Cycling live rock

Breakthecycle2 · Mar 15, 2015

Is this OK to do? I just bought a garbage can and am filling it with RO and bought some salt to add for now. Can I just throw some dry rock in with a power head to cure it until my new tank comes in about two weeks? Could I also just throw in a piece of cured live rock to seed it?

chefjpaul · Mar 15, 2015

Thats what I did. Test for ammonia after a couple days, if there is none add a source to start it up.

I also tested for phosphates. I had alot, so i ran a gfo reactor as well.

Add a heater.

Breakthecycle2 · Mar 15, 2015

Is a heater important?

Marty.h · Mar 15, 2015

The bacteria needs a heater to survive and help multiply

Breakthecycle2 · Mar 15, 2015

Good to know. Thanks.

Breakthecycle2 · Mar 16, 2015

Whats the best way to kick off a cycle?

Marty.h · Mar 16, 2015

Ammonia we use to use Cleen off on freshwater systems but I'm not sure about marine side I would say it's the same process but someone will confirm I've attached a pic of the stuff

chefjpaul · Mar 16, 2015

There are a few methods, it just depends on what your comfortable doing. I suggest Google the subject and read as much as possible and then choose.
(Stay away from live fish in cycle methods).

I like ammonia chloride as I can control it. Just my method.

Breakthecycle2 · Mar 17, 2015

OK, so I does ammonia and tested a few hours later and I have .50PPM amount of ammonia. There is about 30 gallons of saltwater and 90 pounds of live rock in the trash can currently. Salinty is 1.022. Is this enough ammonia to kick start it?

Breakthecycle2 · Mar 24, 2015

Alright, so Right now Ammonia is .25, Nitrites are 1PPM and Nitrates are 20PPm. Do I need to keep dosing ammonia?

glb · Mar 24, 2015

Your cycle has definitely started. I'd keep adding ammonia daily until your ammonia levels and nitrites are zero. At that point your cycle will be complete. You can lower the nitrates then by doing a big water change.

Marty.h · Mar 24, 2015

Dose ammonia upto 2ppm and check daily once down to 0 dose back to 2ppm once you get 3 consecutive 24 hours where it clears 2ppm of dosed ammonia to 0 and 0 nitrites you will be ready to go after a water change to bring down nitrates you will then need to stock as all them good bugs will be needing food

Breakthecycle2 · Mar 24, 2015

Well, I can't stock a trash can. lol

Marty.h · Mar 25, 2015

Breakthecycle2 said:
Well, I can't stock a trash can. lol

I know that haha but once they in the tank

Breakthecycle2 · Mar 25, 2015

When the tank is finally up and running, can I just put the cycled rock in or should I also add some of the water? The new tank will be around 200 gallons.

glb · Mar 25, 2015

Breakthecycle2 said:
When the tank is finally up and running, can I just put the cycled rock in or should I also add some of the water? The new tank will be around 200 gallons.

Following. I don't know about a tank that size.

Breakthecycle2 · Mar 31, 2015

Alright. Ammonia is zero. Nitrites are 5PPM. Nitrates are 20PPM. Yesterday they were between 80/160PPM. My question is, shouldn't have the nitrites came down before the nitrates?

glb · Mar 31, 2015

Breakthecycle2 said:
Alright. Ammonia is zero. Nitrites are 5PPM. Nitrates are 20PPM. Yesterday they were between 80/160PPM. My question is, shouldn't have the nitrites came down before the nitrates?

Your nitrates dropped from 80-160 to 20? Are you sure? That doesn't seem possible without doing a big water change. And yes, your nitrites should go down first. Nitrates stay in the water so water changes are the only way to bring them down unless you have a skimmer or some sort of nitrate reducing media. Test error maybe?

Pete polyp · Mar 31, 2015

glb said:
Your nitrates dropped from 80-160 to 20? Are you sure? That doesn't seem possible without doing a big water change. And yes, your nitrites should go down first. Nitrates stay in the water so water changes are the only way to bring them down unless you have a skimmer or some sort of nitrate reducing media. Test error maybe?

Rock will break down nitrate.