we use rock to cycle the tank. jump starting the system get the bacteria and nitrates and yada yada going. so that when you do add the fish and the coralsyou donthave this huge spike that wipes out the corals and fish you purchased. some ppl swear by prodibio startup.

and the way im going to jump start my 180 is by swapping spit with the old tank into the new tank since my water is already conitioned but my fish crap (literally) and micro oganismns it will belike i did a 50% water change on the 180. and even with that ill wait a week or 2 before i add everything just in case of a spike. your water is clean has no bacteriaother than that inyour rock it needs to build and as it builds it will add a spike once sike is gone then your good to go . but slowly .you add to much and it will spike again.

patience... diligence.. and due care.. you will have more success

[gregzz4]

OK, I get what you're pointing out, but you've still lost me ....

I've added rock that cured for 3 months
It has run for almost 2 weeks and there are;

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
0 nitrates

Plus, there's;
0 phosphates

I know it will cycle when I add something now, but, unless I'm missing something here, you are telling me that my fallow tank will still cycle on it's own ??????

It has not done so in 11 days

[gregzz4]

Of course I'm not gonna rush anything, but I'd like to get it started !!!!

[lockrookie]

it should onits own but you can jump start it by droping in a non live shrimp. you need to cycle your tank before fish its very hardon the fish and some will take it as cruel. this is why someppl buy damsels to start the cycleinhpes they die in the process cause they are evil fish. well so are my clowns but we wont go there. you have added criters. enjoy them for now throw in a raw shrimp it willjump start it and the rest of the rw shrimp cook on the bar-b and hurry up and wait. you will be better off

[lockrookie]

as i say you have added a few snails and crabs wait a week test for ammonia and nitrates if all is good add a fish .. do all this in baby steps your rock itself has been cured but if you add too much to fast you will get a spike you could lose something.

[gregzz4]

Thanks
I'm sure I follow ... we are just talking time lines ....
I will not rush anything
I just wanted to know what some would suggest for my first critters

So ... you think fish over corals first ?

[lockrookie]

corals dont really crapin your tank to add alot of bioload unlessits lps and nems. alot of corals are filter feeders and will help withthe whole thing.. so when yu get to the point of adding saveyour self the decition.. buy a fish and a coral that filter feeds and problem solved. fish polutes coral eats win win lol

[PurpleMonkey]

If I had to choose between fish and coral first. I say fish.

Go with something non territorial or not as aggressive. I started with some green chromosome and a bicolour blenny. The bicolour is one of my favorites.