Quick Answer: A reef aquarium isn't "delivered" the day it arrives at your door. It's delivered when the water is cycled, the parameters are stable, and the first fish are introduced. After commissioning 60+ reef tanks, I can tell you: most aquarium companies ship the tank and disappear. We don't leave until the tank is cycled. That's a 2-4 week process. Here's what actually happens during commissioning.
The tank arrives. The glass is perfect. The stand is level. The sump is plumbed.
Most companies call that "delivered."
We don't.
The tank isn't delivered until it's cycled. Until the water is stable. Until the first fish are in.
That takes 2-4 weeks. Here's the protocol.
Phase 1: Water Setup (Day 1)
Day 1. We arrive with the tank.
We fill it with RO water. We add the salt mix. We test the salinity until it's 1.025.
We turn on the heater. We wait for the temperature to stabilize at 25°C.
We turn on the return pump. We check for leaks. We wait 48 hours.
That's it. Day 1-2. No fish. No corals. Just water and equipment.
Phase 2: The Cycle Begins (Day 3-7)
Day 3. We add the live rock.
We add a small amount of ammonia source (usually a piece of raw shrimp).
This starts the nitrogen cycle. The beneficial bacteria start growing.
We test the water every day. Ammonia. Nitrite. Nitrate.
Here's what we're looking for:
- Ammonia spikes to 2-3 ppm
- Then nitrite spikes
- Then both drop to 0
- Then nitrate appears
That's the cycle. It takes 2-4 weeks.
Phase 3: The Stabilization (Week 2-3)
Week 2. The cycle is nearly complete.
We start testing every other day instead of every day.
We're looking for stability:
- Ammonia at 0 ppm
- Nitrite at 0 ppm
- Nitrate below 10 ppm
- pH stable at 8.1-8.3
- Salinity stable at 1.025
When all five numbers are stable for 7 days straight? The tank is cycled.
Phase 4: The First Livestock (Week 3-4)
Week 3-4. The tank is cycled.
We add the first 2-3 "clean up crew" fish. Usually damselfish or chromis.
These are hardy fish. They test the system.
If they survive 7 days with no problems? The system is working.
Then we start adding the customer's fish. Slowly. 2 at a time. Wait 2 weeks. Add 2 more.
Phase 5: The Handover (Week 4)
Week 4. The tank is cycled. The fish are in. The corals are next.
We walk the customer through:
- How to test the water
- How to do water changes
- How to clean the filter
- What to do if something goes wrong
We leave a maintenance log. We leave a contact number.
That's when we call it "delivered."
The 60-Tank Lesson
I've commissioned 60+ reef tanks.
The customers who think "delivered" means "the tank arrived"? They call us 2 weeks later. "My fish are dying. The water is cloudy."
The customers who understand "delivered" means "the tank is cycled"? They have a stable tank. They never call.
That's the difference.
What I'm Not Going to Tell You
I can tell you how the commissioning works. I can tell you how long it takes. I can tell you what we test.
But I'm not going to tell you which coral to keep. I'm not going to tell you how to dose your reef system. I'm not going to tell you which fish to buy.
That's not my department. I commission the tank. You stock it.
What We Do at Ruibit
At Ruibit, we don't ship the tank and disappear.
We stay. For 2-4 weeks. Until the tank is cycled.
We test the water every day. We adjust the parameters. We add the first fish. We train the customer.
That's what "delivered" means to us. Not "the tank arrived." "The tank is cycled."
That's what we've learned from 60+ commissioning projects. The customers who get a properly cycled tank? They have reef success. The customers who get a tank that just arrived? They struggle for months.
The Tank
The tank is on day 7.
Ammonia is at 2 ppm. Nitrite is starting to rise.
The cycle is working.
We'll be back tomorrow. And the next day. And the next.
Until it's cycled.
That's when it's delivered.
