Cycle time for fish only. No live rock or sand.

[Myka]

No need for bacteria, they will colonize ok on their own. Just use a SeaChem Ammonia Alert badge and AmQuel. This is a quarantine tank?

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by Myka

No need for bacteria, they will colonize ok on their own. Just use a SeaChem Ammonia Alert badge and AmQuel. This is a quarantine tank?

No. Holding my clown pairs. Just not sure how long a tank without Rock and sand takes to cycle.

[daplatapus]

I know no mention was made of doing this but in case someone reads this and doesn't know: If you use Amquel just be absolutely sure not to try and treat anything with copper in there. I found out the hard way, everything dies

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by daplatapus

I know no mention was made of doing this but in case someone reads this and doesn't know: If you use Amquel just be absolutely sure not to try and treat anything with copper in there. I found out the hard way, everything dies

It's not a QT. No treatment will be done in these tanks.

[drabber]

ive had lots of luck with IO bio spira

[Myka]

Originally Posted by paddyob

No. Holding my clown pairs. Just not sure how long a tank without Rock and sand takes to cycle.

If there is no rock or sand you will have to dose an ammonia detoxifier daily in order to process the ammonia that the fish produce. A setup of that fashion is essentially a quarantine setup as it will not support enough nitrifying bacteria to support the fish waste which means is will never "cycle". This makes your question a moot point. If you add a layer of sand to the tank then you can slowly back off the ammonia detoxifier with the system supporting itself around the 2 week mark, so in that case you could say the cycle would take about 2 weeks. I've setup many fish in this fashion, using an ammonia detoxifier with a SeaChem Ammonia Alert badge is quite reliable and easy as long as you forget the dosing instructions, and stay on top of the ammonia. How long do you plan to hold the Clown pairs in this fashion?

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by Myka

If there is no rock or sand you will have to dose an ammonia detoxifier daily in order to process the ammonia that the fish produce. A setup of that fashion is essentially a quarantine setup as it will not support enough nitrifying bacteria to support the fish waste which means is will never "cycle". This makes your question a moot point. If you add a layer of sand to the tank then you can slowly back off the ammonia detoxifier with the system supporting itself around the 2 week mark, so in that case you could say the cycle would take about 2 weeks. I've setup many fish in this fashion, using an ammonia detoxifier with a SeaChem Ammonia Alert badge is quite reliable and easy as long as you forget the dosing instructions, and stay on top of the ammonia. How long do you plan to hold the Clown pairs in this fashion?

This is for my breeding system. I dropped a couple pounds of cured rock in each chamber as well as 5g water from the rock tank.

[Myka]

Ahhhh...ok. So, you plan to leave that rock in the system or you're just using it to cycle? If you're leaving the rock in there and the rock is fully cured then you can add the fish right away. If you're removing the rock then you need something like bioballs in the sump to host the nitrifying bacteria in which case you need about 2 weeks for the rock to seed the bioballs.

Either way, if you're going to have a breeding system you need to get used to using an ammonia detoxifier, and you should have it on hand at all times.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by Myka

Ahhhh...ok. So, you plan to leave that rock in the system or you're just using it to cycle? If you're leaving the rock in there and the rock is fully cured then you can add the fish right away. If you're removing the rock then you need something like bioballs in the sump to host the nitrifying bacteria in which case you need about 2 weeks for the rock to seed the bioballs.

Either way, if you're going to have a breeding system you need to get used to using an ammonia detoxifier, and you should have it on hand at all times.

Maybe I'll just leave a couple chunks of rock in each tank.

[naesco]

After adding salt and ensuring you test for proper salinity, add a couple of dead shrimp in the tank.
You will note that in a few days your ammonia test will show results and the levels will go higher. Do not be alarmed this is completely normal
In a few weeks you will note that your nitrite test results start to show . Again this is normal
Around 30days the tank will have cycled and nitrite and ammonia will read zero
Resist the urge to immediately add fish. Wait a few weeks and add one fish at a time

The key to success in this hobby is PATIENCE not Seachem Stability or other similar products