Anyone ever cycle rock outside of an aquarium?

[Victor_C3]

That’s basically what I’m doing with my current build.

I built a 175 gallon plywood tank that will eventually be a sump when I get my display and I filled it with 150 pounds of dry rock and 50 of live rock. I ran lights 12 hours a day, heated it, everything for the first month. I had a bit of a bacterial bloom followed by an algae bloom. About 5 weeks ago I added a cleanup crew and a week later, 4 fish and 4 shrimp now inhabit the sump.

I would add a few more fish if any LFS around me was open, but I’m content to leave things to continue to cycle until my tank is built and delivered in another 2-6 weeks.

By the time water goes into my tank, my rock will have cycled for 3-4 months and I should be about ready to start adding SPS frags.

 

[ramboisreal]

I’m cycling some rock using this method right now. My tank is already established. Didn't want to take the chance of putting the rock in my tank and getting a cycle started.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I saw a BRS video that suggested cycling dry rock outside of an aquarium before you even get the aquarium.

The method described was putting the rock and water in a brute can with a heater, powerhead, ammonia source, and bottled bacteria starter. Then, let the rock cycle for several months in the lightless can until it can be placed fairly live into the display.

Anyone tried something similar? Seen articles or videos about this method?

I've done this a couple of times to get the cycle done. Definitely a time saver.

 

[Robert Binz]

I’m cycling some rock using this method right now. My tank is already established. Didn't want to take the chance of putting the rock in my tank and getting a cycle started.

Yeah that’s what I’m thinking of doing too!

 

[Maxx]

That’s great! Have you done any water changes on the rock?

Also if you remember give an update when you add the rock to your tank!

No, have not done any water changes to the rock.
This was all older, previously used rock that I had dried out, (no longer living) and acid dipped in muriatic acid to burn off the outer layer. This rock was completely dead prior to being put into the Brute can.

The purpose of going through all of this was to get the rock cycled while I was waiting for equipment to arrive and a family vacation to take place....and then the Beerflu happened...

Water changes on the rock container would be only to remove any saturated NO3/PO4, IE "Cooking" the rock. Yes, I realize I used that term in my post, I was wrong and used the wrong terminology.

Typically, "Cooking" rock means leaving it in the dark, while alive, allowing to become bacterial driven (vs photosynthetic) in order to shed NO3/PO4 that has saturated old rock. By giving my rock a muriatic acid bath, I've basically done that by burning off the outer layer of rock.

To be honest, I still think I'll be going through an ugly phase, but the bacteria population should be well established and the tank should be stable pretty quickly.

Hope that all makes sense.

 

[Robertellis30]

Got that going on right now. Have a Rubbermaid container. Saved my water from a couple changes. Even threw some chaeto in there with a light on top. Anything helps! Haha