Cycling Dry Rock

[pazzo40]

I just purchased 50 lbs of dry rock from Reef Cleaners for a new tank. I'm not getting the tank until the end of the month so I rinsed off the rock and threw it into a empty 20 long with a power head to start the cycle. Since I have never done something like this my question is how can I seed this rock without the use of any other live rock? Also should I throw a heater in there? Once I get my tank I'm going to transfer the rock to that tank and let it sit for another 2 weeks at least.

 

Thanks

[ballhog]

You can throw in a small piece of shrimp or fish food to kick off the cycle. Yes, I would put a heater in there, set at 80, nice and warm I think it helps the bacteria grow.

[Eisernes]

If everything is dry then where is the bacteria coming from. I'm curious about this too because ive never not used live rock.

[ninjamyst]

I added 1 lb of cured live rock ruble from my LFS to seed my dry rocks. Bacteria will develop to convert your source of ammonia. Key is to introduce a steady source of ammonia for the first few days. Some use pure ammonia (make sure it is pure and nothing added) from hardware stores, some use organic decomposition (live shrimp, fish food, etc), some use live fish (dont do it).

[pazzo40]

Do you think I can drop a couple pellets in instead of raw shrimp? Maybe add some bio-spira?

[Graver]

I just throw in a big pinch of flake food. Works great for me.

[pazzo40]

I threw in some pellets and ill go from there.

[Graver]

Do you think I can drop a couple pellets in instead of raw shrimp? Maybe add some bio-spira?

I personally think bio-spira and the like are a waste of money, but I'm there are plenty who disagree.

[wow.such.chris]

Started with 18lbs dry and 2lbs lr about 7 weeks ago. Dosed pure ammonia at first and is just starting to drop. Im expecting about a 10 week cycle before adding anything living.

[Dufus6384956]

I started exactly as you did, pazzo. I purchased 50 lbs of dry marco rock. Threw it in a brute 20 gallon trash can, put in fresh saltwater, a heater to 80 degrees, and a mag 7 for great flow. Threw in one cube of marine cuisine frozen food. Tested daily with an api test kit for the basics- ammonia, nitrte, nitrate. No other live rock necessary to "seed" (remember, you are starting with dry rock because you want to AVOID the pests and hitchikers on live rock). Do not perform water changes while cycling the rock, only top off to maintain salinity of 1.025. I started this process on May 15. By May 20 I saw the ammonia spike. By June 5 the test kits read all zeroes, hence the cycle was completed. I actually left my rock in the trash can for another two months while I was prepping my new house and setting up the new tank. Remember to perform water changes if you plan on keeping the rock in the container after the cycle.

 

I started up the tank in early August, so its been about a month and a half. So far so good. I've got a clown, goby/shrimp pair, and a few frags of zoas doing fine. I'm finally starting to see some brown algae, nothing out of the ordinary for a new tank. Best part is my rock is nice and white....and NO PESTS!

[pazzo40]

Got the rock in water Saturday, threw some pellets in on Sunday. Need to get a test kit soon. Thanks for the response mkballer. Good to see others that have taken the same route successfully.

[blasterman]

Throwing food or dead shrimp in a tank to start a cycle just prolongs how long it has to take. Basically you're expecting the proteins to break down into ammonia anyways, so why not just add some ammonia to start and skip the decay phase?

[pazzo40]

Good point although it's to late for me now. But very good point. I've been at .25 ammonia since Wednesday or Thursday. Going to do nitrite / nitrate test today after 1 week to see where I stand.

[pazzo40]

Do you think it's ok to put ammonia in now after a week. If the rock has established bacteria wouldn't it just take care of the ammonia quickly would I even see a nitrite/nitrate spike?

[novice]

Do you think it's ok to put ammonia in now after a week. If the rock has established bacteria wouldn't it just take care of the ammonia quickly would I even see a nitrite/nitrate spike?

you can put a small a mount of ammonia in there, a little goes a long way. you should register a high level of ammonia pretty quickly. get PURE ammonia. the stuff at walmart has an additive in it to keep it from creating suds or something, hence most people go to Ace Hardware.

 

after a day or so, you should register some Nitrite. and if you had a really good amount of bacteria, you'd see a high level of nitrate after after that.

 

going from completely dry rock, you're going to just have to be patient.

 

my experience, i seeded some about 15lbs of dead rock w/ 10lbs of really good live rock from a LFS down the street from me. i had the heater up to 82F. i cycled in about a week. to double check i put a bit of ammonia in there, after a day i went from really low nitrate (just registering at about 5ppm) to about 40ppm nitrate. but after 1x50% water change and a few 20% water changes, i'm down to less than 5ppm nitrate. i don't need 0 nitrate. so if you go the ammonia route, you're going to register A LOT of nitrate and you're going to have to be ready for a big water change.

[pazzo40]

Well the rock has been in the tank since last Saturday so over a week now. I'm getting my new 50 cube this Friday going to get stuff situated and get the rock in the tank and plan on letting it sit with live sand for another 2 weeks or so before clean up crew.

[Tired]

If you want to jumpstart it, you can get something from an established tank that's unlikely to have pests. A single loose shell, for example, would have bacteria but shouldn't have pests on it. Chaeto from a place online that grows theirs pest-free would be good, also. 

 

If you're getting live sand, though, that's your bacteria (and some pest potential) right there.