Cycling rocm before getting my tank

[Always Be Reefin]

Slowly getting into the hobby.will be buying one thing every two weeks or so. Only thing I've bought so far is the stand. Next was going to be dry rock so I could take my time breaking it and gluing it ba k together for my desired aquascape.

I saw in a BRS video awhile ago that you can begin to cycle your dry rock in a bucket long before you even get a tank, but I don't remember the details. Do I just need a bucket, saltwater, ana bacteria? Do I need a heater? What are the steps really

 

[Saltyreef]

Slowly getting into the hobby.will be buying one thing every two weeks or so. Only thing I've bought so far is the stand. Next was going to be dry rock so I could take my time breaking it and gluing it ba k together for my desired aquascape.

I saw in a BRS video awhile ago that you can begin to cycle your dry rock in a bucket long before you even get a tank, but I don't remember the details. Do I just need a bucket, saltwater, ana bacteria? Do I need a heater? What are the steps really

Mix salt water, place pump and heater with rock inside bucket.

Cycle it like a tank. Perform water changes if nitrate goes too high. Keep it topped off.

You wont get algae on it until you add lights. I keep mine blacked out. Its been cycling for 3 years in the garage so I also run a carbon reactor on it.

 

[Always Be Reefin]

Mix salt water, place pump and heater with rock inside bucket.

Cycle it like a tank. Perform water changes if nitrate goes too high. Keep it topped off.

You wont get algae on it until you add lights. I keep mine blacked out. Its been cycling for 3 years in the garage so I also run a carbon reactor on it.

Any pump you'd recommend

 

[Spare time]

Assuming its dry rock, just toss it in the bucket with a heater and pump like salty bottom stated above and use some cycling bacteria such as pns substrate sauce, fritz zyme 9 or turbo, etc. Add a pinch of fish food or some ammonium chloride (super cheap), and then it will be good to go in a week or so depending on how much ammonia you added. I did this in a bin from home depot as well as in 5 gallon buckets before.

 

[Saltyreef]

Assuming its dry rock, just toss it in the bucket with a heater and pump like salty bottom stated above and use some cycling bacteria such as pns substrate sauce, fritz zyme 9 or turbo, etc. Add a pinch of fish food or some ammonium chloride (super cheap), and then it will be good to go in a week or so depending on how much ammonia you added. I did this in a bin from home depot as well as in 5 gallon buckets before.