Cycle Rock before Tank Arrives

[ilovetank]

Does anyone see any issue with putting Marco rock in a Rubbermaid tank and starting the bacterial cycle before my tank arrives then putting it in once it does? Also if that’s fine should I do the sand too ya think?

 

[exnisstech]

I think that would be fine and a good idea. Could do sand as well just put it in a container for easy removal obviously.
EDIT
Make sure and have some flow and maybe heat depending on ambient temps. I've heard higher temps can speed up a cycle but really don't know.

 

[ilovetank]

I think that would be fine and a good idea. Could do sand as well just put it in a container for easy removal obviously.

Oh good thinking!

 

[Fish Fan]

This is a fine idea, and many use the Brute trash cans, which are reef safe, and have a nice lid. Keeping the lid on and the whole thing dark lets the good bacteria grow but not any ugly algae. Higher temps can speed the cycle, as can a lower salinity, but in my opinion it's not worth bothering with that kind of stuff just to save a few days to a week off your cycle. Patients is key in this hobby anyway

I'd get your container or a Brute pail, you'll need saltwater, a heater, and a circulation pump. Add your rocks and a bottle of bacteria, and you'll likely need some ammonium chloride for an initial ammonia source (you may not if your rocks have a lot of organics in them). You can use fish food or even a piece of table shrimp from the seafood market to kick start your cycle, but those methods are somewhat unpredictable, and the shrimp can literally start to stink. I like the ammonium chloride, it's cheap, clean, and you can dose it to an exact level of ammonia.

Good luck with your build!

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I like the idea that way you can hit the ground running!!

 

[ilovetank]

This is a fine idea, and many use the Brute trash cans, which are reef safe, and have a nice lid. Keeping the lid on and the whole thing dark lets the good bacteria grow but not any ugly algae. Higher temps can speed the cycle, as can a lower salinity, but in my opinion it's not worth bothering with that kind of stuff just to save a few days to a week off your cycle. Patients is key in this hobby anyway

I'd get your container or a Brute pail, you'll need saltwater, a heater, and a circulation pump. Add your rocks and a bottle of bacteria, and you'll likely need some ammonium chloride for an initial ammonia source (you may not if your rocks have a lot of organics in them). You can use fish food or even a piece of table shrimp from the seafood market to kick start your cycle, but those methods are somewhat unpredictable, and the shrimp can literally start to stink. I like the ammonium chloride, it's cheap, clean, and you can dose it to an exact level of ammonia.

Good luck with your build!

Ugh I wish I would have thought of the brute trash can! I already have a $100 Rubbermaid one half full lol

 

[Fish Fan]

Ugh I wish I would have thought of the brute trash can! I already have a $100 Rubbermaid one half full lol

N worries! I'd think the Rubbermaid will be fine. Does it have a lid, which isn't required per se, but I think it helps to keep the rocks in the dark.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Ugh I wish I would have thought of the brute trash can! I already have a $100 Rubbermaid one half full lol

It’s always good to have something like this for emergencies anyway!

 

[jonelder68]

I did exactly that! I added my DT aquascape Marco rock with a treasure chest box base live rock from TBS. Requested live rock with no photosynthetic life. Heater, two sponge filters, and kept it dark for 3 months before tank was ready. Feed reef roids or a pinch of flake food every few days. Did it work? Probably but I let nutrients crash and now going through Dino’s

 

[BeanAnimal]

Adding to the other good advice… You don’t need a heater but it may help to speed things along, the circulation pump will add a bit of heat if you want to keep things simple. A loose fitting lid is also fine, but just like a tank you will want to ensure good surface agitation for gas exchange.

 

[TeeSquared1214]

I use a return pump to circulate mine. Then I can hook up a hose to it for water changes. I use the 50ft python hose I already had. Got another return pump to push water out of the sump first and keep the two separate.

 

[Fish Fan]

Adding to the other good advice… You don’t need a heater but it may help to speed things along, the circulation pump will add a bit of heat if you want to keep things simple. A loose fitting lid is also fine, but just like a tank you will want to ensure good surface agitation for gas exchange.

Thank you for your help here! Great point about air exchange when keeping a lid on

Thanks again, BeanAnimal, I always appreciate your help and insight!

 

[jonelder68]

Thank you for your help here! Great point about air exchange when keeping a lid on

Thanks again, BeanAnimal!

It’s mostly the reason I went with sponge filters for introducing some air. Then left one side of the lid not covering a few inches of the bin.

 

[JonoH]

Did the same thing for my tank, cooked it for a month or so before i used it, and used some quick start in it to get the cycle going - plus i also transferred the water from my water change in my other tank to it (idea was to get some bacteria in from a different tank to start this off)

You could also place some live rock in to help populate the dry rock.

 

[Fish Fan]

It’s mostly the reason I went with sponge filters for introducing some air. Then left one side of the lid not covering a few inches of the bin.

I hope you didn't think my reply was criticizing what you did, I think you did it just right, especially including a TBS Treasure Chest

The member I was quoting has been a well respected reef keeper for I'm going to say 20 years now at least, and I think even longer. I remember him from the old ReefCentral days (gasp!). I just wanted to let them know that I for one really appreciate his help here and elsewhere; he's a really knowledgable individual on a lot of subjects, and I believe that R2R is lucky to have him as an active member.

Sorry again, I meant no criticism or disrespect of your post or your methodology for cycling your rock

 

[jonelder68]

I hope you didn't think my reply was criticizing what you did, I think you did it just right, especially including a TBS Treasure Chest

The member I was quoting has been a well respected reef keeper for I'm going to say 20 years now at least, and I think even longer. I remember him from the old ReefCentral days (gasp!). I just wanted to let them know that I for one really appreciate his help here and elsewhere; he's a really knowledgable individual on a lot of subjects, and I believe that R2R is lucky to have him as an active member.

Sorry again, I meant no criticism or disrespect of your post or your methodology for cycling your rock

No not at all! I was just mentioning that was the logic behind the sponge filters as well. Agreeing with bean and you. I tried a power head but it was causing too much salt creep for my likings. Though it was oversized for the small bin.

 

[jonelder68]

No not at all! I was just mentioning that was the logic behind the sponge filters as well. Agreeing with bean and you. I tried a power head but it was causing too much salt creep for my likings. Though it was oversized for the small bin.

Plus I was seeding the sponge filters to be ready for QT tank. Double win

 

[mpatterson42]

One downside is if you like to spend a lot of time on your aquascaping. If you're the kind of person who just stacks rocks and is good to go (and nothing wrong with that!) then it's fine. But if you want to visualize your scape, redo it, break rock apart and glue it together in different ways, then you have a good chance of killing a lot of the bacteria while the rock is out of the water.

 

[Fish Fan]

Plus I was seeding the sponge filters to be ready for QT tank. Double win

Nice! Thanks for your reply and best of luck with your build going forward

 

[exnisstech]

One downside is if you like to spend a lot of time on your aquascaping. If you're the kind of person who just stacks rocks and is good to go (and nothing wrong with that!) then it's fine. But if you want to visualize your scape, redo it, break rock apart and glue it together in different ways, then you have a good chance of killing a lot of the bacteria while the rock is out of the water.

Very true. If the OP does want to build a scape they could do so then placed the structure in a container to start seeding.