Curing for dead/dry rock. Necessary?

[ddwbeagles]

Pulling the old RSM130 out of retirement and have set it back up. I went a different route this time and used completely dead, clean, dry rock. There is no visible organic matter on it at all. I will boost my cycle with a bacteria supplement like Birospira, but wonder if I am going to even have to "cycle" this tank. Running sandless bottom and will only host two fish. Your thoughts? Think I will see an kind of ammonia spike?

 

[Thunderfan]

I used all dry rock with fritz zyme turbo start 900. I had to add ammonia to get it to 2ppm. From what I have read if your tank is 90 gallon and up you can use Dr Tim's one and only our fritz zyme with a couple fish. Below 90 gallon they say to add ammonia. Personally I would add ammonia no matter what size instead of fish just to be on the safe side. My tank cycled in about 5 days. I did use bagged live sand. I used mostly marcos rock which has no organic matter and my phosphate barely went up. You have to add an ammonia source to give the bacteria something to eat.

 

[ddwbeagles]

That makes perfect sense. I had no thought about the consequences of the tank or water chemistry being "too clean" and thus nothing for the enzymes or bacteria boosters to eat. Thanks Thunderfan!