Dry Rock, should I add Biospira (or other)

drew4452862 · 10/16/2012, 10:19 AM

Thanks for reading, I have dry rock in a 20g tank. RODI water, 80 faren, 20lb of rock, 1.020. The rock has been there 8 days under a powerhead (~300gph). Should I be adding anything to this rock? It is 20lb of dry sump rock from BRS in the 10lb bag. Very little as far as smell or things falling off the rock.

mcgyvr · 10/16/2012, 10:34 AM

Is that going to be a display tank?
1.020? salinity... Too low
Should be 1.024 to 1.026..raise it some

results of
ammonia?
nitrites?
nitrates?

IMO I don't add any of the bacteria products... But I do "seed" a cup of sand from an established reef tank.

drew4452862 · 10/16/2012, 10:48 AM

yeah seeding would be a good idea. Not sure how I want to do it though. the LFS has some nice LR but i am scared of pests especially for sump filtration

schlosser_jr30 · 10/16/2012, 10:51 AM

I have used Biospira and Dr. Tim's one and only and had a good experience with both. Both tanks cycled in under 2 weeks. Keep in mind I also used a little live rock. If you don't want pests use the table shrimp or bacteria in a bottle. As far as I know you need to kick off the cycle somehow.

gotwins86 · 10/16/2012, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew4452862

yeah seeding would be a good idea. Not sure how I want to do it though. the LFS has some nice LR but i am scared of pests especially for sump filtration

I would try find someone in your area, through a reefing club or someone with a tank, that you know doesn't have any major pests. You could get a cup of sand from them or even a rock out of their sump.

Zappo · 10/16/2012, 10:58 AM

Just tossing in a piece of raw shrimp will do if you're patient. Keep it small though, as 20g of water is easy to pollute and extra ammonia just turns into extra nitrate to deal with later with no added benefits. If you want it to go faster, a bottle of bacterial supplement usually speeds things up with no bad side effects. And, as Mcgyvr pointed out, it needs more salt.

MrTuskfish · 10/16/2012, 01:43 PM

If you use sand from an established tank, I'd make sure it was at least 9-10 weeks before you add any fish. This is a common way of introducing ich, velvet, or other parasites.

drew4452862 · 10/16/2012, 07:50 PM

thanks for the help. Right now, per BRS, there should be some dead organics on the rocks to begin with for the amonia. I will try adding a bit of salt but the rock will be in 1.020, should i really be changing it and then dropping it later?

Zappo · 10/17/2012, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew4452862

I will try adding a bit of salt but the rock will be in 1.020, should i really be changing it and then dropping it later?

In that case no. Leaving it as is would be better. Just out of curiosity, what do you plan on keeping in that tank?

drew4452862 · 10/17/2012, 08:06 AM

Creating a breeder tank for clownfish. The rock itself is going in the sump \ ref

drew4452862 · 10/19/2012, 04:56 AM

incase anyone reads this. dont add the biospira to a curing tank. wait until the nitratrates stop rising then dump the water. add newly mixed water, Wait until it heats up and then add the bio, FML

10/16/2012, 10:19 AM	#1
drew4452862 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 51	Dry Rock, should I add Biospira (or other) Thanks for reading, I have dry rock in a 20g tank. RODI water, 80 faren, 20lb of rock, 1.020. The rock has been there 8 days under a powerhead (~300gph). Should I be adding anything to this rock? It is 20lb of dry sump rock from BRS in the 10lb bag. Very little as far as smell or things falling off the rock.

10/16/2012, 10:34 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Is that going to be a display tank? 1.020? salinity... Too low Should be 1.024 to 1.026..raise it some results of ammonia? nitrites? nitrates? IMO I don't add any of the bacteria products... But I do "seed" a cup of sand from an established reef tank. __________________ Who me?

10/16/2012, 01:43 PM	#7
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	If you use sand from an established tank, I'd make sure it was at least 9-10 weeks before you add any fish. This is a common way of introducing ich, velvet, or other parasites. __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef

10/16/2012, 07:50 PM	#8
drew4452862 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 51	thanks for the help. Right now, per BRS, there should be some dead organics on the rocks to begin with for the amonia. I will try adding a bit of salt but the rock will be in 1.020, should i really be changing it and then dropping it later? Last edited by drew4452862; 10/16/2012 at 08:14 PM.

10/16/2012, 10:48 AM	#3
drew4452862 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 51	yeah seeding would be a good idea. Not sure how I want to do it though. the LFS has some nice LR but i am scared of pests especially for sump filtration

10/16/2012, 10:51 AM	#4
schlosser_jr30 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Bismarck, ND Posts: 66	I have used Biospira and Dr. Tim's one and only and had a good experience with both. Both tanks cycled in under 2 weeks. Keep in mind I also used a little live rock. If you don't want pests use the table shrimp or bacteria in a bottle. As far as I know you need to kick off the cycle somehow.

10/16/2012, 10:58 AM	#6
Zappo Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Minnetonka, MN Posts: 582	Just tossing in a piece of raw shrimp will do if you're patient. Keep it small though, as 20g of water is easy to pollute and extra ammonia just turns into extra nitrate to deal with later with no added benefits. If you want it to go faster, a bottle of bacterial supplement usually speeds things up with no bad side effects. And, as Mcgyvr pointed out, it needs more salt.

10/17/2012, 08:06 AM	#10
drew4452862 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 51	Creating a breeder tank for clownfish. The rock itself is going in the sump \ ref

10/19/2012, 04:56 AM	#11
drew4452862 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 51	incase anyone reads this. dont add the biospira to a curing tank. wait until the nitratrates stop rising then dump the water. add newly mixed water, Wait until it heats up and then add the bio, FML