Reviving Dry (Dead) live rock - API Quick Start

[lyscer]

I am in the process of reviving some dead rock which is a new experience to me so I wanted to reach out for some help. I bleached the rock for 24 hours, rinsed it and let it dry for a week then gave it a muriatic acid bath. I then put the rock into an empty container and filled it with about 30 gallons of salt water. I found a bottle of API - Quick Start and thought I would try that to jumpstart my cycle since I don't have anything living (or dead) to put in it.

I tested the water after 24 hours with an API test kit and found:

Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

I did a partial water change of like 8ish gallons around the 24 hour mark.

I then tested after 48 hours and found:
Ammonia: 0.25ppm (the color was in between the 0.25ppm and 0ppm)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

It has been so long since I have cycled a tank - I don't think it is possible to cycle the rock this fast - but I don't know. Should I leave it in the bin for a week and see what happens? I don't think that anything can change because I'm not adding any more of a bioload. So should I buy a damsel to throw in the bin to help "finalize" the cycle? this rock/water will ultimately go in a setup that I am planning on putting in place in a couple of weeks. I am in no means in a hurry and can wait, but am not sure what to do with the cycle since I have never used this stuff before.

Thanks

 

[Reefing Madness]

Don't throw any fish in there. Your cycle is far from complete. Until your Ammonia is 0 and Nitrates are down under 40. But you need to keep adding an ammonia source to the water until cycle is complete. Just addin it once will get it started, but it won't be enough to sustain much, and liable to start a mini cycle with the first fish added.

 

[lyscer]

So after a bunch of research I think I have found that I should not have done the water change. I added some more of the Quick Start (Bacteria in a bottle) and am going to test the water params again later today and then again on Friday to see what's happening. If the water starts to get cloudy I may skim. I currently have a bunch of flow and a heater in the bin so I think that those 2 items are good.

 

[Reefing Madness]

 

[saltyphish]

You also may not have enough of an ammonia source to get a good cycle going.

I am in the process of reviving some dead rock which is a new experience to me so I wanted to reach out for some help. I bleached the rock for 24 hours, rinsed it and let it dry for a week then gave it a muriatic acid bath. I then put the rock into an empty container and filled it with about 30 gallons of salt water. I found a bottle of API - Quick Start and thought I would try that to jumpstart my cycle since I don't have anything living (or dead) to put in it.

I tested the water after 24 hours with an API test kit and found:

Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

I did a partial water change of like 8ish gallons around the 24 hour mark.

I then tested after 48 hours and found:
Ammonia: 0.25ppm (the color was in between the 0.25ppm and 0ppm)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

It has been so long since I have cycled a tank - I don't think it is possible to cycle the rock this fast - but I don't know. Should I leave it in the bin for a week and see what happens? I don't think that anything can change because I'm not adding any more of a bioload. So should I buy a damsel to throw in the bin to help "finalize" the cycle? this rock/water will ultimately go in a setup that I am planning on putting in place in a couple of weeks. I am in no means in a hurry and can wait, but am not sure what to do with the cycle since I have never used this stuff before.

Thanks

 

[lyscer]

You also may not have enough of an ammonia source to get a good cycle going.

My Thoughts exactly. That is why I added more of the Quick Start. I am hoping that this helps kick it in gear. I will post the test results either tonight once I do them.

 

[saltyphish]

The bacteria need an ammonia source to feed on. I'm not familiar with that product you are using, but isn't it just a bacteria additive to jumpstart the cycle? If that's the case that does not add ammonia for it to feed on. You need to add a source for the bacteria to feed on such as a piece of raw shrimp, or other fish food. That will get you off to a good cycle.

 

[lyscer]

and the test results are in:

Ammonia: 0.25ppm+ (the color was in between the 0.25ppm and .5ppm)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

I will not change anything (no skimming, lighting, water changes) and will test again on Thursday and see what we find.

 

[glb]

and the test results are in:

Ammonia: 0.25ppm+ (the color was in between the 0.25ppm and .5ppm)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

I will not change anything (no skimming, lighting, water changes) and will test again on Thursday and see what we find.

Those numbers mean you're at the very beginning of the cycle. The bacteria you're adding is different than adding ammonia. Don't add any fish. You can use industrial ammonia (with no surfactants, no bubbles when you shake it) to raise your ammonia level. The bacteria will jumpstart the cycle. Keep adding ammonia daily as long as the tank is cycling.

 

[lyscer]

I tested again because I am really wanting to see an ammonia spike. Here is what I found for day 3 of no water changes.

Ammonia: 0.25ppm (the color was less green today which makes me think ammonia levels are going down)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm (This color seemed a little darker today but not much)

I added 1 pound of live rock that I picked up from the LFS yesterday to try and help the beneficial bacterias along. I am going to be busy for the next couple of days so my next update will probably be on Sunday when I test again.

I just wanted to provide a quick update. Think anything will happen if I don't add a true ammonia source and I just keep adding more of the API - Quick Start liquid?

 

[glb]

I tested again because I am really wanting to see an ammonia spike. Here is what I found for day 3 of no water changes.

Ammonia: 0.25ppm (the color was less green today which makes me think ammonia levels are going down)
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm (This color seemed a little darker today but not much)

I added 1 pound of live rock that I picked up from the LFS yesterday to try and help the beneficial bacterias along. I am going to be busy for the next couple of days so my next update will probably be on Sunday when I test again.

I just wanted to provide a quick update. Think anything will happen if I don't add a true ammonia source and I just keep adding more of the API - Quick Start liquid?

Your cycle will stall without a regular source of ammonia to feed it. The bacterial additives only work if there is ammonia in the tank. I'm pretty sure that API QuickStart is only for freshwater tanks. Biospira or another SW additive would be what you want. But to be clear, the bacteria needs to feed on the ammonia to work. So without ammonia, adding the beneficial bacteria won't do a thing.

 

[lyscer]

Seems like this stuff isn't working as described above. Think DrTim's Aquatics Ammonium chloride - Will give me the ammonia source I need?

 

[lyscer]

I figured it wouldn't hurt so I added the rest of the bottle of API quick start because it says double the dose for saltwater. That was on Thursday. Today my test shows:

Ammonia: .25 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm

So something is slowly happening. I read about Feeding light amounts of food to help as an ammonia source so I added 5 small round food pellets. I can't remember the name but will post it later. I figure the small inverts that came on the live rock I bought will eat some of it (hopefully) and the rest will be a small ammonia source. We will see. I will test again Tuesday. Happy Easter!

 

[lyscer]

I tested the water again today and wanted to post my parameters - we are finally getting somewhere!

Ammonia: .30ppm
Nitrite: .25ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
Salinity: 1.027

So it is a bit high so I am going to just add water to dilute it. I really want my water level to be lower but I don't want to jeopardize the cycle by removing any water yet.

 

[Reefing Madness]

What's high? No reason to mess with anything. Let it runs its course.

 

[lyscer]

Doh! I didn't fully type it out. My Salinity is a tad higher than I would like it. I like it to be at 1.025. I did mark the side of the holding tank so I know where the water level should be so I know that it won't get any higher than 1.027. But I completely agree with you that I don't want to mess with anything while it is doing its thing. I will test parameters again on Thursday and will post the results.

 

[lyscer]

Alright, here are my numbers for today:

Ammonia: .5ppm
Nitrite: 1ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm
Salinity: 1.026

It has been so long since I have cycled a tank I think now I just wait for the Ammonia to come down? Tomorrow will mark 2 weeks since I started and I did use a "jumpstart" type cycle and I'm not quite sure what I'm waiting for at this point since I am seeing Nitrates and my Ammonia isn't really spiking and my Nitrites are relatively low. I will test again on Sat and see what the numbers are. Ultimately I plan on cooking this rock for a min of a month. It is currently in a dark room with little light. I just want to make sure I'm not creating a disaster for when I use it.

 

[lyscer]

So I thought I would provide another update. I think that this stuff has finally finished it cycle. I saw my Nitrates peak at 160ppm. My Nitrites peaked at 40ppm. My ammonia then vanished and then over the course of 3-5 days the Nitrates and Nitrites came down. I am going to try and finish up my DIY stand over the next week so hopefully I will put this rock in its new home out of the dark and dreary garage in a couple weeks. yay! Thanks for the input you guys.