Need help with live rock cycling

[Star reefer3]

So I've got this 5 gallon bucket of dead rock and am cycling and haven't noticed any change in the nutrient levels ie nitrate phosphate and ammonia is this because im running the bucket with a closed lid or is this something else. Also I have a heater and a power head my nitrate is 2.5 my ammonia is about .25 and my phosphate is0. Any help would be awsome

 

[Rhydder_Reef]

How long has it been cycling? It takes some time for things to die off and the cycle to start.

 

[Star reefer3]

How long has it been cycling? It takes some time for things to die off and the cycle to start.

It's been cycling for a 6 weeks and the nutrients were going down and then just stopped going down

 

[Star reefer3]

And I was adding brine shrimp for nutrients

 

[Rhydder_Reef]

just so I understand; you are cycling dry rock in a bucket?? will this rock end up in a start up tank or established tank?
Basics of curing rock is to let everything die off (spike) then reestablish a new bacterial colony (cured). By feeding the rock (brine shrimp) you are taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back. What I mean is, you are never allowing for the cycle to run its course.

 

[Rhydder_Reef]

just so I understand; you are cycling dry rock in a bucket?? will this rock end up in a start up tank or established tank?
Basics of curing rock is to let everything die off (spike) then reestablish a new bacterial colony (cured). By feeding the rock (brine shrimp) you are taking 1 step forward and 2 steps back. What I mean is, you are never allowing for the cycle to run its course.

let the rock set in the bucket (heater & pump running) for a week. Then change water out and let set for another week. testing in-between each water change. You will see everything spike as things die off and each water change will help flush out the die off. after a couple of changes you will see your test #'s start to falling. do this till your numbers zero out (Ammon., nitrate, etc..).

 

[saintsreturn]

As mentioned, stop adding the brine.

 

[Star reefer3]

let the rock set in the bucket (heater & pump running) for a week. Then change water out and let set for another week. testing in-between each water change. You will see everything spike as things die off and each water change will help flush out the die off. after a couple of changes you will see your test #'s start to falling. do this till your numbers zero out (Ammon., nitrate, etc..).

Ok yeah I also think the bacteria wasn't working great because my bucket got super cold and also I already cured the rock that had dead organics on it and the other stuff was reef saver which has no dead organics and also I stopped adding the brine 4 weeks ago and the nutrients were steadily dropping and the they just plateaued and I was wondering if it was because they weren't getting any oxygen cause the bucket was closed

 

[Rhydder_Reef]

Are you adding more rock to your tank or is this rock for a new tank? I ask because adding it to an established tank can cause problems if not properly cured. If it is a new start up tank then you will still have to run the cycle again anyways. To be safe, I would start over with fresh mix water, weekly change, and test till levels are zero.

 

[Star reefer3]

Are you adding more rock to your tank or is this rock for a new tank? I ask because adding it to an established tank can cause problems if not properly cured. If it is a new start up tank then you will still have to run the cycle again anyways. To be safe, I would start over with fresh mix water, weekly change, and test till levels are zero.

No it's a complete rescape of an old tank and the live rock is already cured now its cycling

 

[Star reefer3]

Are you adding more rock to your tank or is this rock for a new tank? I ask because adding it to an established tank can cause problems if not properly cured. If it is a new start up tank then you will still have to run the cycle again anyways. To be safe, I would start over with fresh mix water, weekly change, and test till levels are zero.

And also I completely cured it last year