Slightly confused about the cycle...

[wantvws]

I have read the two stickies about cycling and have gotten some pointers in some other threads about cycling my 210g tank which I will be filling here in an hour or so. I bought 60lbs of live sand to go with my 110lbs of dead sand, and will probably pick up a few pounds of live rock soon, and will be using pure ammonia to cycle my tank.
My confusion is here....when I add the ammonia drops (somewhere between 1ppm and 5ppm?) initially, is that it? One sticky says I have to do it daily until the nitrites spike.
So do I add ammonia every day until the nitrites spike or do I add it once and let it go?
Help!
Robbie

 

[Grins]

I added it once and let it go.

 

[wantvws]

Cool...that's what I'll do.
Off to the tank! I'll post my progress as I go.
Thanks!
Robbie

 

[clown-lover]

I agree with Grins, just get the ammonia in there to start with, leave the tank alone until the cycle is finished. Just remember to use ammonia that doesn't have any of the scent additives. Just the straight stuff (that almost sounds like booze) and you should be fine.

 

[wantvws]

Where should I bring the ammonia levels up to? I read 5ppm and 1ppm....maybe just something in between?
Thanks to both of you for the quick reply!!!
Robbie

 

[clown-lover]

Personally I'd shoot for somewhere around 2 ppm or a little above..

 

[emonemo420]

i used the same thing and added 1 tablespoon for 2 weeks with my tank and i didnt have any rock and dead sand and when i got my rock it took a little while longer to cycle because it had so much to process but u have 5x the amount of water so something like that might even help for u...but idk personally i think adding it slowly would b better then all at once but im not the expert....just my 2cents

 

[wantvws]

Thanks....I think I will try and bring it up slowly and then see what happens. I wish I had some idea of what I was doing.
Robbie