Curious about how long to wait for a cycle

Daniel@R2R · Feb 11, 2013

I've upgraded my 75 gallon reef to a 180. I currently have all of my livestock in a 55 while waiting for the 180 to cycle. I used rock from 3 sources: the live rock from my 75, a bunch of rock that was dry and dead, and then some select pieces from a tank that had been left stagnate and was definitely in the middle of die off (smelled horrible). I am waiting now to see if the tank will cycle before adding any of my live stock. I also used about 180+ lbs of live sand. Any ideas on how long I need to wait to see if a cycle will start? It's been a few days, and I still have no ammonia at all. I'm thinking that because a good bit of the rock was already live and bc the sand was live, maybe I won't have a cycle... Thoughts?

revhtree · Feb 11, 2013

I would give it a few more days. With the smelly rock you are sure to have ammonia. How much of the rock was stinky versus already cycled?

Daniel@R2R · Feb 11, 2013

I think probably about 10-15 lbs of smelly rock (I only pulled a few pieces because of some really cool shapes and shelves) versus about 80 lbs of live and about 100 dry.

Daniel@R2R · Feb 11, 2013

Any thoughts as to how long I should wait before adding livestock?

fragmatic · Feb 11, 2013

Water changes! Until the smell is better. You are basically curing that smelly rock. Then add all the rock you intend to have. When it cycles you are going to want all the rock involved in the cycle action. If you let it cycle then add live much live rock you will kick it into another cycle. After the cycle has occurred, it is about an eco balance, you remove or add something major and you disrupt the balance.

Daniel@R2R · Feb 12, 2013

I think maybe I confused the situation. Let me explain... All of that rock that I listed (10-15lb. smelly rock, 60-80 lb live rock, and 100 lb dry rock) are all in the 180g tank with 180 lb of sand. The water is circulating and heated. The water doesn't smell, and I have no ammonia registering. I put all this stuff in approximately 72 hours ago. I'm trying to figure out how long to wait in order to see if I'm going to have a tank cycle (I understand the stinky rock is cycling, but I'm thinking maybe with that much lr, there will be enough nitrifying bacteria to process the die off without a cycle)... How long should I wait (assuming I still get no ammonia readings) before adding livestock? My livestock is chilling in a 55g until I can add them.

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PaulKreider · Feb 12, 2013

I would just dump some starter bacteria in there.... But since you used some "stinky rock" That could have a huge die off in a few days, like said previously your pretty much curing it all over. If you hadnt used those peices you coulda had it cycled within a few days with the help of a good nitrifiing bacteria starter and a CUC. Now I would probably say wait a week to make sure you dont get a sudden spike from that stank rock.

Daniel@R2R · Feb 12, 2013

Ok. Thanks. I will wait a week to be sure. I had thought about buying some nitrifying bacteria, but since I'm using live rock and sand, I thought that would work as well. Should I buy some anyway?

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