what is the proper way to cycle a tank

Unless you plan on keeping the chromis and doing water changes to avoid stressing them during the ammonia spike I would use an alternative method.

I am one of those that frowns creating a market for fish with the soul purpose of cycling fish tanks.

To each their own, but there is not an unlimited supply of fish on this planet.

JM2C

 

raw shrimp, $.20, or bottle of ammonia $1, or chromis/yellow tailed damsel $3-4 and a tortured fish.

pretty easy decision IMO

 

You really should add your rock before your cycle so that the bacteria have a place to live and breed.Adding dry base rock would be fine,when your cycle is finished it will be live.IMO you should cycle fishless,the raw shrimp/bottled bacteria method gets my vote.

 

Cosmo does Belpre aquarium sell the bottles of bacteria and where do I put the shrimp

 

I can put the chromis in my 10g for now if need its better off to do the cycle that eay

 

you don't HAVE to buy a bottle of bacterial anything to start and create a cycle, some sort of source that produces ammonia(decayed biological waste)- or prepared ammonia itself is all.
The magic just works anyway.

Obviously there are people that have to buy something in some sort of container- bottle- to try and speed up nature- the naturally occurring Bacteria- the magic.

Beyond that, not else sure what's 'proper'.

More than a dozen ways to skin a Cat! - lots of variations to 'cycling' a tank.

In your proper cycling might also be a simple test kit, for at least Nitrates, maybe ammonia(I've never had/tested that one), them as you progress, on to Ca, Mg, Alkalinity, and of course a flux capacitor apparatus.

Welcome to 3 Reef, reefing in general, and of course I was kidding about the flux capacitor- you really only need a flux generator. ;-)

Be patient, let the magic work, and listen to all the good advice here on 3REEF!

 

Well dang I just put the flux capacitor back in the delorean should have told me sooner I just ordered the flux generator. From a Guy on eBay lol

 

Let us know how it's going

 

Had my water tested today ammonia was was just a hair high but the Guy said my tank was cycled. I'm still a little Leary

 

If ammonia is present it is not cycled.