New setup . Help needed

emu4388 · Jul 31, 2016

Hi guys . New to this hobby . Been reading loads but can't get a definite answer to my question.
I am currently setting up an aquarium which was bought second hand . But not been running for a few months .
I have the tank and everything needed ready to go . The tank is dry and not running .
I currently have 40kg of dry live rock .and have chosen to cure it in a large plastic tub .
I have already got the ball rolling . And it has been in salt water for a week now .with power heads running and heater . And skimmer
Ammonia spiked 4 days ago etc

My question is ..
Once I have fully cured the rock in a rubber tub . I then plan to move the rock over to the tank . Using some of the water from the tub and freshly made up water .
Once this is done
Will I have to wait for another cycle as I am already cycling .
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys

ReeferReefer · Jul 31, 2016

I would wait and see if it needs to cycle again. By that I mean add some Ammonia or fish food and see how the levels change. If yiu see a spike then your need to cycle again, if after 2 weeks there is no spike your probably good to go. Good things happen to those who wait.

emu4388 · Jul 31, 2016

OK. Sounds like a plan lol. I am in no rush to stock the tank . I just wanna get it right .
I will add a prawn or something once it's set up with the cured rock and see how it goes .
Thanks for ur help pal

jsker · Jul 31, 2016

Welcome to R2R and Welcome to reefing.
It is good to soak to the rock before settup up the tank. but you will be adding a bunch of different things and the total system is going to need to cycle again and let what ever may dye off that may accrue before you put in live animals into you system. Add your cleaning crew, test then add one or two fish to let you bio load adjust.
One key thing you will here over and over is patients in reefing make a successful reef.

emu4388 · Jul 31, 2016

Another question lol
I seen amoinia spike a few days ago to 2.5 . After a water change its at 0.5 and stayed
I have been reading phosphate of 1.0 . Is this part of the curing process or would it be more likely to be bound into the rock . Also will it go in time

emu4388 · Jul 31, 2016

So many questions lol
The reason that I chose the rubber tub option is that I didn't want my live sand sucking in the crap off the cycling of the rocks . So if another cycle was to happen would the sand do what I didn't want and take in the crap .
As I really don't want to had the sand last

CarrieB · Jul 31, 2016

IMO, if the rock is fully cycled before you put it in the tank, you should only get a small second cycle if anything. It just depends on if you have any additional die off that the current bacteria can't handle. If you swish your rock in old tank water well before adding it to the tank, you shouldn't have too much detritus to dirty up the sand.

Also, I wouldn't do water changes during cycling. The point is to encourage the bacteria that process the ammonia, not to take it out of the system. Otherwise, you don't really know if the rock is cycled or if you just cleaned the water yourself.

emu4388 · Aug 1, 2016

Thanks for ur help
If I don't do the water changes how would I get rid of the phosphate that is building up in the water . Could I run gfo while curing the rock

CarrieB · Aug 1, 2016

Yep. You can run GFO. You can also wait until the rock is cycled and then change the water. Since you don't have any livestock yet, you could fill another tub with fresh seawater and move all the rock over (so 100% water change), leave it a week and see if the phosphate goes up again.

emu4388 · Aug 1, 2016

OK. Thanks again .
Wouldn't I want to keep some of the water from the tub. as it will have the bacteria in it .
Also how long could I keep the rock in the tub before the bacteria die of through lack of food . Would I need to feed the water with flakes etc to keep them feeding on the waste

saltyfilmfolks · Aug 1, 2016

heres the thing. Once it is cycling, it doesnt stop.(save disaster like bleach or bad water) What most are describing are the "symptoms" of a new tank. ie continued die off(or excessive causing longterm Am) and appearance of algaes and bacteria diatoms etc.(ugly phase)
So when you put it in the tank, it doesnt need to cycle again as it never stopped. But you will still have a period of ugly as the bio filter(cycle) comes up to full strength.
the bacteria will survive for years btw on micro nutrients(bagged sand). When you see ammoina dont wc, the bacteria need that for food, and its the indicator of the cycle working.

let it cook in the tub. rinse the heck out of it in new salt or rodi, and put it in the tank. you can add old water but you dont need to. Youd be better served imo adding Prime , stability, bio spira or dr tims to boost the cycle.
then wait, add cuc(bio load) as recommended.

track the Po after the wc's but IMO dont sweat it, and yea you can pull it with gfo. I never have. but I dont know if its old rock or what.

oh And Welcome to reef2reef. your on the right track. Good questions.
Heres some likes.

emu4388 · Aug 1, 2016

Hi again lol
Not sure if I messed things up as I have done two water changes in a week . Every where I was reading says dilution I'd the key lol
So here are my levels today
Phosphate 0.2
Ammonia 0.1
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 5.0
PH 8.3

Just to confirm . I soaked my rock in ro for two days . I then threw away that water and added salt water at 1025
I have then added power heads and heater and a skimmer and it has been 7 days since this .
Would it be wise to feed the water with flakes asap

saltyfilmfolks · Aug 1, 2016

emu4388 said:
Every where I was reading says dilution I'd the key

once its going yes it can be. right now you want the am spike.

imo you dont need need the skimmer and heater(maybe its cold where you are.)
Its going to be a month or so from now that its done.