Cycle Rock before Tank Arrives

[Fish Fan]

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.

@exnisstech nailed it, but since I had all this typed out anyway, here's my reply here

Great reply, you're certainly not wrong

I would add a few thoughts here, in case they may help anyone in the future:

You can build your dry rock aquascape and then cycle the whole thing as described previously in this thread (ie in a dark container with circulation).

If you have a larger tank and your aquascape will not fit into a Brute or similar container, consider building your aquascape in two or three (or more) pieces so they will all fit in your cycling vessel. The benefit here is not only being able to fit the rock in your Brute or whatever container, but they are lighter and easier to place in the tank (consider holding 30 pounds of delicately crafted rock scape over a tank while on a step stool). And, they will be easier to move in and/or out of your tank if need be. Many tanks have a center brace that may need to be worked around.

Thanks again for your reply here

 

[Fish Fan]

Oh, I completely forgot to add that I recently had very good luck adhering wet rocks together. There's more than one way to do this, including using super glue gel and epoxies, and even acrylic or fiberglass rods used for support.

I used regular, non-gel super glue (cyanoacrylate or CA glue) that I got at my local Dollar Store. I also used regular kitchen baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) which acts as a quick-set for the super glue. I adhered all my rocks for my humble 25 gallon, and they have been holding together much better than I would have thought

Here's a pic of my most current tank from back in March, this was started with about 50% totally dead, dry, brand new rock, plus about 50% *dry* rock that had been in my invert QT tank for well over a year (though unlit, so basically still white rocks). I have Tampa Bay Saltwater live rock rubble in one of my rear chambers (my tank is an All-In-One (AIO)), and for almost three months I added some TBS live rock into the display area of this tank, and I let that all "cook" without lights for almost three months:

 

[Crucible_Reefkeeper]

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.

No but It's in a relatively dark room. I was thinking about actually putting a light on it to get some algae growing but I certainly don't want the unsightly stuff!

What's the consensus on that? Light or no light?

 

[Crucible_Reefkeeper]

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.

I want to but in no way is that my strong suit LOL. I see the threads that people have with their rock laid out all nice and formed before it goes in their tank and I'm like man I wish I could do that. Kinda like the cord junkies. I've tried to ziptie my cords and make it look all clean but I fail every time.

 

[exnisstech]

TBH I've built scapes and piled rocks and have never really very happy with any. Once they get coral growing on them they all look good to me. One if my first larger tanks was just a huge pile of rocks but I think it was pretty nice looking pile lol

 

[Crucible_Reefkeeper]

TBH I've built scapes and piled rocks and have never really very happy with any. Once they get coral growing on them they all look good to me. One if my first larger tanks was just a huge pile of rocks but I think it was pretty nice looking pile lol

I have that perspective as well. I do like to see the fishes swim under and through rock scape though and the tank I'm getting will be a peninsula so I think it's a little more important.

 

[Crucible_Reefkeeper]

TBH I've built scapes and piled rocks and have never really very happy with any. Once they get coral growing on them they all look good to me. One if my first larger tanks was just a huge pile of rocks but I think it was pretty nice looking pile lol

Also, love your tangs. Especially the naso.

 

[exnisstech]

Also, love your tangs. Especially the naso.

Thanks. She is my oldest fish of 8+ years and a velvet survivor so she is special to me. I broke that tank down and moved them into an 84x30x25" tank because they started looking cramped.
This is her now.

 

[tedstalcup]

I’ve got 40lb of sand in 2.5 gallon trays plus 3kg of biospheres in mesh bags cycling with a heater and cheap wave maker in a 75g Rubbermaid stock tank right now. Got a blackout cover on it that they make for when people use these as ice baths. I won’t totally avoid cycling when I add a dry rock scape but 3kg of maxspect spheres should kick things off pretty well.

 

[foamboy]

Oh, I completely forgot to add that I recently had very good luck adhering wet rocks together. There's more than one way to do this, including using super glue gel and epoxies, and even acrylic or fiberglass rods used for support.

I used regular, non-gel super glue (cyanoacrylate or CA glue) that I got at my local Dollar Store. I also used regular kitchen baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) which acts as a quick-set for the super glue. I adhered all my rocks for my humble 25 gallon, and they have been holding together much better than I would have thought

Here's a pic of my most current tank from back in March, this was started with about 50% totally dead, dry, brand new rock, plus about 50% *dry* rock that had been in my invert QT tank for well over a year (though unlit, so basically still white rocks). I have Tampa Bay Saltwater live rock rubble in one of my rear chambers (my tank is an All-In-One (AIO)), and for almost three months I added some TBS live rock into the display area of this tank, and I let that all "cook" without lights for almost three months:

The only part I’d change is the baking soda. Super glue is a moisture cure product. So misting it with water will harden it faster.

 

[Fish Fan]

The only part I’d change is the baking soda. Super glue is a moisture cure product. So misting it with water will harden it faster.

The baking soda acts as something of an instant set, it works much faster than just getting the glue wet. It is important to rinse off any extra before adding to the tank, so the baking soda doesn't overly affect the water pH and Alk.

Some use super glue and cotton or even paper towel. It's just a way to get some solids in the bond, which results in a stronger bond than just the super glue alone.

Try it, you'll see!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/c...le-mechanism-and-a-failed-application.956117/
https://aronalpha.net/blog/how-strong-is-super-glue-baking-soda/
https://michael.team/soda/