Cycling Dry Rock

[ReeferReefer]

I am in the planning stages of setting up a new 120 gallon reef tank. I just watched the BRS video on the "4 month cycle" and they mentioned I could start it in a trash can. My tank will likely not be set up for around 4-6 months.

Would it be viable to get the rock asap, get in in a trash can or two with salt water and a pump?

If I want to mature the system and avoid dinos and other NTS problems, does the rock need to be in the tank?

Additionally, once the rock is handling the nitrogen cycle well, would it be wise to give the rock light like you would on a tank? I was hoping we could get through the diatoms and other photosynthetic pests before the rock even hits the tank.

The reason I want to get all that done in trash cans is that I will be transferring the existing corals and fish from my 90g tank and would like the corals to not have to fight off all these blooms.

 

[jabberwock]

There is an important distinction here. Is it dry rock (rock that used to be in the ocean and has dry dead stuff in it), or is it reef saver dry rock (comes from a land based quarry and does not have dry dead stuff in it)?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yes. Cook it in the trashcan. Keep an eye on the no3 and Po4 too. That long in the can and it may starve

 

[lapin]

The sooner the better. Marco rock is free of phosphates, which can be a problem in some dry rock and is best to deal with it out of the tank. If properly cycled you will have rock ready to go.
Avoiding unwanted algae. I wish you luck with this. Stuff will grow on the rock surface unless it is covered with something that hampers its growth. Coraline and coral are most common. In my experience most alage dont like to grow on coraline. Coral blocks out light which algae needs. Diatoms are usually caused by silicates. Those are in the sand as well as rock.
Disclaimer; I have never added light to cycling rock.

 

[Steve_Skullsplitter0]

Yes. Cook it in the trashcan. Keep an eye on the no3 and Po4 too. That long in the can and it may starve

Yes what he said. No light though.

 

[ReeferReefer]

There is an important distinction here. Is it dry rock (rock that used to be in the ocean and has dry dead stuff in it), or is it reef saver dry rock (comes from a land based quarry and does not have dry dead stuff in it)?

It's Pukani rock from another hobbiest, left to dry. I'm pretty sure it came from the ocean but it's dry now.

 

[jabberwock]

It's Pukani rock from another hobbiest, left to dry. I'm pretty sure it came from the ocean but it's dry now.

Yeah, so you definetly need to cook it for a while.

 

[Firemanreefkeeper]

I'm cycling dry rock in a trash can in my garage as we speak for a build I'm doing probably in May to June. Ive done two other tanks for friends this way and they were always good to go. The one I did for 2 months in the can and the other I let it go for almost 6. I will say the 6 month one had zero diatoms and has had no major issues. The 2 month one had some diatoms but not bad. I'd say the longer the better in the can.
After a month or 2 of cycling it how ever you choose, I use Red sea reef mature, I phantom feed it by throwing in a few pellets every couple of days. I also use water from my water changes to change the water from the can. That will keep nitrates down. I also keep the lid on upside down so as the water evaporates it hits the lid then slides back down and drops back in. Salinity stays very stable this way.

 

[ReeferReefer]

I'm cycling dry rock in a trash can in my garage as we speak for a build I'm doing probably in May to June. Ive done two other tanks for friends this way and they were always good to go. The one I did for 2 months in the can and the other I let it go for almost 6. I will say the 6 month one had zero diatoms and has had no major issues. The 2 month one had some diatoms but not bad. I'd say the longer the better in the can.
After a month or 2 of cycling it how ever you choose, I use Red sea reef mature, I phantom feed it by throwing in a few pellets every couple of days. I also use water from my water changes to change the water from the can. That will keep nitrates down. I also keep the lid on upside down so as the water evaporates it hits the lid then slides back down and drops back in. Salinity stays very stable this way.

Sounds like a good plan. I'll probably try to scape the rock while dry, assemble it into pillars and place them into the cans. I am just trying to make this tank transfer as smooth as possible.

 

[Firemanreefkeeper]

I took pictures of my scape then took a rock away and used zip ties to mark them then took another picture. Hopefully I'll be able to reverse the order and use the ziptie marks in the pics to reassemble it in a few months. If not.... I guess I'll rescape as best I can

 

[ReeferReefer]

I took pictures of my scape then took a rock away and used zip ties to mark them then took another picture. Hopefully I'll be able to reverse the order and use the ziptie marks in the pics to reassemble it in a few months. If not.... I guess I'll rescape as best I can

Good idea. I just figured the less time the rock is out of water, the more live it will stay

 

[vetteguy53081]

I take any dry rock I use and after cleaning soak it in a solution of liquid bacteria such as Bacter 8 and seed it with the cultures in the bottle to accelerate bacteria cultures in the pores and rock itself

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Yes for sure get you rock now and get it cooking in an un lit bin of heated saltwater. Seed it and cycle it while you are getting your tank setup. I have been cycling tanks with the WWC/BRS method way before all this hype on a slow cycle started, its nothing new. My current tank was filled with water back in May or June, 2 months no fish, 3 months no light and 4 months until I added a hardy test coral. My rock is live rock from a tank that was broken down and the rock was cooked in the dark for 3 months. I had no algae bloom other than coralline explosion at 5 months. If using dry rock I feel this slow cycle process is even more important to avoid algae issues and maturing the tank for corals.