Cycling Dead rock?

[Joeballz]

Lets say instead of me buying live rock i decide to buy dead rock. What does it exactly mean to cycle dead rock? Does it become live rock over time?

 

[Awibrandy]

Yes! Just like cyclin a new tank. If you add 1 small live rock from a friends tank you'll cycle it even faster. If I were to start a new tank that is the way I would go. So much better to avoid all the possible pest that you could end up with when purchasing live rock. Unless of course you know the source of where you are getting the lr, and you trust that person 100%, and they've had the lr for years then go for it...

 

[Joeballz]

how long does it normally take to cycle dead rock? and can i put frags in the tank right away or do i have to wait for it to cycle first?

 

[nanoreefer22]

Depends on the rock you get and how much dead stuff is still left in it.

You have to wait for the tank to go through the entire cycle before you throw frags in there.

 

[Awibrandy]

Depends on the rock you get and how much dead stuff is still left in it.

You have to wait for the tank to go through the entire cycle before you throw frags in there.

DITTO
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The last batch of dead rock I purchased was bone white. I cycled it in a rubbermaid bin with a heater, power head, and a few water changes cause I didn't have a spare protein skimmer to help. It only took me about a month.

Don't rush the process!

NO frags or fish until the rocks have completely cured.​

 

[Joeballz]

when the rocks completely cure how should they look? and should i remove the 3 damsels i have in my tank when i put all the rock in? im gonna get rid of them eventually so i suppose i should get ride of them now?

 

[Awibrandy]

when the rocks completely cure how should they look? and should i remove the 3 damsels i have in my tank when i put all the rock in? im gonna get rid of them eventually so i suppose i should get ride of them now?

The rocks won't really look like much when first cured. Coraline comes after.
Just test the water your curing them in: be sure to add a tiny pinch of food once a week to feed the good bacteria.
Steps are
1) ammonia will raise, then fall to zero.
2)nitrites will raise, then fall to zero.
3) nitrates wiil raise then fall. Once the trates fall below 20 ppm close to zero even better.
Then you can start to add your fish, and soft corals.

If you do not intend on keeping the damsels now is the time to remove them.

 

[Joeballz]

what kinda food? i have frozen cubes i feed my damsels will that work or do i need some liquid? also do you have to add any chemicals to the tank when cycling dead rock?

 

[Joeballz]

bump

 

[Breezp]

you can also take live sand from a pre-established tank (a reputable one) and add that into ur system as well to jump start the cycling process... consider it like planting a seed

 

[Joeballz]

i bought live sand from my local fish store. is that good?

 

[Awibrandy]

Joe, any type of food will do. You only need the tiniest of pinch once or twice a week.

I've never understood the "Live Sand" in a sealed bag thing.lol But since you already bought it, I don't see any harm in using it.

Patience is GOLDEN!

 

[homegrowncichlid]

you can quick cycle your system by seeding it with a small volume of live sand from the beach also. I keep the beach sand in a cup or bowl so I can dump it out after a couple of weeks. (The long island sound is really sandy) Then dose with straight ammonia, (like a cheap household cleaner, that doesn't have any other chemicals) or dump in some food, or clam meat or fish/shrimp meat, or anything that will degrade. Once all the food rots, you're feeding a bacteria bloom in your system. If you turn on your lights, you'll have an algae bloom. About a month later, you're cycled, when the ammonia all converts to nitrates, and then all the nitrates goes down to zero. if you dont have enough rock or a 4-6" DSB, this will take much longer then a month.

Worst case senario, is after a month, you do a total water change, but the sand and rock will be full of bacterial life.

 

[anthony27]

drop a seeder rock in the tank and that will help out alot

 

[Awibrandy]

I'm not so sure on the use of any household cleaner! I know I wouldn't do it.
You can seed with a small amount of sand from another reefer's tank, or a piece of live rock again from another reefer's tank.

Heck you can come out to the Rock, and I will give you some sand out of my tank, as well as some rock out of my sump.