Cyclying new ahead of time

[Nimitz]

I've had a 150 up for about 7 years but we're getting ready to downsize and I have a new acquarium setup arriving in mid janurary. I've decided to go bare bottom this time after watching the BRS WWC/hybrid series and have some questions about pre cycling rock. Even though I have plenty of seasoned rock from my current tank I have aptesia & likley other pests so i want to start fresh. I would expect to have a couple of months before the new system is fully up and running and since my new acquascape is just about finished (see pic) it would seem like a good idea to start cycling rock now.

I understand the basic setup: get a new plastic bin, heater & small pump. mix up salt & add the new rock to start cycling. I assume you also add in something like Dr Tim's & a small piece of shrimp to get things started but I'm a little fuzzy after that .... do you just let it do its thing & check for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate like usual? No water changes? with a lid there should be no evaporation or very little to mess with salinity, right?

Can someone just talk me through the basic steps?

 

[Ludders]

Dr Tims is good, but also get a live bacteria start like Dr Tims one and only, as well as some microbacter7 dormant bacteria to add some diversity.

I dosed 1 drop per gallon which was enough to get the ammonia up.

Test ammonia at first and focus on that, then nitrite. Once your ammonia is down, you're effectively cycled, but the longer you leave it to mature the better, just make sure you keep dosing ammonia and doing water changes weekly like a normal tank, so the nitrates don't build up too high.

I have had mine running for about 10 weeks now and am adding flake food and about 1 drop of ammonia for every 6 gallons at the moment daily. I am also monitoring daily, so might increase the daily amount.

I keep an air stone in mine as well and keep a lid on to minimise evaporation.

Sounds like your tank will arrive before you reach the phase I am currently on, but good luck.

 

[Ludders]

I would regard @brandon429 as a SME in this area, so might offer more advice

 

[brandon429]

we happen to have an entire trajectory on file for this job, its Tuffloud's thread.

he found some new tank nutrient issues to address having nothing to do with cycling, that's the easy part. a pinch of flake food and any bottle bac you want to buy for cycling will make the new dry stuff active after two weeks circulation time, but beyond that here's the challenges of a full on swaperoo:

Connecting Established Reef To New Tank

EDIT: In conclusion, if using the method I did - connecting an established reef to a new system with dry rock (clean), I recommend the following: 1. Dose your new tank prior to connecting to your old tank with NO3 and PO4 enough to raise to your established tank levels. 2. Take your skimmer...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Nimitz]

thx, no plans to connect the tanks. too much chance to introduce some problem into the new tank. since its likely to br a good 2 months before my new tank will b up and running and ready to add new dry rock it seems like a good idea to try and get a head start on cycling the rock now ...

 

[brandon429]

the part that is important for you is when he installs corals in the new tank after we deemed it cycled

see how the reef went through mass invasion, and he had to make big adjustments to nitrate, phosphate, lighting intensity and water clarity and feeding don't miss those relevant portions

the connecting part we were using to prove all reef water has lots of cycling bac, but your application starts after the disconnection, the new rock and sand with aged corals challenge. To cycle your current setup all u need is cycling bottle bac, a squirt of ammonia, a pinch of flake food and a few days/done