Kalvyn's Boyu TL550

Kalvyn

Kalvyn

Joined
21 Apr 2012
Posts
221
Reaction score
2
Location
Durbanville, Cape Town
Hi all

I got the the TL550. Now I have to wait. I move to my new house on 1 June. So I can't set it up yet. I do a lot of reading and still have a month of reading before my tank will start to cycle.

Here is what I plan so long. I will put in arag-alive live aragonite reef sand. I am planning plenty of live rock. Then a good long cycle. Somewere I will ad a cleaner shrimp, turbo snail and a hermit crab.

After the cycle I plan a couple of corals. Still doing my homework on what I'll put in. The fish I will put in is 2x clown, a lemon coral goby, a fire goby, a pajama cardinal and a banggai cardinal.

Now for the wait til 1 june to start the cycle. Can't wait. Will keep you updated as soon as the tank is up and running. :thumbup:
 
Welcome Kalvyn looking forward to seeing how your tank comes on.:thumbup:
Looks like you have the right ideas to start with.
What about some live rock? Its good to get this in at the beggining of the cycle.
 
Kalvyn said:
After the cycle I plan a couple of corals. Still doing my homework on what I'll put in. The fish I will put in is 2x clown, a lemon coral goby, a fire goby, a pajama cardinal and a banggai cardinal.
Click to expand...
Livestock...and Corals...maybe these can help you decide...
Your First Marine Invertebrates - Choosing a Clean up crew - CUC - Marine Aquariums of South Africa
Easy Soft Corals For Your Reef Tank - Marine Aquariums of South Africa
Your First Hard Corals: LPS Hard Corals - Marine Aquariums of South Africa
Fish recommended for Small Marine tanks - Marine Aquariums of South Africa
 
You only need to worry about lighting time when you go the metal halide route, the lighting the boyu comes with can be on most of the day. Just make sure you keep it on a 10-12 duration, otherwise its un-natural.
 
Cool - another Boyu :)

If you Use prodibio or Stability, you can put in a clean up-crew after a few days. I added 2 hermits, a cleaner shrimp and 2 small clowns after day 5, but it can be done as soon as your system is stable.

Lights is needed as soon as something that needs lights is introduced, eg. any photosynthetic corals like Zoas or Torch Coral or Xenia.

Cycling for a few months with no live stock amounts to the same bacteria colony as you would have had after 2-3 weeks with no live stock.

Ok - now the old folks can start shouting at me :whistling:
 
Meneer said:
If you Use prodibio or Stability, you can put in a clean up-crew after a few days. I added 2 hermits, a cleaner shrimp and 2 small clowns after day 5, but it can be done as soon as your system is stable.
Click to expand...
:nono:

I know this is true, but patience is a good thing to learn in this hobby.;)
 
Meneer said:
The most important is to know how the cycle works, and why you are doing what you are doing.
Click to expand...

That is true. As long as you understand what you are doing and why and don't just put something in because somone told you it could skip your cycle.

I think on your first tank the cycle is one of the most fun parts, maybe its the anticipation and also watching the LR at night and getting exited about any little life form you see, even aptasia.:lol:
 
i dont think anything should be added after a few days even if you add stability. The cycle should be fed and then left a lone till the last signs of nitrates disappear. The cycle is the building blocks for a reef tank, and i believe no fish or invert should be exposed to a tank that hasnt even cycled. sorry just my 2c.
 
@DarrenT I understand you reasoning, but bear in mind that you have X amount of bacteria in a cycled system. The bacteria count adjusts to the bio-load of your system.
Adding new live rock causes die-off which creates a mini-cycle to adjust to the newly introduced bacteria etc.... In a stable system this is hardly noticed.

As soon as you add even 1 fish, you have a mini-cycle as the bacteria count adjusts itself to the new bio-load.

If this was not so - can stable systems, running for years still sometimes have nitrate problems...
 
Thanks for all the opinions. I can't wait to get my tank up and running. I have read up a bit about prodibio. It looks like a good boust for your tank. I'll start with it but will still be patient on my cycle.

Where can I buy probibio in Durbanville region?
 
Last edited:
IMHO I would say don't confuse yourself...there are so many ways you can cycle a Tank...some quicker than others, but again...MHO each one has it's do's and/or don'ts attached to them...just fill her up and let Nature do her thing for 4 - 6 weeks...I know it sucks...:eek:..and I'm sure MANY will argue against my "old school" version of doing it, but patience really is the way to go in this Hobby...:blush:..ok lynch me now...:005:
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom