Cycling DRY live rock progress thread (with photos)

[TPetty84]

I have no air stone in there pumping air into the water if that's what you mean. I have a MJ1200 and MJ900 in there facing slightly upwards for good surface agitation. The rocks were dipped in a mix of water and vinegar. The container used was new and rinsed prior. Same with the container it is SUPPOSED to be cycling in now lol. So I see no way of anything being in there to kill it. Water temp is ~80 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[TPetty84]

@lisa - I totally agree. Just assumed the bacteria would be on the raw shrimp, fall in from the air, or jump from my hands that go in the water. I know it can't come from nowhere but I would think it had ample ways to find its way in. Again, thanks all for the input. I'm stumped

 

[lisa28]

That's true, certainly the shrimp could have some, why are you sticking your hands in rotten shrimp water!? I think you might need to a find a jump start, maybe do a super small piece of rock or a bottled type, but only a drop I want this to Work without much intervention! lol or just get us a bottle of patience

 

[TPetty84]

Haha. Going to leave it until at least May. I'll be back from vacation on the 3rd. Then I will reassess

 

[vlangel]

I have no air stone in there pumping air into the water if that's what you mean. I have a MJ1200 and MJ900 in there facing slightly upwards for good surface agitation. The rocks were dipped in a mix of water and vinegar. The container used was new and rinsed prior. Same with the container it is SUPPOSED to be cycling in now lol. So I see no way of anything being in there to kill it. Water temp is ~80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sounds like you did everything right. I thought there are bacteria's everywhere to start it. I am stumped!

 

[TPetty84]

That was my impression as well. Going to give this experiment a bit more time. Just for the sake of it. It HAS to be possible lol

 

[prsnlty]

Where is the rock located? Outside? If not, maybe it should be? Maybe a little natural rain and outside air is what it needs? Nature tends to take care of itself so this is my line of thinking FWIW

 

[TPetty84]

It's in the basement. Temps have been fluctuating greatly recently (I'm in Massachusetts so were just starting spring between 20-70 degrees depending on what Mother Nature decides on the day haha)

 

[prsnlty]

Yeah I understand. I originally came from NJ. Lol

 

[lisa28]

In KY It was 70° today snow on Tuesday smh!

 

[TPetty84]

Hi all. I got sidetracked for a few months. The rocks are still marinating in the salt water. Have been topping off but haven't tested for months. Going to get back to this and I'll let you all know. If the rock isn't cycled in there now, I'm just gonna set up the tank, put some "live sand" and a rock frag from an established tank and make this happen. I will be posting updates as I move along now. Again, I apologize. Life got busy and I had to put this project on hold

 

[prsnlty]

Good luck with it

 

[Karen]

What is your salinity? Has it really been sitting all that time? Have you been topping off at all? Just wondering.

 

[prsnlty]

Are you running a filter of sorts to keep the water oxygenated? What about temperature? If your rock isn't where you think it should be... empty the water, rinse the tank and rock, put fresh sw in, thermometer, small filter or powerhead, add a bottle of api stress zyme and give it a few days. Better yet, just do this in your tank if it's a new set up. I cycled my 180g with mostly agrocrete rock and new sand in less than 2 weeks.

 

[jerseypete]

this is how i cycled my rock. The same as you sort of. I used a 55 gallon brute with about 100 lbs of rock. I used pure ammonia to start the cycle. I dosed till i got to 4ppm. Then i waited. Marked the water line in the can so i knew where to top off to. I kept a lid on the can kept water at the lowest setting on my heater. Kept the can in the garage during the fall. Every other day i would dump a capfull of ammonia in the can. Kept temp low so wasnt trying to heat it to 80 in cold garage. It stayed this way for 9 weeks till i seen nitrite. Nitrite came up then it took another 3 weeks till i had nitrate. The whole time during this i am still adding ammonia every other day. Just a small cap fill. Now when i finally seen nitrate i measure my ammonia level. You want it at 2ppm. Then every day check your level. If its not at zero dose till you get to 2ppm. And keep doing that until ut can go from 2ppm to zero in 24 hours. When you get to this point your ready to move your rock to the display. You can fully stock your tank at this point. I added 6 fish in 2 days and 3 more 2 days later. With your rock being able to process 2 ppm in 24 hours thats a huge bioload. I didnt have all the usual problems people have when starting new tanks like algea outbreaks. Or slowly having to stock your tank. My tank wasnt ready for water yet so i still did this process for another 3 months. Just added ammonia every other day. You need to feed the bacteria to keep it going. You just cant leave it alone for a long period of time with nothing feeding it. When your feed your fish everyday you feed the bac to keep your tank going. When people do a fish in cycle the fish produces a small amount of ammonia. Witch will start a small colony of bacteria. The fish will only sustain a small colony. Then you add another fish and so on. By cycling with ammonia you can start with a hugh amount 4ppm and grow a hugh amount of bacteria. Then you can add a lot of fish at once to sustain the bacteria. If you do it this way you do have to add a few fish at once to maintain the large colony of bacteria. Ive done a few tanks like this and never had a problem. But it does take a bit of work. But everyone in my tank is happy and doing great

 

[TPetty84]

Karen and prsnlty: salinity has been kept up, been topping off with RO/DI, have a heater, and two power heads. One pointing up for surface agitation and aeration. Haven't checked ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates yet. Will get back to you on that. I'm sure I will have to either throw in another raw shrimp or jerseypete's idea of ammonia. Thanks for the interest after all this time!! It's appreciated

 

[Karen]

I will be watching to see how it turns out for you.

 

[TPetty84]

May be a dumb question, but here it goes. If I add the rock as-is (If you've been following i started with dry rock) and add it to the tank with new salt water. Will the "live sand" such as arag-alive be sufficient to start at least a small cycle? Then i can slowly add livestock from there?

 

[Karen]

The live sand will have the bacteria to help with the cycle. You will still want to add the ammonia source and cycle the tank before adding in any livestock.

 

[rayn]

Your results aren't that screwed up. I have cycled all my new setups with raw shrimp and they always take this long. My last one I finally started ghost feeding as well just to add to the ammonia. I topped out at 3 ppm before seeing nitrite, and ammonia was there for almost two weeks straight.

If it were my rock, I would do a large water change...maybe a complete water change and let it sit for a few days and retest. There should be something by now for sure, I would assume nitrate. If this is the case, you are cycled and good to go. If you get ammonia or nitrite reading, progress from there.