Cycling dry rock

[Novicereefer]

Hey,

Here's my set up - 40 gallon breeder bare bottom with aio drop in kit which is holding a filter sock, heater, bio bricks, dragon breath algae - sps dominant tank with 2 ai prime 16hd on the ends and radion xr 15 g4 in the middle. I wanted to change the rocks in the tank to a sculpture that I purchased but didn't want to mess up the biological filtration in the tank. I was told by my LFS told me that when I do my water change today, take 5 gallons of the 10 gallons I take out and fill up the 5 gallon tank On the bottom with it, dose nitrifying bacteria, drop in a circulation pump and wait.

Did I do this right even though part of the rock is out of the water?

 

[tbrown]

Hey,

Here's my set up - 40 gallon breeder bare bottom with aio drop in kit which is holding a filter sock, heater, bio bricks, dragon breath algae - sps dominant tank with 2 ai prime 16hd on the ends and radion xr 15 g4 in the middle. I wanted to change the rocks in the tank to a sculpture that I purchased but didn't want to mess up the biological filtration in the tank. I was told by my LFS told me that when I do my water change today, take 5 gallons of the 10 gallons I take out and fill up the 5 gallon tank On the bottom with it, dose nitrifying bacteria, drop in a circulation pump and wait.

Did I do this right even though part of the rock is out of the water?

You can cover it with paper towels or a towel or something to keep it wet. The dry part won't populate with bacteria plus if there's anything dead on the dry part it won't be converting to nitrate which will potentially cause an ammonia spike once you add it to the tank later.

If it's man-made rock, it shouldn't matter - it just won't shave the bacteria there.

 

[Novicereefer]

You can cover it with paper towels or a towel or something to keep it wet. The dry part won't populate with bacteria plus if there's anything dead on the dry part it won't be converting to nitrate which will potentially cause an ammonia spike once you add it to the tank later.

If it's man-made rock, it shouldn't matter - it just won't shave the bacteria there.

Thanks! I'll do some wet paper towel with tank water. It's man made rock so I don't have to worry about ammonia.