First Time Cycling Dry Rock

[Pacific North Reef]

I'm just about to begin the cycle of my rock in a Brute trash can, something I've not done yet. I have 30lbs of "dry live rock" (rock that was once dry but has been cured and cycled), from my lfs that's been sitting for 3 days boxed up, and another roughly 40lbs of dry Marco rock soaking in a Brute. Question I have is, will it be okay to put both the dry rock I have had soaking in RODI water with the cycled rock from the lfs that's been sitting in the box for 3 days into the saltwater, add the shrimp, add the bacteria?

 

[Quietman]

Yes, that would be a good way to start the maturing process for your dry rock. I may hold off on the shrimp until the first several days of soaking in SW. There may be some die off from the LFS rock (if I correctly understand it's wet and "live") as that will cause enough ammonia to feed the nitrogen cycle.

 

[Pacific North Reef]

Yes, that would be a good way to start the maturing process for your dry rock. I may hold off on the shrimp until the first several days of soaking in SW. There may be some die off from the LFS rock (if I correctly understand it's wet and "live") as that will cause enough ammonia to feed the nitrogen cycle.

Thanks for the help! The lfs had a couple of bins with dry rock cycling, some old recycled rock that had been cured and re-animated). It looked real clean, the bin was clean and the rock has some Coraline growing on it. It has been so long, I couldn't remember if I waited a couple days after the shrimp tail to add the bacteria (allowing for some decomposition/Ammonia to kick in for the bacteria to feed on). It seems all I find is to just add the bacteria from the start now-a-days.

 

[Pacific North Reef]

Once the rock has been cycled/matured in the bin, will it need to be cycle again once in the tank? My plan was to do a 100% water change at the 2mo. mark when I transfer the rock to the tank, get a couple clowns and keep the lights off until the 4th month. At 2.5 -3 months I plan to add a couple more fish to help combat algae before I turn the lights on.