Cycling method

[lbear]

This is a newbie question.

I am setting up a new tank. I plan to buy LR on line. I've read a lot of threads about new tank cycling. The followings are two scenarios I am thinking of. Please give me advice about which one is better.

1. Fill the tank with SW, base rock and sand, throw cocktail shrimp in it. Place cured LR in after amonia and nitrite are 0. Wait for another small cycle.

2. Put everything into the tank, with either cured or uncured LR.

[Travis L. Stevens]

The easiest way is to set up your tank with uncured or partially cured rock. Let it finish cycling and you're good to go. There are 4 methods that I know to start a tank cycling. And you only need one to do it. Adding live rock, letting a piece of raw shrimp decompose, add pure ammonia, place a live fish in. Most people with tanks now a days use live rock, so the last three methods are of almost no use.

[bertoni]

If you don't mind the extra waiting and effort, choice 1 might help a bit with saving life on the live rock, although I'd add a few small bits of fish food, rather than a whole shrimp.

In either case, once the live rock, either cured or uncured, has been added, I'd monitor the water for ammonia and do some water changes to keep that under control.

[BurntOutReefer]

put everything in (#2). do small water changes every other day to keep ammo in check (so it doesnt get too high and kill everything off on your LR)....it will prolong your cycle, but should help in not losing everything on your LR...IMO