Dry or Live Rock?

[Big G]

Thanks. So if I’m at .25 on day 2 just add more ammonia? I added like 3x what I should already lol

Which Dr. Tim's product did you use?

 

[Neo Jeo]

Which Dr. Tim's product did you use?

DrTim's Aquatics One and Only Live Nitrifying Bacteria for Cycling Reef

 

[Mark Gray]

Back years ago always got rock from the south Pacific ocean came with all kinds iof things in it. some good some very bad. Now I use 100% dry rock love the fact I can buy anything I want in the tank

 

[Big G]

DrTim's Aquatics One and Only Live Nitrifying Bacteria for Cycling Reef

According to their online materials, they suggest dosing 2-4 ppm for fishless cycling. So 1 ppm would/should be just fine.

 

[Neo Jeo]

According to their online materials, they suggest dosing 2-4 ppm for fishless cycling. So 1 ppm would/should be just fine.

So I’m at 0.25 so I need to dose more correct? Or is the bacteria eating the ammonia keeping the levels down

 

[Firedawg1983]

I started my tank with pukani dry rock that I soaked in bleach for three weeks prior to using. Phosphates have never been above .25 and nitrates never above .25. My tank is five months old now and has 18 fish, 50 frags and no algae problems or pests.

I did the mutatic and bleach soak. Tank has been running eight days. I’m hoping my nutrients stay that low or even lower. No pests was my big seller for the dry pukani. Any pointers or anything I should know along the way?

 

[Big G]

So I’m at 0.25 so I need to dose more correct? Or is the bacteria eating the ammonia keeping the levels down

The most common method is to dose up to, for example 1 ppm and test to make sure while you are dosing (wait a few minutes depending on tank size for the ammonia you just added has had a chance to mix in the water column). Then you test again 24 hours later to see if that 1ppm has been consumed by the bacteria. So is your 0.25 the test result 24 hours later? If so, you re-dose ammonia up to, for example 1 ppm, until, 24 hours later you get 0.00 ppm of ammonia. Once that has happened your nitrite levels will begin to rise as you keep re dosing ammonia up to the 1 ppm level until 24 hours later the nitrite level drops to 0.00 ppm. Once the nitrite drops to 0.00 ppm, your nitrates will be sky high. Time for lots of massive water changes (40-50%) until you get the nitrate levels down to 15 ppm or so.

 

[Richard the Reefer]

This is why I will never do live or marine rock again. This worm is at least 10 inches and is trying to kill my hermit crabs. Has killed 2 shrimp. And ignores the almighty panty hose trap. He is an 11 inch bristle worm. We do not know which breed or specimen.

 

[Richard the Reefer]

This is the rock I use now, because pests are not needed or wanted by me. The reef saver to be exact! https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/so-you-were-told-your-rock-leaches-phosphates-not.190668/

 

[Richard the Reefer]

sure it takes forever to get the Cora line, and other goodies... But it kicks the hell out of inheriting a nudibronk or flatworms. Or Redbugs

 

[jduong916]

I just broke down my tank and acid washed my rocks for vermetid snails. I did all this 8 months after i took all the rocks out to kill aiptasia. I will never use live rock again. Only dry and acid washed rock from now on.

 

[Richard the Reefer]

I just broke down my tank and acid washed my rocks for vermetid snails. I did all this 8 months after i took all the rocks out to kill aiptasia. I will never use live rock again. Only dry and acid washed rock from now on.

There is no knowing which hitchhiker you will get! I got an awesome emerald crab and a blue leg hermit. But I also got bristle worms. Bristle worms when small can be extremely beneficial! But when they get to be above 9-10 inches the appetite grows and they will drag creatures into the rock, when this happens they either pin them so they can't move and die, or they use the bristles to kill them outright. This worm I have I have witnessed it 3 times and he avoids traps so. When I upgrade the rock and the sand will not tag along!

 

[MarsRover]

Looks great man! The rock is the same as mine, it's from the same farm area I found out. How did you introduce Coraline into the tank? and get those spegetti worms?

-Also did you drip your corals for pests or quarantine fish?

I was upgrading from an old tank to this new tank. I seeded my tank with my old tanks fun bits. Slurped up spaghetti worms and moved them over. Coraline was seeded by the coraline that is growing on the bases of my corals' mounts/rocks.

Ok, I added dr tims and ammonia to my rock batch. How many times should I add bacteria and ammonia ?

The higher you dose with ammonia, ultimately the nitrate concentration will be higher as well. Lots more water changes. 1ppm has gotten the job done, for me at least, many times. But others have advised up to 5ppm.

The way this works is you are only using the ammonia to see how strong your bacterial population is. Do not just keep adding and adding and adding. This will result in a mega amount of nitrate for you to deal with. Though, if i remember correctly you are doing this in a bucket so you can just do a huge H20 change and export that nitrate that way.

I have always done the 1ppm doses of ammonia and seen how long it takes the bin to reduce the ammonia down to ~0ppm. Heres how:
1. Test your bin's water and record the value
2. Read the bottle of ammonia and see how much of it you need to raise the bin's water volume to 1 ppm (if you have .25ppm meaured in step 1, then only add enough to increase the ammonia by .75ppm to get up to 1ppm)
3. Dose the amount of ammonia determined in step 2
4. Wait a few minutes for the water to turn over thoroughly
5. Test your bin's water again and see how close you are to 1ppm
6. Repeat 2-5 until you get to 1ppm
7. Play the waiting game! Test your water every day until the ammonia reads 0ppm
6. Repeat the entire process until it takes <=24hours for your tank to "digest" 1ppm of ammonia

anyone know if I can take a sharpie and make small lines as cheats to line up rocks? Or I could use rods to attach sections. And pics....

People use sharpies on frag plugs all the time!

 

[Big G]

The way this works is you are only using the ammonia to see how strong your bacterial population is. Do not just keep adding and adding and adding. This will result in a mega amount of nitrate for you to deal with. Though, if i remember correctly you are doing this in a bucket so you can just do a huge H20 change and export that nitrate that way.

I have always done the 1ppm doses of ammonia and seen how long it takes the bin to reduce the ammonia down to ~0ppm. Heres how:
1. Test your bin's water and record the value
2. Read the bottle of ammonia and see how much of it you need to raise the bin's water volume to 1 ppm (if you have .25ppm meaured in step 1, then only add enough to increase the ammonia by .75ppm to get up to 1ppm)
3. Dose the amount of ammonia determined in step 2
4. Wait a few minutes for the water to turn over thoroughly
5. Test your bin's water again and see how close you are to 1ppm
6. Repeat 2-5 until you get to 1ppm
7. Play the waiting game! Test your water every day until the ammonia reads 0ppm
6. Repeat the entire process until it takes <=24hours for your tank to "digest" 1ppm of ammonia

^^^ exactly. Well said.

 

[Neo Jeo]

Thanks guys

 

[lapin]

Picked up a pallet of Marco dry rock. Big pieces and lots of holes. Not much rubble, prob just from the truck ride to Texas. Stuff looks good. Heavier than Pukani but not near the price. Will let everyone know about phosphates once I get it soaking.

 

[Neo Jeo]

that’s some big peices! You can smash them down if you want. Looks good tho!

 

[Big G]

Don't be afraid to get in there with a chisel and hammer to cut and shape those pieces into your own vision for your tank. Happy New Year!

 

[Neo Jeo]

Ok, so it’s been a week. My ammonia is still around 1.5ppm I think based on what I’m seeing I’m using salifert if the test tube is right on the white it looks like 1.5 if it’s next to it it looks like 0.5 lol . I have 0 nitrite. What do I do? Water change? Add more bacteria? Thanks!

 

[Midrats]

Aren't you glad you dodged this guy?