Cycling a 20 gallon

[AshtonMitchell]

Recently I have started a 20 gallon TALL for a reef tank. I do not have liverock yet as the liverock is $8.50/lb at the LFS and it doesn't go on sale until next month ($3.50/lb) So at that time I will be buying 20 lbs of liverock to add. It has a all sand base and a HOB type filter with two power heads circulating water and making "gentle ripples" across the surface.

Anyways my question is this. For the water I took good water with perfect params directly from my friend 265 gallon aquarium that has fish, and liverock and has been established for almost a year with weekly water changes. It's my understanding that a "cycle" is supposed to create good bacteria in the water. With that being said is it safe to push fish into my aquarium? i'm one of those people who hate to wait, wait and wait. or will I have to wait for the sand to grow "bacteria" in it and wait for liverock? I plan on doing a mini reef with small mushrooms and two smaller fish with a cleanup crew.

[Grins]

Patience is something you really need in this hobby. You'll want to wait until your tank has cycled. Have you started the cycle yet with an ammonia source?

[archer772]

To start with nothing good happens fast in a reef tank. you really should waite untill you have most of your LR in and have all your parameters in line before you start to add any live stock. The LR alone will cycle your tank because when you bring it back from your LFS and add it to your tank there will be some die off unless you keep in totally submerged when doing this.

[schigara]

The bacteria is not really just in the water. The bacteria is on the rock, substrate, tank wall, etc. Just putting water in from an established tank in a new tank with no LR or LS will not support a bio load from any fish. It's kinda like taking clean oil from a car with a filter and putting into a car with no oil filter......the oil will not stay clean.





It's my understanding that a "cycle" is supposed to create good bacteria in the water. With that being said is it safe to push fish into my aquarium?