Dry Rock / Tank Cycle / New 180 Build

homebrwr · 03/13/2014, 03:45 PM

Not a Newbie but didn't know where to post this....

I have a question for you pros. I have a 58 that I started approx. six years ago. When starting this 58 I used live Fiji rock and the tank cycled within two weeks as I recall.
I now have my new 180 up and running. I chose to get new dry rock from BRS rather than reusing the rock in the 58.
The dry rock consists of Reef Saver, Pukani and a large pc, approx 20 lbs of Tonga shelf.
I cycled the rock for around 5 weeks. The containers were covered (no light) and the rock definately cycled. After the cycle I changed the water and swished the rocks around in the old water to wash out any lose debris. The rocks stayed in this water approx 2 weeks.

To the 180. I transferred the rock to the 180 along with live sand. For the first week I did not have any light but for the past week I have had lights on.

I have been testing the water and have seen no movement at all:
0 Ammonia
0 Nitrite
0 Nitrates.

My question is. Will the tank cycle as is or has it already cycled in the tubs?
Do I need to add anything to help the cycle?

I don't want to be premature by transferring my clown and softies and have a major ammonia issue with these guys in the tank.

Thanks!

James77 · 03/13/2014, 04:21 PM

Whether that dry rock cycled or not depends on if there was any organic matter that decomposed. Were you monitoring the ammonia/trite/trate in the container? If the rock was sterile, there was no cycle. Was the live sand yours?

Try adding a dead shrimp or two and see if you detect anything.....

You could always add a chunk or two of rock from the 58 temporarily to seed the new tank with bacteria.

danil · 03/13/2014, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James77

Whether that dry rock cycled or not depends on if there was any organic matter that decomposed. Were you monitoring the ammonia/trite/trate in the container? If the rock was sterile, there was no cycle. Was the live sand yours?

Try adding a dead shrimp or two and see if you detect anything.....

You could always add a chunk or two of rock from the 58 temporarily to seed the new tank with bacteria.

+1. Throw something 'to decompose' there and check for nitrate. If you can detect them and everything else stay at 0 - you got it.

Secondsbest · 03/13/2014, 06:47 PM

+1 Another recommendation to check again. I bought a small bag of dry reef ruble from BRS. They cleaned it pretty well, but the anchoring membranes of various organisms were still to be found all over the rock. If your rock was the anything like mine, I'd say that it has some good bacterial colonies going after a cure, but I might point out the lack of bacterial film in your 180 setup itself. This will be more than a few thousand square inches of too clean surface area. The tank could benefit from a short time period with a very small load. Worst case, it makes your first stocking go a little better.

homebrwr · 03/13/2014, 07:08 PM

Yes it defiantly cycled. On the third day the ammonia went up to 8 ppm, maybe higher. After another 7 days the ammonia was back at zero. I didn't have a nitrite test kit on hand but 10 days after the ammonia settled is when I changed the water.
Yes much of the rock had organic matter in it, very porous. I tried to clean them the best I could but can only do so much.

So throw something dead in there a see if the ammonia rises seems to be the test...
Thanks for the replies...

Oops forgot to answer the live sand question. 170 lbs of Carib sea Fiji pink Aragon-alive new out of the bag..

03/13/2014, 03:45 PM	#1
homebrwr Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Melbourne, Florida Posts: 56	Dry Rock / Tank Cycle / New 180 Build Not a Newbie but didn't know where to post this.... I have a question for you pros. I have a 58 that I started approx. six years ago. When starting this 58 I used live Fiji rock and the tank cycled within two weeks as I recall. I now have my new 180 up and running. I chose to get new dry rock from BRS rather than reusing the rock in the 58. The dry rock consists of Reef Saver, Pukani and a large pc, approx 20 lbs of Tonga shelf. I cycled the rock for around 5 weeks. The containers were covered (no light) and the rock definately cycled. After the cycle I changed the water and swished the rocks around in the old water to wash out any lose debris. The rocks stayed in this water approx 2 weeks. To the 180. I transferred the rock to the 180 along with live sand. For the first week I did not have any light but for the past week I have had lights on. I have been testing the water and have seen no movement at all: 0 Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrates. My question is. Will the tank cycle as is or has it already cycled in the tubs? Do I need to add anything to help the cycle? I don't want to be premature by transferring my clown and softies and have a major ammonia issue with these guys in the tank. Thanks!

03/13/2014, 04:21 PM	#2
James77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,158	Whether that dry rock cycled or not depends on if there was any organic matter that decomposed. Were you monitoring the ammonia/trite/trate in the container? If the rock was sterile, there was no cycle. Was the live sand yours? Try adding a dead shrimp or two and see if you detect anything..... You could always add a chunk or two of rock from the 58 temporarily to seed the new tank with bacteria. __________________ Jim Current Tank Info: 120g Mixed Reef and 75g Freshwater

03/13/2014, 07:08 PM	#5
homebrwr Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Melbourne, Florida Posts: 56	Yes it defiantly cycled. On the third day the ammonia went up to 8 ppm, maybe higher. After another 7 days the ammonia was back at zero. I didn't have a nitrite test kit on hand but 10 days after the ammonia settled is when I changed the water. Yes much of the rock had organic matter in it, very porous. I tried to clean them the best I could but can only do so much. So throw something dead in there a see if the ammonia rises seems to be the test... Thanks for the replies... Oops forgot to answer the live sand question. 170 lbs of Carib sea Fiji pink Aragon-alive new out of the bag.. Last edited by homebrwr; 03/13/2014 at 07:25 PM.

03/13/2014, 06:47 PM	#4
Secondsbest Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 110	+1 Another recommendation to check again. I bought a small bag of dry reef ruble from BRS. They cleaned it pretty well, but the anchoring membranes of various organisms were still to be found all over the rock. If your rock was the anything like mine, I'd say that it has some good bacterial colonies going after a cure, but I might point out the lack of bacterial film in your 180 setup itself. This will be more than a few thousand square inches of too clean surface area. The tank could benefit from a short time period with a very small load. Worst case, it makes your first stocking go a little better.