Cycle in Brute question

[fernalfer]

So my cycle is complete. I have my aquascaped rock in a Brute tub with some marine pure balls and 1 block. My tank will not be ready for 3 months.

Should I:
A. Ghost feed the Tub until ready

B. Add small amounts of Dr. Tims Ammonium Chloride

C. Buy a couple of Damsels and feed them as you would normally in a tank.

and also should the Brute be kept dark or at some point should I add a light source?

 

[Jdubyo]

All three of these will work. I personally would go for a or b. I would prefer to avoid the possibility of casualties if I can.

A light sources is not necessary and I would not suggest it. All this will do is grow algae during the cycling stage.

 

[CindyKz]

When I did that I tossed in a few pellets every few days and kept it dark. I had seeded with live rock though, so there were also a few peppermint shrimp in there to take care of aiptasia. I wouldn't bother with a light, it will just encourage algae.

If you buy damsels you have to consider what you'll do with them after the tank is set up.

 

[brandon429]

it doesnt matter what you choose they wont starve. from the list above, natural feeding options that are present and don't come from the aquarist's offerings were excluded. your extra option is do nothing, if you waited five years they're still cycled due to this option.

whether you light it/no impact on bacteria sustenance. It might start to grow some algae like it will in the reef setup/expected

 

[fernalfer]

thanks for the responses guys

 

[fernalfer]

ok, next question..... I have successfully cycled my rock in my Brute, it took about 3 1/2 weeks. I was thinking of moving my rock to a Redsea tank to continue my cycle because I could add a skimmer and be able to add media if I need to take down the phosphates. My concern is I put sand down in the Brute to get the Cycle done faster for more surface area. My plan is to go Bare bottom in my main display. Should i leave the rock in the Tub so my rock has more of a chance to develop the beneficial bacteria or is it ok to do the 100% water change and move it to the Red Sea tank until my actual display tank is ready in about 3 months?

 

[brandon429]

not anything you do can strip or weaken the currently finished cycle, so it wont matter what you add or dont add/transfer etc. even the sand does not matter one way or another. only drying out your rocks can reverse the cycle. if the rocks stay wet in some container, they stay cycled indefinitely because they're feeding daily on common contamination inputs from the surrounding air

a single pinch of fish food would feed the bacteria excessively for months and months, and without the food the natural contaminations would. dont go pumping regular food into the system for rocks that already need to be curing out their phosphates, wet bacteria cannot starve they still feed.

nice job starting 3-4 mos early thats the BRS recommended way vs just adding fish in as soon as ammonia is handled

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Go ahead and place them in your tank or setup your aquascape ahead of time. Check out my build thread for rock structures or BRS for their negative space aquascape.

 

[fernalfer]

So I guess I will transfer the rocks to my Bare Bottom Redsea which is downstairs and let any ugly phase happen in the basement before it is brought upstairs to my Main display. I will add a fish or 2 in the next month but continue with the lights off. Then I'll add some light for the photogenic bacteria to populate. I'm hoping I dont have to much of an ugly phase. I pre soaked my rock in bleach for 2 weeks and rinsed, then gave the rockk a Muriatic Acid bath prior to aquascaping. Then into the Brute it went. So hoping I gave myself a better chance for success early.

 

[fernalfer]

Go ahead and place them in your tank or setup your aquascape ahead of time. Check out my build thread for rock structures or BRS for their negative space aquascape.

I did aquascape before it went in the Brute and It was a negative space aquascape. Here's a pic of the rock where it will eventually end up in my Waterbox 60.2

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

LOVE IT. Let that biofilm build up and you will be glad you did. Make yourself a build thread and tag me. Looking forward to seeing this come together.

 

[fernalfer]

LOVE IT. Let that biofilm build up and you will be glad you did. Make yourself a build thread and tag me. Looking forward to seeing this come together.

maybe I'll start one