Not trying to be clever in the slightest, I am here to learn. But "2 weeks NOT in this live " does not help me learn. Came across as a smart comment, no reasons or explanations. So was really not trying to be smart, your next post was much more helpful. Thanks.
I was going on this post from The Reef Tank:
And that makes sense to me.
My plan was to put in a clean up crew and let them do their thing for a while and provide more of a bioload to get the bacteria going.
I have added in 5kg's of Fiji LR and my Ammonia went up to 0.25 for a few days and then then dropped off, nitrite did the same.
The Brown Algae only started when I put in a (food not live) shrimp to decompose. All I saw was a slight spike (no more than 0.5) and then all went back to normal again except for the Brown algae growth.
BTW: Awesome tank Max. Really great.
OK ill apologise with my short reply. In short when a newbie on this site says its good to go they mean business, stocking it with 10000 bucks worth of stock my friend and i have seen it 1000 times, and it is the stock that takes the rap as we just go buy new ones. I hate replying as a rule but i guess i read you wrong and i usually get into huge debates as i feel all life needs a fair chance as they have no control over what we do.
If you read lots about keeping marines it is good hopefully you stick to the basics as with the piece you so corrected me in my statement. No punn intended for starters,
cycle in short from a newbies perspective is as follows:
And i aint talking shit even i saw it like this to say the least, not all of us is marine biologists are we:
1. We read that we add water and rocks etc.
2. We wait 2 weeks and if all the readings we can possibly take is zero the cycle is over and we can overstock.
3. Now we add everything that we think is beautifull and that the LFS stocks, and if it dies the LFS has sold us either half dead fish or he just sells D-grade stock and we sure as hell insisted on A-grade pure grain fed beef.
4. We lay our hands on all the other types of additives we can possibly get our hands on because everyone else has it, and we chuck it in. We add one drop of X to cure this then we have to add 2 drops of Y to counteract X and on and on we go until we are so gatvol of all the problems and at the end we blame the LFS all the gurus at masa and the rest of the world, BUT it aint never us.
5. O yes and we have to prove the gurus wrong - dont we.
My recipe:
1. Keep it simple
2. Decide what you want to do and what you want to keep, maybe now and then the long run.
3. Look at what setup you require to sustain what you are about to keep.
4. Wait for the complete cycle to finish before you start stocking except for the cleaning crew that can be added IMO during the coarse of cycling to assist like you said its time for some cleaners to come and help now.
5. Dont do impulse buying it is more likely than not a balls up from the beginning.
6. Dont FIDDLE and leave nature to take its coarse its been doing it for billions of years we cannot perfect something that is perfect already, we merely assist it because we overstock IT.
7. Dont always think that the most expensive piece of equipment is the best for your operation or piece of ocean _= IT AINT. A 10000lt skimmer only serves its full potensial on BOB the reef builders system as it is a huge system and to add it to my 700lt system would be stupid, it can only remove so much skim mate and then it will idle so you would defy the object. If you add a 400w Metal halide onto a 200 x 200 cube you sure as hell going to be eating fish for dinner that same evening as you will be cooking them. Try fitting a V8 to a mini it can and has been done and it works with great effort and expense but it wasn't designed for that so why do it.
8. Last but not least everything you read isn't always for your system, ALL systems differ regarding stocking, water quality, salt added, husbandry, circulation etc. So make sure you make the right choices - A planned decision is more often than not a wise one. Make sure what you are about to do or change on your system will benefit it or is required and at least that the change is necessary.
Happy reefing and welcome.