Dry rock

[Hoparna]

Hey guys. I have a Red Sea 170 that's been running for 3 years give or take. I do not like my rock setup. So last week in a 5 gallon home depot bucket i put some reef saver dry rock and I'm cycling the new rock. I added a frozen sardine fish to feed or add bacteria. is that the right way? I plan on cycling it till mid June.

Question 1. When adding this to my tank in june will it be ok? Anything to worry about.

Question 2. Will coraline algae grow in a bucket with no light. The lid is closed.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Yes, you can cure and cycle that rock in a five gallon bucket. Don't need heat or light, but it would be nice to have a bit of flow in the bucket....small powerhead or pump. Without light you will not get coraline growing.

After about a week, measure nitrate (and phosphate if you wish), and now dump that water and replace (assuming nitratrs will be elevated). Wait another week and test again. If nitrates still high, repeat the dump and replace. Continue doing this until nitrates remain low.

Now, rock had most likely cycled, but I'd test to make sure by dosing ammonia and then test to see that it disappears.

 

[Robert Binz]

Hey guys. I have a Red Sea 170 that's been running for 3 years give or take. I do not like my rock setup. So last week in a 5 gallon home depot bucket i put some reef saver dry rock and I'm cycling the new rock. I added a frozen sardine fish to feed or add bacteria. is that the right way? I plan on cycling it till mid June.

Question 1. When adding this to my tank in june will it be ok? Anything to worry about.

Question 2. Will coraline algae grow in a bucket with no light. The lid is closed.

Stop adding **** to decay I hate that lol. Just buy ammonia drops

 

[Hoparna]

Yes, you can cure and cycle that rock in a five gallon bucket. Don't need heat or light, but it would be nice to have a bit of flow in the bucket....small powerhead or pump. Without light you will not get coraline growing.

After about a week, measure nitrate (and phosphate if you wish), and now dump that water and replace (assuming nitratrs will be elevated). Wait another week and test again. If nitrates still high, repeat the dump and replace. Continue doing this until nitrates remain low.

Now, rock had most likely cycled, but I'd test to make sure by dosing ammonia and then test to see that it disappears.

I have a old pump in there to turn the water. I forgot to mention it.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Sounds like a plan! If you want coralline you'll need light and some calcium (should be in your salt depending on what your using).

 

[Hoparna]

Stop adding **** to decay I hate that lol. Just buy ammonia drops

I thought ghost feeding was one way to introduce bacteria

 

[Jaebster]

Another idea is you can take some of the sand and rock from ur current setup and put it in with the dry rock in the bucket. Since you already have an existing tank and possibly fish, put some frozen fish food in the bucket.

 

[Robert Binz]

I thought ghost feeding was one way to introduce bacteria

Nope it’s a way to introduce ammonia to feed the bacteria.

All you do is pollute the water and take longer to get the ammonia by letting something rot

Bacteria will always naturally colonize but happens way faster if you use bottled bacteria