Kick starting a reef cycle with dry rock

[Kbra]

So im going to use all dry rock in my new reef cause i would hate to introduce some pest in to a 400gal tank and the amount of rock needed increases those odds. Who has started a tank with dry rock and what did you use to get the cycle started and too seed the tank for reef use?

 

[Kbra]

Bumps

 

[jtgordon20]

I did and what everyone does is throw in a live rock to spread bacteria. You can either feed the tank to put more "food" for the bacteria for them to reproduce to a higher quantity for a fish load or you can throw in a uncooked shrimp in there.

Others please chime in if I'm not 100% correct.

 

[Tinola]

I seeded 1lb of really good LR for my 21lbs of dry rock. Cycle took 2 weeks.
Maybe try Dr. Tims one and only? I heard those things work. But they're kinda pricey for bigger tanks.

 

[Steelerfan747]

Who cares about pricey? If you can afford a400g you can afford Dr. Tim's one and only. Isn't that right kbra lol jk

 

[Electrobes]

All my tanks were primarily dry rock starts, and I normally tossed in some bacteria (typically bottled) to jump start the process. The difference is that I was patient, waiting almost two months... once my parameters were in check. Worked out well every time.

 

[Young Frankenstein]

All cycles start with the generation of amonia and are the same all the time a shrimp will do.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

I would use the Dr. Tim's.

 

[shred5]

With dry rock you don't have a normal cycle. There is no die off if the rock was treated right to begin with. If it is raw dead rock you can get the same amount or more ammonia spike than with live rock.

If you bleached the rock I would just add some bacteria starter.. You don't have to wait long to start adding critters because there will be no ammonia, nitrite or nitrate spike. You do have to go much slower though adding live stock giving the bacteria enough time to spread since you started with near zero bacteria.

 

[chort55]

Toss in some MB-7 for bacteria too and that will help speed things up.... also, some LR in the sump/fuge will help things out and minimize the bad going into the display

 

[WesF]

With dry rock you don't have a normal cycle. There is no die off if the rock was treated right to begin with. If it is raw dead rock you can get the same amount or more ammonia spike than with live rock.

If you bleached the rock I would just add some bacteria starter.. You don't have to wait long to start adding critters because there will be no ammonia, nitrite or nitrate spike. You do have to go much slower though adding live stock giving the bacteria enough time to spread since you started with near zero bacteria.

I have used marco rock on 3 different occasions and every time it has gone through a "normal" ammonia cycle.

There is no "die off" because everything is already dead...but there is still dead stuff in it that kick starts a cycle.

 

[Kbra]

Who cares about pricey? If you can afford a400g you can afford Dr. Tim's one and only. Isn't that right kbra lol jk

Lol this tank has been two years in the making and a lot of discussion with the wife. Luckily she likes reefing too !

 

[pgr11]

I used dry from brs and a couple lr from my old tank but mostly dry and used dr tims tank cycled In a week

 

[Kbra]

Yeah my old display has aptashia and I don't want to risk getting a single spore into the new tank. I think I maight add some of my high nitrate reef water to the new rock and maybe put a filter pad in the current sump and transfer it to the new sump to seed the water column... I got plenty of time to do a slow cycle. Speed is not an issue. I won't have full lighting infill Sept or so. Waiting on the Vegas...

 

[BenjaminS]

Hey Kbra

You're on Socali too right?
I'm recieving your order today! Im so excited haha

 

[roblox84]

So im going to use all dry rock in my new reef cause i would hate to introduce some pest in to a 400gal tank and the amount of rock needed increases those odds. Who has started a tank with dry rock and what did you use to get the cycle started and too seed the tank for reef use?

Let me guess... You spent all that time setting up your "400 gallon" and you probably don't have it set up anymore because you found out you don't make enough money to keep the tank running? Sounds about right.

 

[915MANG]

ive used dry rock from brs. I sprayed the rocks really good and let them sit in vinegar, my tank was still really cloudy from all the dust it had. You can use live sand to kick it off

 

[Mombo]

I purchased a bottle of ammonia from a cleaning supply store and dosed small amounts of pure ammonia. The dry rock I got was acid washed so it didnt have any die off so I had to add an ammonia source. The whole shrimp thing didn't sound fun haha. I also used some bottled bacteria to make it move faster. It took about 2 weeks before the tank was processing 1ppm dose of ammonia to 0 overnight.