Cycling rock in trash can

[ScottyD36]

I got my self a Cobalt C-VUE 40 gallon tank for Christmas. With everything going on its delayed about six weeks so end of January-Mid February I will be receiving my tank. I have 21 pounds of dry rock currently sitting doing nothing. I figure if I cycle my rock inside a brute trash can when I get my tank the rock will be ready to go as well as the tank. I have never cycled in a trash can and have always done it inside the tank. I want to make sure I am doing this right and not screwing anything up. I assume its the same as cycling in the tank. I have my brute 20 gallon trash can, saltwater, heater and a pump. I was going to add bacteria to the water the rock is in and then ammonia to get the cycle started. Is this the correct way to cycle inside a trash can. I plan on keeping the temp between 78-80 degrees. Some other questions I have in this method. When my tank shows up and the rock is cycled do I just take the rock out place it and add new salt water or should I add the rock and the water from the can or does it not matter. Thanks for any tips or advice.

 

[lapin]

Thats the way I would do it. Then just rinse off the rock and put it in your tank. Bacteria is on the rock not the water. It will stick to the rock like glue.

 

[Tcook]

I agree. I had dry rock cycle for 3 months before the display was ready. Are you adding sand? If so I would add a little bacteria when you transfer the rock and add the sand. Otherwise, just the rock and fresh salt water.

 

[pandry15]

I'm doing the same now in a large trash bin. I'm assuming the 25 gallons of SW that is cycling the rock could go in the new tank along with the rock. Is that right?

 

[JGT]

I wouldn’t. Rinse the rock off with that water, put in DT then chuck the water. Use new Saltwater for your DT.

 

[pandry15]

I wouldn’t. Rinse the rock off with that water, put in DT then chuck the water. Use new Saltwater for your DT.

thanks JG! I'm using CaribSea rock - would you add additional bacteria or just let the rock cycle as is?

 

[JGT]

Dry or the wet variety? If wet, no bacteria, dry i‘d add a bottle. I like the biospira by IO. Cheap and does the trick.

 

[PghReef]

I've cycled rock in the tank every time but once. Never done a large wc after the cycle was complete either, just the regular 10%.

I've had one time where I struggled with algae and failed miserably no matter what I tried. Can you guess which time that was?

Pure speculation, way too many variables, and just my opinion. But I think when you cycle dry rock outside of the aquarium and then do a 100% WC like that you don't have enough nutrients to keep from bottoming out and causing dino blooms. All that residue left over from breaking down the organics on the dry rock helps elevate phos and nitrates to establish a longer term complete biome.

 

[mehaffydr]

Why would you not use the water from the trash can? If you cycle rock in the tank you don't do a 100% water change. I would use the water from trash can to fill tank about 80% and top off with new water.

 

[JGT]

Don’t see any reason you couldn’t. It’s just me. I like to start with fresh saltwater in my tank. OCD I guess. Would strain it though so as not to get any sediment in the DT.

 

[doh_nutz]

I'm about to hop on this train too and get a jump start on cycling my rock. Would it be recommended to also cycle the rock with new bags of live sand too? Or just cycle the dry caribsea rock only with a bottle of nitrifying bacteria and add the sand to the display tank after the rock has cycled?

 

[Terry Le]

I'm about to hop on this train too and get a jump start on cycling my rock. Would it be recommended to also cycle the rock with new bags of live sand too? Or just cycle the dry caribsea rock only with a bottle of nitrifying bacteria and add the sand to the display tank after the rock has cycled?

I would just cycle the rocks