Curing Dry Rock

[Xclusive Reef]

I have a few questions on Dry rock cleaning and cycling. I am about 3-4 months away from doing my 90 gal build. I will be using dry rock, Here are some questions I have:

1- Do i need to do a Muriatic Acid watch? or can I just watch a few times and put it in the bins?

2- use a PH to remove ph from the rocks. How long does this take? do I use salt water for this or fresh tap water? Can I change water once a week? do I test water for ph at this point?

3- final step use rodi water with salt and let it run? for how long? water changes?

Option A: clean rock and let rock cycle with tank cycle using shrimp method?
Option B: Cure rock, and cycle for 3-4 months then just use Dr. Tim's one and only to start cycle in tank?

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

I did option A

 

[Xclusive Reef]

I did option A

how long did it take you?

 

[Reef_Tank_Fan_SC]

I ran my dry rocks in just saltwater with a heater and small powerhead in it. I let it run for a week then check the waters ammonia level... After that I did 100% water change. I repeated that process for about a month until ammonia checked 0. Now they are just sitting in the water either to go into display tank once I get RO/DI water filled up. [emoji106]

 

[Mal11224]

No real need to cure dry rock. I used dry rock and just rinsed it and built my scape and filled the tank up to cycle it. No issued at all. The shrimp metho works well. Either way, it will take time to cycle so let it happen and think about all of the things you will add to yourtank when it's ready

 

[Mombo]

What are the feelings on using the bacteria booster products to speed up the process of building up the bacteria on dry rock etc?

 

[Xclusive Reef]

What are the feelings on using the bacteria booster products to speed up the process of building up the bacteria on dry rock etc?

I thought about doing the shrimp method but DR tim's one and only looks good to me. question is if i place watched rocks in new tank and use one and only how will that affect my cycle and rock being that it only takes 8 days or so to cycle.

 

[Mal11224]

What are the feelings on using the bacteria booster products to speed up the process of building up the bacteria on dry rock etc?

Biospira seems to work well. Just a matter of preference. Patience is key and testing is important.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

that it only takes 8 days or so to cycle.

That merely infers that its enough to safely process ammoina for a few fish. My self after assisting on SOOOOO many new tank threads, I would cure/cycle the rock in a bucket. Then build your structures if you like.
If you put the rock into water you can test the Po4 and decide if want or need to use muriatic acid. If its in seawater you can use lanthanum chloride and do a 100% water change to remove the Po4 rather than acid.

process of building up the bacteria on dry rock etc?

Consider, the bacteria you want is IN not on the rock. That's why new tanks have difficulty.

Dr Tims method almost immediately begins the water cycling and the bacteria populates the rock. Probably the best method for dry rock.

IMO, all the methods work but there is no fast. You pay the price before, during or after.

 

[Reef_Tank_Fan_SC]

IMO, all the methods work but there is no fast. You pay the price before, during or after.

This says it all.. I may be new to reef tanks but I'm not new to saltwater tanks and one thing I learned many years ago is to take your time. The more you rush and the faster you try to go it only brings up more problems down the road. One thing I always tell myself is that when you have a aquarium of any kind the trick is to take care if the water not the inhabitants. If you get the water parameters right beforehand and ease the rest in slowly you will probably have a much more stable and successful reef. That is just my two cents though. I for one have been working on mine for about two months now...

 

[Shaddow_wolf169]

how long did it take you?

1 month 2 cycle the tank

 

[tom reilly]

I have a few questions on Dry rock cleaning and cycling. I am about 3-4 months away from doing my 90 gal build. I will be using dry rock, Here are some questions I have:

1- Do i need to do a Muriatic Acid watch? or can I just watch a few times and put it in the bins?

2- use a PH to remove ph from the rocks. How long does this take? do I use salt water for this or fresh tap water? Can I change water once a week? do I test water for ph at this point?

3- final step use rodi water with salt and let it run? for how long? water changes?

Option A: clean rock and let rock cycle with tank cycle using shrimp method?
Option B: Cure rock, and cycle for 3-4 months then just use Dr. Tim's one and only to start cycle in tank?

I did a and it worked fine. Just get it started and let it go through the process without a lot of interference.