Cure and cycle in tub?

Peach02

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Essentially for my new tank I'm thinking of using entirely dry rock apart form a tiny piece to seed Coraline algae. my question:
  1. can I cure and cycle rock inside a container like this one.
  2. If I do it in this one will a sponge filter be adequate for filtration / water flow?
  3. Is a skimmer really nessacary to cure and cycle rock?
  4. Would you recommend using bleach or acid or both to cure the rock or none (I have plenty of time before I get the tank)
  5. Should I cycle the sand with the rock?
  6. Do you think I could fit 50kg of rock in the above mentioned container
  7. Would pellets be enough of a ammonia source to start the cycle and how often should I add them to keep bacteria alive?
 

bluprntguy

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Here’s my take:

1. Yes that container is fine. It’s polypropylene, which is reef safe.
2. No “filtration” necessary. A powerhead for flow is all that is required.
3. No skimmer necessary.
4. I wouldn’t bleach dry rock. Just cure it.
5. I would cycle the rock and just use live or dry sand when you set up the tank.
6. Seems like it would be adequate to accommodate the rock, if my metric to English conversion was correct.
7. Fish pellets work, but IMO it’s easier to use bottled ammonia like Dr. Tim’s since you can calculate a correct dose and target ammonia levels.
 

flsalty

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Is the rock dirty? By that I mean does it have organic stuff on it, like dead algae? If not then you don't really need to cure it. Most commercially available dry rock just needs rinsed off and put directly in the tank. then just cycle it in the tank along with your sand.
 
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Peach02

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Here’s my take:

1. Yes that container is fine. It’s polypropylene, which is reef safe.
2. No “filtration” necessary. A powerhead for flow is all that is required.
3. No skimmer necessary.
4. I wouldn’t bleach dry rock. Just cure it.
5. I would cycle the rock and just use live or dry sand when you set up the tank.
6. Seems like it would be adequate to accommodate the rock, if my metric to English conversion was correct.
7. Fish pellets work, but IMO it’s easier to use bottled ammonia like Dr. Tim’s since you can calculate a correct dose and target ammonia levels.
Ok cool, for the powerhead does it have to be anything fancy or just the cheapest reliable one I can find? I don’t think I get get dr Tim’s in Australia and I have way too many pellets (I got a container for free and only 3 of my fish eat pellets consistently)
 

divewsharks

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Ok cool, for the powerhead does it have to be anything fancy or just the cheapest reliable one I can find? I don’t think I get get dr Tim’s in Australia and I have way too many pellets (I got a container for free and only 3 of my fish eat pellets consistently)
Completely agree with bluprntguy.
Cheapest reliable powerhead will work, however you can also just use whatever you plan to actually put on your main display tank.
Yes you can use any food source to keep the bacteria fed and growing. the Ammonia, just allows you to dial in the exact amount you are adding.
 
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Peach02

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Completely agree with bluprntguy.
Cheapest reliable powerhead will work, however you can also just use whatever you plan to actually put on your main display tank.
Yes you can use any food source to keep the bacteria fed and growing. the Ammonia, just allows you to dial in the exact amount you are adding.
This is probably a stupid question but if I’m using entirely dry rock do I need to seed bacteria? I know I’m going to seed copepods a few months before I get the tank and I’ll put a small rock with coraline in it when I set up the tank
 

divewsharks

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This is probably a stupid question but if I’m using entirely dry rock do I need to seed bacteria? I know I’m going to seed copepods a few months before I get the tank and I’ll put a small rock with coraline in it when I set up the tank
Adding bacteria just speeds up the process. You can just start with rock, water and some food source. Some start with just a piece of raw shrimp, letting it begin to rot in the tank/tub; that will feed and fuel the bacteria growth.
 
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Peach02

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Adding bacteria just speeds up the process. You can just start with rock, water and some food source. Some start with just a piece of raw shrimp, letting it begin to rot in the tank/tub; that will feed and fuel the bacteria growth.
Ok thanks and last question do I have to use a powerhead or could I use a sponge filter instead?
 

Lota Reefer

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Ok cool, for the powerhead does it have to be anything fancy or just the cheapest reliable one I can find? I don’t think I get get dr Tim’s in Australia and I have way too many pellets (I got a container for free and only 3 of my fish eat pellets consistently)

Definitely can get dr Tom's in Oz. All my LFS in brisbane have it...where are you?
 

Lota Reefer

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NSW but tbh I haven't looked for it

All good! It is around though...If you need it. I happen to be cycling a few kgs in a tub too and wondered about dropping in ammonia...I ended up using a little pellets and a week or 2 back zooplankton (cause I had some). Havent measured for ammonia as I figure still 2 to 3 months before using the rock...might check levels closer to that time.
 

IslandLifeReef

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If you are using all dry rock you need to add some bacteria. It has to come from somewhere.


Not true, you don't need to add bacteria, it is in the air. That is where it comes from. If there is a food source, pellets or dead shrimp, you will get the required bacteria.
 

CindyKz

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Not true, you don't need to add bacteria, it is in the air. That is where it comes from. If there is a food source, pellets or dead shrimp, you will get the required bacteria.

That is a new piece of information to me. I have never heard of nitrifying bacteria materializing out of air. May I ask if you have a source for this information?
 

IslandLifeReef

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That is a new piece of information to me. I have never heard of nitrifying bacteria materializing out of air. May I ask if you have a source for this information?

Well, Jeff Goldblum said it best in Jurassic Park, "Life will find a way." If that doesn't suffice, try this from on of the sticky threads on how to cycle an aquarium by @Brew12,

If nitrifying bacteria are everywhere, why are “bacteria in a bottle” products so popular?

Nitrifying bacteria are everywhere so that isn’t the problem. Some bacteria can double their population in 20 minutes. Luck would have it that these tend to be the more poisonous kind. Nitrifying bacteria are relatively slow reproducers and it takes between 8 and 24 hours for them to double their population. If you start with dry rocks it can take a month or two to produce enough bacteria to support even a few small fish. Using bacteria in a bottle instantly provides a larger source of bacteria to speed up the front end of this process.

If that still doesn't work for you, Google fishless cycling and you will find numerous articles that simply have you add ammonia without adding any bottled bacteria. As @Brew12 stated, bottled bacteria do help in speeding up the process, but aren't required.
 

CindyKz

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Well, Jeff Goldblum said it best in Jurassic Park, "Life will find a way." If that doesn't suffice, try this from on of the sticky threads on how to cycle an aquarium by @Brew12,

I generally don't use sci-fi movies to guide my actions, but I will buy @Brew12 's statement that nitrifying bacteria are everywhere. Thank you for posting your source.
 

BeejReef

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+1 bluprntguy

only need to cure nasty used rock. I'd be comfy cycling rock with a little crud and skipping the cure. What diff does it make if you're adding ammonia, shrimp, pellets, or a little dead crud from old rock. U prob don't want to try to cycle rock caked w death cuz it might produce so much ammonia it could derail your cycle.

pretty much any pump or powerhead should do you. If no powerheads yet, just set your return pump or skimmer pump in there. That rock is gonna be packed in there pretty tight.
 

Brew12

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I generally don't use sci-fi movies to guide my actions, but I will buy @Brew12 's statement that nitrifying bacteria are everywhere. Thank you for posting your source.
I'm glad to see you are questioning this. I'm a firm believer that the more we question the more both parties learn. I've learned more when I was an instructor than I ever did as a student. And you shouldn't take my word for it if it doesn't make sense to you imo. Skeptical Reef Keeping is a wonderful thing. ;)

If you would like to do your own research, it may help to do searches based on ammonia oxidizing bacteria(AOB's) instead of nitrifying bacteria. It is the more commonly used term in the scientific community.

Hope you don't mind, but I'm going to link a fairly fun article/advertisement on AOB's. They are the newest yet oldest trend in skin care! :p
 

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