Starting New Tank Cycle In Brute Can

[SigmaVX]

I’ve been running a nano freshwater for years and moved over to salt in the nano about a year ago. Corals are doing well for the most part but it is a harder tank to maintain given the small 9 gallon size.

I’m upgrading to a 32 gallon but the stand seems to be delayed. I was hoping to jump start the cycle process by adding my rock and micro-bacter start solution with the lid on and flow on. Note that when the stand is in I plan to take some of my current live rock to add to the dry rock

Any advice on setting this up and should I give the can an opportunity to breath with the lid off at times? Is ammonia or other additions really needed?

lastly is it ok to add a purple helix during the cure to start seeding the coralline? Assume I need some light for that.

thx

 

[fishface NJ]

Welcome to R2R!!

 

[MnFish1]

I’ve been running a nano freshwater for years and moved over to salt in the nano about a year ago. Corals are doing well for the most part but it is a harder tank to maintain given the small 9 gallon size.

I’m upgrading to a 32 gallon but the stand seems to be delayed. I was hoping to jump start the cycle process by adding my rock and micro-bacter start solution with the lid on and flow on. Note that when the stand is in I plan to take some of my current live rock to add to the dry rock

Any advice on setting this up and should I give the can an opportunity to breath with the lid off at times? Is ammonia or other additions really needed?

lastly is it ok to add a purple helix during the cure to start seeding the coralline? Assume I need some light for that.

thx

1. I would leave the lid 'off' and top off with RODI as needed to keep the Specific Gravity at the level you eventually want to have.
2. If you are going to add bacteria, they need 'food'. You could add a few (very few) pieces of fish food occasionally.
3. The bacteria on the rock will likely be enough to take care of the tank without you doing anything to the 'new dry rock' (Unless you immediately add new fish). My guess is that you could just add the dry rock to your new tank, add the other live rock, add your current fish, etc - and then add a bacterial product (like Fritz) - that allows you to add fish and bacteria at the same time. I.e. I don't think you're going to gain anything by putting the dry rock in the brute can.
4. Coralline algae will not grow in the dark. BUT - clearly, the bottle its contained in is also dark - so I'm not sure whether it would help or not to add it. Probably best to add it when you have the tank set up.
5. Welcome to R2R. Let everyone know how its going. !

 

[SigmaVX]

Thank you for the advise.

 

[Salty Rambler]

Welcome to R2R and good luck with your new tank!

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I’ve been running a nano freshwater for years and moved over to salt in the nano about a year ago. Corals are doing well for the most part but it is a harder tank to maintain given the small 9 gallon size.

I’m upgrading to a 32 gallon but the stand seems to be delayed. I was hoping to jump start the cycle process by adding my rock and micro-bacter start solution with the lid on and flow on. Note that when the stand is in I plan to take some of my current live rock to add to the dry rock

Any advice on setting this up and should I give the can an opportunity to breath with the lid off at times? Is ammonia or other additions really needed?

lastly is it ok to add a purple helix during the cure to start seeding the coralline? Assume I need some light for that.

thx

Welcome!

Glad you joined! My opinion is wait on purple helix to seed coralline until your tank is well settled. It will need the same parameters as other corals, so it may be a waste of money to add early as likely to die. Once you are up a couple of months (some may say sooner, others may say wait longer... lol) then add purple helix. Agree with others let it breath, but many will say let it cycle without lights on. One way or another, you'll get to the other side of new tank Keep us posted on your successes!

 

[ShepherdReefer]

Hello and welcome to the channel.

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[danieyella]

Hello and welcome to r2r, excited to join you on this endeavor. I agree with the others who have posted on the purple helix product, I would wait on that until everything is cycled and you have it in the tank stable & with light. I've gotten mixed feedback on if it even works

 

[SigmaVX]

Welcome!

Glad you joined! My opinion is wait on purple helix to seed coralline until your tank is well settled. It will need the same parameters as other corals, so it may be a waste of money to add early as likely to die. Once you are up a couple of months (some may say sooner, others may say wait longer... lol) then add purple helix. Agree with others let it breath, but many will say let it cycle without lights on. One way or another, you'll get to the other side of new tank Keep us posted on your successes!

Thanks. I think I did jump the gun a little on it. However I do have another tank that’s established so maybe I’ll put it in there for now. Unfortunately that tank has urchins that love eating all algae.

 

[SPR1968]

Hi and welcome to Reef2Reef!