Anybody know about how long it should take for the sand to settle? I thought it would take about two days but it looks like it could take 2 weeks! If I turned off the filter for a day or two, would it settle faster??
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Live Sand not settling
- Thread starter drandrew31
- Start date
It might settle faster, but then it would just kick back up and the lack of flow would be a BAD thing. If the tank is just cycling (and there are no fish in there), an ammonia source will help it settle as the bacteria weighs down the sand. A little bit of food daily might help that along.
Part of my cycle process was some form of bacteria bloom that made my water really cloudy. It cleared up in a few days. So where you are in your cycle, the bacteria in the tank and the size of the sand grains will determine when the tank will clear.
The one thing that rings true in this hobby is "Nothing good happens fast", the converse of that is also true (bad things happen really really fast). Be patient and use this time learning as much as you can!
Part of my cycle process was some form of bacteria bloom that made my water really cloudy. It cleared up in a few days. So where you are in your cycle, the bacteria in the tank and the size of the sand grains will determine when the tank will clear.
The one thing that rings true in this hobby is "Nothing good happens fast", the converse of that is also true (bad things happen really really fast). Be patient and use this time learning as much as you can!
Is it a bad idea to put LR in while the tank is still in this stage?
If you don't have any fish in there yet, get some inexpensive molly's and let them help cycle the tank for you. You need some bacteria in the tank to settle things down a bit. How much circulation do you have in the tank and what type of sand. If it's sugar grade, like southdwon was,it will take a while for it to settle. Other larger grade sand will/may not take as long.
edwin
edwin
Hey Phyl
I wasn't trying to be cruel and I didn't know he had L/R in there cycling. What kind of person do you think I am? Sometimes this is touchest place. All it was was some options he could use to cycle his tank. Let me remove what I wrote before the rest of the gang comes at me
I wasn't trying to be cruel and I didn't know he had L/R in there cycling. What kind of person do you think I am? Sometimes this is touchest place. All it was was some options he could use to cycle his tank. Let me remove what I wrote before the rest of the gang comes at me
First of all - Eli Manning is not going to be president - but I certainly can support the cause! 
I still am amazed at watching those replays of him scrambling out of the pocket/grasp and throwing that bomb.
Adding LR to a tank cycling...
Positives - if the rock is wet, it may still have nitrifying bacteria alive and therefore putting in may help to quicken the cycle. That stated, it may also be a net neutral in that if there is still decaying matter in it - that will add to the cycle. But in the end it's a positive thing since you may not need to add that chunk of shrimp in so soon since the rock itself will be generating some ammonia.
Negatives - if that LR is dry - you're going to be curing the rock in the tank - and just be ready for some "funk" coming out of the tank. You should also have some made-up saltwater ready to go for the inevitable 10~25% (again subject to discussion) water change.
With regards to the molly/damsel- that school of thought is to place a live critter in a tank that will generate the nitrifying waste to help kick start the cycle. The down side to this is if you have a large network of LR in the tank - finding the fish later is going to be next to impossible unless you take apart the rock structure. The plus is - it's better than looking at a tank of sand and rock.
An alternative is simply to toss in some flake food or a chunk of raw shrimp and let it decompose/generate ammonia.
Oh - and there is a third alternative...that is to do nothing. Don't add fish, don't add shrimp...just let it be.
If you have a chance to pick up a book to read- I find that Michael Paletta's "New Marine Aquarium" to be a great read on cycling (and first time SW keepers in general). If you read it - he'd support the non-live/fish method of cycling.
I still am amazed at watching those replays of him scrambling out of the pocket/grasp and throwing that bomb.Adding LR to a tank cycling...
Positives - if the rock is wet, it may still have nitrifying bacteria alive and therefore putting in may help to quicken the cycle. That stated, it may also be a net neutral in that if there is still decaying matter in it - that will add to the cycle. But in the end it's a positive thing since you may not need to add that chunk of shrimp in so soon since the rock itself will be generating some ammonia.
Negatives - if that LR is dry - you're going to be curing the rock in the tank - and just be ready for some "funk" coming out of the tank. You should also have some made-up saltwater ready to go for the inevitable 10~25% (again subject to discussion) water change.
With regards to the molly/damsel- that school of thought is to place a live critter in a tank that will generate the nitrifying waste to help kick start the cycle. The down side to this is if you have a large network of LR in the tank - finding the fish later is going to be next to impossible unless you take apart the rock structure. The plus is - it's better than looking at a tank of sand and rock.
An alternative is simply to toss in some flake food or a chunk of raw shrimp and let it decompose/generate ammonia.
Oh - and there is a third alternative...that is to do nothing. Don't add fish, don't add shrimp...just let it be.
If you have a chance to pick up a book to read- I find that Michael Paletta's "New Marine Aquarium" to be a great read on cycling (and first time SW keepers in general). If you read it - he'd support the non-live/fish method of cycling.