# help me on cycling the tank



## tyourkie66 (Mar 13, 2003)

what should i use to cycle my tank? damsels? snails? live rock? i do not have anything but regular florescant lights on my 40gal. thers a total of 30watts. i sort of want to have live rock, but im not sure of waht will happen with only 30 watts. will the rocks be ugly? on aquacon.com there are corals that they say are for beginners and need only regular lights. so i will want to have those on my live rock. do you guys think this will look tacky? since there wont be much coraline algea on the live rock.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

You'll want live rock that doesn't have coraline algae. Damsels are classic cycling fish, but put in live rock first and let it sit for a little while (not sure if that's protocol, but that's what I'd do).

In all honesty it's not worth it, you could have such cool stuff with good lighting.
Your call.


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

I'd get a chunk of liverock, And some lacerock, And throw a piece of shrimp in there. That is far cheaper, and easier than trying to get that damsel out of there after things have cycled. 
I'd get better lighting if ya wanted corals. I don't know of any corals that would live with that little of light. Look on local reefing fourums. They have plenty of cheap stuff for sale. You could get a cheap pc for your 40 for $50 and under.


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

I would seriously recommend an upgrade in your lighting. I know it can get expensive, but I promise is well worth the cost, in avoided stress and loss.


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## Lahot (May 20, 2003)

first you need to decide what you plan to do long term with the tank. I'm currently working on setting up a 75 into a reef and trying to decide waht size tank to get for a mantis shrimp.

There's a ton of things to buy, buy it as it's needed, plain old live rock to get the tank cycled needs no special lighting, and numerous times I've heard that you don't need any light for live rock (aka the type you use for biological filtration more than for looks). Special lights might get cooler things growing on the plain rock, but I've decided myself that it's something I'll buy, but further down the road after I have everything else in place then I'll buy the better lights.

Bottom line, decide what you plan to have the tank look like when it's all done, that's the easiest way to get it started.


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## Jebus (Feb 29, 2004)

Lahot said:


> first you need to decide what you plan to do long term with the tank. I'm currently working on setting up a 75 into a reef and trying to decide waht size tank to get for a mantis shrimp.
> 
> There's a ton of things to buy, buy it as it's needed, plain old live rock to get the tank cycled needs no special lighting, and numerous times I've heard that you don't need any light for live rock (aka the type you use for biological filtration more than for looks). Special lights might get cooler things growing on the plain rock, but I've decided myself that it's something I'll buy, but further down the road after I have everything else in place then I'll buy the better lights.
> 
> Bottom line, decide what you plan to have the tank look like when it's all done, that's the easiest way to get it started.


 I heard manits shrimp like lower watt bulbs so you probably won't have to upgrade anyways


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## Lahot (May 20, 2003)

Jebus said:


> Lahot said:
> 
> 
> > first you need to decide what you plan to do long term with the tank. I'm currently working on setting up a 75 into a reef and trying to decide waht size tank to get for a mantis shrimp.
> ...


 75 gallon tank = reef, or at least a tank with 60-70 pounds of live rock to start cycling with and then upgrading the light in a month or 2.

The mantis is getting a heat lamp, extra crispy


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

> They have plenty of cheap stuff for sale. You could get a cheap pc for your 40 for $50 and under.


Please tell me where! I paid $150 for 24" PCs, 110 watts. (hellolights.com)


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

Sorry i ment used. I bought a 48" 130 watt pc for 50 bux.


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## tyourkie66 (Mar 13, 2003)

well....do you guys think it would look tacky if i laid a 48inch strip light over my hood where the two 23 inch strip lights went. im not sure how it would look. i think im going to get a 110wattt fixture for 100 bucks at bigalsonline.


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

I'm assuming the tank is 48" I don't think it would look bad at all. You'll be able to keep most soft corals with that light.


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