Pre cycle rock?

[seattlereef]

I've decided to go with a base rock setup and I've got my rock however my tank + stand won't be installed for another 2-3 weeks. I was thinking of "pre cycling" my rock in the garage while I'm waiting. I was thinking of just using RO/DI water with a power head + heater in a brutes trash can's. Has anyone done this before did it help with the time in the initial cycle? Should I be using salt water instead of plain RO/DI water? Seems like allot of salt wasted if I go this route and given I'm just trying to get the decaying matter to go it shouldn't be necessary?

Thanks!

 

[jrgilles]

You want to use salt water. Putting it in RO/DI will kill ALL the bacteria and most likely anything else that is on the rocks.

Heater, powerhead and salt water. No lights. You really just need to put enough water in to cover the rocks and a bit more as a buffer, and the rocks take up a decent amount of volume. Salt use shouldn't be too bad

rob

 

[seattlereef]

Thanks jrgilles but given that the rock is already dead it shouldn't have any bacteria on it yet anyway?

 

[jrgilles]

If it is dead, what are you 'pre-cycling'? There is no cycle if there is no life.

If you want to clean debris off, rodi would be fine, or just put it in your driveway and hose it down with a jet nozzle or a powerwasher.

If you actually want to pre-cycle it, you will want to set it up in salt water with a heater and powerhead and throw in some pieces of live rock to seed it.

If you are just doing it in RO/DI, there will be no cycling. If you do it in saltwater with just dead rock, there will be no cycling. You will have to add in the bacteria. Easiest way to do that is by putting a few pieces of live rock into the garbage can with it (but there are other ways, such as buying some sort of bacteria packet, but I don't really know about those. Maybe a fish, as the bacteria will be in its poop, but that wouldn't be very nice to the fish.)

Anyway, if you want to seed your dead rock to start the cycle, I could trade you a piece of dead for some live rock from my sump or fuge to help you get the bacteria cultures going. Lots of pods too to help you get your copepod population started also. I'm in the seattle central district, you can pm me if interested

 

[jrgilles]

Also, you would want to add some food in for the bacteria to eat. You should ask around or do some research, but things that come to mind:

add a bit of ammonia (to start the NH4->Nitrite->nitrate cycle)

Throw in a piece of shrimp or something, so it can decay and be broken down (will start the same cycle)

Pre-cycling will speed up the time it takes to do the final cycle once you get your tank set up. If the rock is well colonated with bacteria, it might bring it down to a matter of days (I had some rock straight from someones tank. Kept it wet in transport and put in my tank. Tested 3 days later and cycle was already done.)

 

[Peppie]

+ 1 on all the above.
If it were me I would go the dead shrimp route

 

[seattlereef]

Thanks for the info. I'm really trying to avoid adding any live rock (out of a abundance of paranoia of pest hitchhikers). My plan is to utilize Dr Tims one and only to import the bacteria.

 

[mojoreef]

Seattle reef just dont do anything then. Their is no real gain is doing a pre cycle. If you just wait until the tank is done then you can do your rockscaping dry, which will allow you to take your time. Once all in then just fill it with SW and dose in the bacteria, once that is done you should be able to put fish in the next day. If you dont put fish in then make sure you does some ammonia to feed the bacteria.

Mojo

 

[BigAl07]

I'd go the "Deli Shrimp" route and add some "Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter7"

There's a good thread already going about "Cycling Rock" which is a good read over at:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/f36/what-method-do-you-use-cycle-new-tank-61747/index2.html

 

[seattlereef]

Thanks appreciate all the info.