1st stage of cycle complete now what?

[WvAquatics]

I started my 120g. Added ammonia upto 1.5ppm. waited 2 days and got some Dr tims one and only in the mail. Added 3 2oz bottles. I have been monitoring ammonia for 4 days now redosed once. I'm processing ammonia in a little over 24hrs. So my question.
I have well over 5 nitrite and 100 nitrates. I want to add some live rock now. Do I need to treat rock like livestock and do a large water change first?
After rock settles I'm loading down on pods and clean up crew as I get algea. Planning on fish in a month or 2. They will be at 1stand I want a strong pod population and my refugium going 1st.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Can you clarify, did you cycle with no rock or just adding more?

 

[WvAquatics]

Can you clarify, did you cycle with no rock or just adding more?

I used dry rock srry didn't post that part. Have 90lbs dry in the tank now want to add another 30iish lbs

 

[WvAquatics]

Think I'll try to lower these numbers before adding to be safe. I have about 25 gallons of rodi I can mix salt and do 20% change and monitor levels. Start planning macros I want in the DT and fuge.

 

[laurichj]

Do I need to treat rock like livestock and do a large water change first?

Since it's dry rock, no. You can just add it. You'll want to remove water first since it'll displace some, so might as well do the water change at the same time.

 

[WvAquatics]

Since it's dry rock, no. You can just add it. You'll want to remove water first since it'll displace some, so might as well do the water change at the same time.

So high nitrites and nitrate won't kill the life on live rock? I have the dry rock I want to add live rock

 

[Bo.]

If the live rock hasn't been temp controlled and in water with circulation, you will probably experience some die off and see nitrates rise and probably an ammonia spike. You don't have livestock so it's not going to hurt, but measure parameters and do a water change to drop nitrates as necessary.

 

[WvAquatics]

Ok so definitely a waterchange before then add live rock.

 

[WvAquatics]

Changed 5 gallons going to get 5 more going tonight or tomorrow. Going to a lfs in Columbus Sunday. Might look at their live rock. But will probably order from salty bottom or Kp.

 

[Spare time]

Don't get live rock. It is not worth the pests that cause the majority of issues with new reefers. Just Go ahead and get your nitrate down while keeping the cycle going (meaning keep feeding the tank an ammonia source. Dry rock is the best way to go to avoid headaches.

 

[WvAquatics]

Don't get live rock. It is not worth the pests that cause the majority of issues with new reefers. Just Go ahead and get your nitrate down while keeping the cycle going (meaning keep feeding the tank an ammonia source. Dry rock is the best way to go to avoid headaches.

I hear about the issues with live rock. I just read the positive outways the negatives. But I guess I could go with my plan and just get a trying cycle change to lower nitrates and just load it with pods and more pods and let them establish very well before fish

 

[ahiggins]

I’ll add my 2 cents for the rock part. High nitrates won’t hurt dry or live-but high to me is 50-60, I don’t know about 100. That being said, getting it down to 50-60 would be at least 30-40% change.
personally I do any large tanks with dry (with a very small (<10%) of live that I quarantine , pico and smaller nano with live.
if you’re going dry, do not turn your lights on until you have coral. Let the ambient take care of things. Also add a decent amount of pods when you do turn lights on (only a low intensity).Dry tanks have a propensity to get dinos which are a total pain.
if you want live, I would cure it separately in a cheapo tank so you can see what you have as far as pests. Kinda like a quarantine. I’m super skeptical about live rock if I’m not the one making it live.
good luck

 

[laurichj]

The part of all this that confuses me is 1.5ppm NH3 can't become 100ppm NO3. It should be about 5ppm. Was the dry rock pure white with no dead matter on it or was it dried out ocean rock? If the former, you might want to check you did the tests right.

If you're actually at 100ppm, don't bother with small water changes. In a 120 gallons of water, it'll take 50 5 gallon water changes (250 total gallons) to reduce 100ppm to 12ppm. 1 120 gallon WC will get you to 0ppm, if you can actually do it. 2 60 gallon changes also get 12ppm. The rock going dry for an hour or two won't really matter.

But again, unless you've got a lot of organic matter or added a lot more NH3 than you think (how'd you test NH3?), you really aren't likely at 100ppm.

 

[WvAquatics]

That was my thoughts on how high the nitrates showed. How did it get that high. I had live sand and 3 bottles of one and only. I am about to test it now to see and I'll post the picture of the nitrates.

 

[WvAquatics]

The part of all this that confuses me is 1.5ppm NH3 can't become 100ppm NO3. It should be about 5ppm. Was the dry rock pure white with no dead matter on it or was it dried out ocean rock? If the former, you might want to check you did the tests right.

If you're actually at 100ppm, don't bother with small water changes. In a 120 gallons of water, it'll take 50 5 gallon water changes (250 total gallons) to reduce 100ppm to 12ppm. 1 120 gallon WC will get you to 0ppm, if you can actually do it. 2 60 gallon changes also get 12ppm. The rock going dry for an hour or two won't really matter.

But again, unless you've got a lot of organic matter or added a lot more NH3 than you think (how'd you test NH3?), you really aren't likely at 100ppm.

Also yes dry rock from kp aquatics.

 

[WvAquatics]

Looks like 100 to me. Idk it's weird it's that high

 

[WvAquatics]

This was first ammonia test after adding ammonia

So maybe not exactly 1.5 either. After adding Dr tims ammonia was gone in 2 days I dosed 100 drops in am and 100 drops at night. That's all the ammonia I added.

 

[WvAquatics]

I’ll add my 2 cents for the rock part. High nitrates won’t hurt dry or live-but high to me is 50-60, I don’t know about 100. That being said, getting it down to 50-60 would be at least 30-40% change.
personally I do any large tanks with dry (with a very small (<10%) of live that I quarantine , pico and smaller nano with live.
if you’re going dry, do not turn your lights on until you have coral. Let the ambient take care of things. Also add a decent amount of pods when you do turn lights on (only a low intensity).Dry tanks have a propensity to get dinos which are a total pain.
if you want live, I would cure it separately in a cheapo tank so you can see what you have as far as pests. Kinda like a quarantine. I’m super skeptical about live rock if I’m not the one making it live.
good luck

I won't have fish so if I add live rock and get die off it will strengthen the bacteria. Figured a week with live then add cheato and maybe some dragon tounge to fuge and dt and pods.

 

[Spare time]

I hear about the issues with live rock. I just read the positive outways the negatives. But I guess I could go with my plan and just get a trying cycle change to lower nitrates and just load it with pods and more pods and let them establish very well before fish

There are multiple types of bacteria products out there that can help diversify the tank. PNS Probio, waste away, etc. will divserify the tank and lower your nitrates. You can add copepods any time. and I am sure you can ask your lfs to catch some amphipods for you as they are abundant everywhere (just don't take empty wet shells for them as worms will hide in those too).

 

[WvAquatics]

There are multiple types of bacteria products out there that can help diversify the tank. PNS Probio, waste away, etc. will divserify the tank and lower your nitrates. You can add copepods any time. and I am sure you can ask your lfs to catch some amphipods for you as they are abundant everywhere (just don't take empty wet shells for them as worms will hide in those too).

Unfortunately the only lfs I have that's worth anything is 2.5hrs away but I have to drive it biweekly. Il look into other options for adding diversity to the tank.