wrong decision?

[Treefer32]

Wow. I used all BRS dry rock, and acid washed / bleach rock. Cycled in a garbage can for a month maybe two dosing bacteria and hanging filter sock with a whole package of frozen fish food in it. BY the end of the two months the filter sock full of fish food was slimy. I placed the rock in my display, fed it daily every two weeks, measured ammonia and after one month it was fine for fish. I put in 5 fish at once, no issues. then added 2-3 fish every 2-3 weeks.

I'm stuck with a fish I need to get out now, but, other than that no additional cycles or major issues other than some cyano on the sand. That maybe is where the bacteria is residing, I don't know on the sand instead of inside the rocks... I continue to dose bacteria to the water column, and I've gotten two well established rocks from friend's tanks. What else can I do?

 

[TJ's Reef]

Im guessing you had to stain them though? How'd that process go?

Yes, just a little Malachite Green added to easier identify bacteria. I have no idea what strain of bacteria or not educated enough to know anyhow.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Worldwide reefs]

Gotcha, yeah it gets tough because certain ones are gram + and gram - and the staining for each changes so would have to do little further analysis. I love the malachite green idea lol that's creative man!

 

[TJ's Reef]

Wow. I used all BRS dry rock, and acid washed / bleach rock. Cycled in a garbage can for a month maybe two dosing bacteria and hanging filter sock with a whole package of frozen fish food in it. BY the end of the two months the filter sock full of fish food was slimy. I placed the rock in my display, fed it daily every two weeks, measured ammonia and after one month it was fine for fish. I put in 5 fish at once, no issues. then added 2-3 fish every 2-3 weeks.

I'm stuck with a fish I need to get out now, but, other than that no additional cycles or major issues other than some cyano on the sand. That maybe is where the bacteria is residing, I don't know on the sand instead of inside the rocks... I continue to dose bacteria to the water column, and I've gotten two well established rocks from friend's tanks. What else can I do?

I don't know, but after observing many tanks having stability problems over past five or so years one thing has stood out to me in that most were dry/dead rock systems. After dissecting my friends rock have come to a conclusion (right or wrong) that Dry Rock will probably take many many years to be as efficient as Live Rock in fully processing Ammonia for a complete Nitrogen cycle. Obviously WC's and media will help alleive some of the toxic nutrients but I will be sticking to Good 'Ol Live Rock for my systems and take a calculated risk with Hitchhikers. My LR is 15 years or older in current system and who knows how many years on the Reef. It is alive all the way through black/grey and sulpher-like smelling at its core (anaerobic zone where de-nitrafying bacteria reside, the dissected rock was basically sterile/white except for the outside 1/2 " at best. I'd be curious to know how many members here with stability problems used Dry Rock startups, being new to this forum unaware of any off top of my head.

Sorry for Hi-Jacking your thread 3dees

Cheers, Todd

 

[inurocker]

Thank you Todd for answering a question that has been in the back of my mind. After quite a few years out of SW, coming back and seeing so many using dead rock I had my doubts about deep colonization in a short time. I will be going old school with my new tank.:wink:

Ed

 

[match69]

I think acclimation Is really overblown. I have never understood how you can acclimate a fish to different water parameters in an hour or two. imo that is just way too short of time.

I don't have such confidence in my abilities. I have had to read and read some more and then make a choice as to what I thought seemed correct, for the benefit of the creatures I wanted to keep. It isn't acclimatization as such, it is stopping sudden changes in water composition. Fish can get osmotic shock (and a myriad of different effects that no-one really understands) from sudden changes in water parameters. I can only think, this is my personal opinion, that the more time one can give (within reason, obviously, but I think some rather than little) to the fish to assimilate the changes in water composition the better, with less stress to the fish. Perhaps you are correct in that it is more stressful to keep the animal separate under a drip in what would by necessity be (the bag or container from the fish supplier has to have a limiting water amount) a small enclosure. I guess until fish can talk and tell us we will never know.
Mark.

 

[benny z]

I don't know, but after observing many tanks having stability problems over past five or so years one thing has stood out to me in that most were dry/dead rock systems. After dissecting my friends rock have come to a conclusion (right or wrong) that Dry Rock will probably take many many years to be as efficient as Live Rock in fully processing Ammonia for a complete Nitrogen cycle. Obviously WC's and media will help alleive some of the toxic nutrients but I will be sticking to Good 'Ol Live Rock for my systems and take a calculated risk with Hitchhikers. My LR is 15 years or older in current system and who knows how many years on the Reef. It is alive all the way through black/grey and sulpher-like smelling at its core (anaerobic zone where de-nitrafying bacteria reside, the dissected rock was basically sterile/white except for the outside 1/2 " at best. I'd be curious to know how many members here with stability problems used Dry Rock startups, being new to this forum unaware of any off top of my head.

Sorry for Hi-Jacking your thread 3dees

Cheers, Todd

This is all so interesting. And it makes complete sense to me. We need to start a new thread for further discussion.

 

[3dees]

I should have mentioned It before. I use only ro/di and I have 140 lbs of live rock. this a pic when tank was a few weeks old, after cycle.