Uncured dry rock cycle, am I in for problems?

[Jdgreef24]

So for lack of a situation where I can set up a large build, I pulled everything out of storage and got my pico 7.5 cube up and running. I've never done a dry rock tank so I epoxied a nice aquascape with some white dry rock chunks in the back of the LFS and 5lbs of live sand. It's on cycle day 3 using AquavitroSEED. I plan on adding a small piece of live rock to the HOB and some Chemipure soon and then a ball of chaeto later down the line. However I'm now learning of the Phosphate troubles with uncured dry rock. Am I in for a really tough time getting this tiny guy to stabilize? Any thoughts?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

before you add the gfo, just test the water for po4. even un cycled. FWIW Phosphate "Problems" are overblown IMO. And are often NOT the problem. The harder bit with dry rock is the lack of established bacteria.

 

[Jdgreef24]

I anticipate needing to sparsely maintain the biofilter with an additive. In the past I used microbacter7. I have not dabbled much in anything that helps the reproduction of bacteria like I know the Zeovit type stuff now promotes. I hope that bottle of seed goes a little farther than just starting the cycle.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I anticipate needing to sparsely maintain the biofilter with an additive. In the past I used microbacter7. I have not dabbled much in anything that helps the reproduction of bacteria like I know the Zeovit type stuff now promotes. I hope that bottle of seed goes a little farther than just starting the cycle.

Yea it should be fine. Make additions slowly is the key. Its the extra food and poo that that overwhelm the Bio filter. its generally the bacteria deep in the rock that take time to develop.

 

[brandon429]

agreed

a simple way to see your cycle is that the bac are independent of the curing process for phosphate, two sep events, bac wont be mediated by what happens to the lack of or excess po4 in the rock

the live materials you've input, the sand and the upcoming rubble, w make your tank pass a 1 ppm ammonia digestion test which is the hallmark of a finished cycle

but

the dry surfaces need to be submerged for a time ranging up to 30 days to have bacteria on their critical areas... so you still need to leave the tank w water and those rocks submerged for them to build up a bac community even though you are already filtering the second you added the live rock and live sand to your system

to judge cycle completion, merely wait 30 days in the current status you've mentioned then get to reefing, no testing of any param is required unless you want to know the po4 amnts or you have a gigantic abnormal fish bioloading coming up.

Given any normal stocking, the live sand and the rubble in the back would run the reef, the dry surfaces are above and beyond requirements.

 

[Jdgreef24]

Thanks so much guys. I'm just concerned I'm gunna have to deal with some kind of huge algae breakout or something the way people intensely suggest to cure your rock.

 

[Husker]

before you add the gfo, just test the water for po4. even un cycled. FWIW Phosphate "Problems" are overblown IMO. And are often NOT the problem. The harder bit with dry rock is the lack of established bacteria.

Agreed. I was having algae problems for a while in my newly established tank. I set up a GFO reactor and stripped phosphate, only to kill most of my coral. Then, I tried to control it more with lanthanum chloride dosing. However, the main reduction of algae in my tank seems to be having lots of snails and my kole tang. I don't test for phosphate anymore and I do nothing to reduce is besides a skimmer, a little ball of chaeto, and relatively infrequent water changes. I imagine my phosphates are quite high, but all my SPS are growing pretty well and have great color.

 

[vertigo01]

I would keep the LR rubble out of the HOB filter, it will only collect detritus and cause more trouble than it's worth.

 

[p7willm]

One plus is that there are no nasty hitch hikers on dry rock.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

One plus is that there are no nasty hitch hikers on dry rock.

but no beneficial hitchhikers either

 

[Jdgreef24]

I plan on a light CuC including an emerald crab and I'm really hoping the chaeto outcompetes before it get's bad. I'll add a live rock to the tank itself and see where parameters are at the two week mark. I've got three nano tank set ups under my belt so I'm not entirely green but I'm still a bit of an aquacondriac lol

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Thanks so much guys. I'm just concerned I'm gunna have to deal with some kind of huge algae breakout or something the way people intensely suggest to cure your rock.

You may notice that no matter the subject there are some who obsess about.

The best way to avoid algae is to not introduce it into the tank and then use CUC if you do.
Po4 nor light "cause algae"
Crazy right?