Cycling & Show "Tanked"!

[sergiotami]

Wife and I love the show "Tanked" mainly because its the only show that deals w the aquarium hobby. A question We have is, how do they get around "Cycling" a fish tank or reef tank? My understanding as was w my 90 gallon that its about a 6 week process w Lots of patience!

[Big_Pun]

i set my 150 up in 2 days... I used new sand(only 1 1/2 inches) all rock was from my existing tank or LFS, I used tap water and prime,but ran a good carbon and gfo at start. I set up plumbed and filled it up, in 24 hours water cleared and I transferred most of the coral and all fish. got a lil diatom bloom after 4 days, then settled down. didn't loose a fish or coral!

[johnsutter71]

They dump a bunch of chemicals in the tanks on that show and they never do follow ups to show which fish didn't make it.

[Flyride95]

^ +1 That is exactly what I was thinking.

[Big_Pun]

but we don't know for sure fish die...... I think they know what they are doing if they are that successful? they set up huge system I doubt the water gets dirty fast, in sure there life support system are top notch.

[johnsutter71]

I just remember a show where they turned a juke box into a tank and put a bunch of tangs in it. They also use a lot of fake coral.

[EpicWin]

I've been doing this a while now and have probly cycled 20 tanks. I'm also a biologist. I think they must either put cycled sand in the sump, which they never really show, or use some type of fuge. I have noticed in cycling my tanks that cycles are always different and in truth a rank actually has many cycles not just 1 bug one. For the poster above who is 4 days in without a cycle, it is coming my friend, it is inevitable. Just hope it's multiple small cycles not 1 big.

[Big_Pun]

IFor the poster above who is 4 days in without a cycle, it is coming my friend, it is inevitable. Just hope it's multiple small cycles not 1 big.

I set the tank up in march, so I guess it was small cycles, didn't loose a single fish or coral. tank was setup with 20 fish and a varitey of coral, sps,softie,LPS, rbta set up two other tanks same way no issues.

http://www.maast.org/showthread.php?...(new-pics-6-7)

[Ms_Big_Pun]

I'm sure these people pay good money for someone to come and maintain their systems...considering how they are dropping 10, 15, 20+ grand on these set ups...and if they do loose some fish, who doesn't in this hobby? I know I've had some hard losses myself, esp. when I had the 75 set up.

[sergiotami]

I'll be setting up a new tank in the near future and my understanding was to set it up, lights off and let it run for about 6 weeks w a damsel or a piece of live rock to get process going. Am I being too cautious or what would be the best way to go about doing this?