Cycling new rock for existing tank

ekandler

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I’m in the process of buying a custom aquascape to put in my 3 year old reef. Tanks doing great and I’ll be replacing all the rock in my system, so I want to ensure I do it properly. I plan to get a trash can, heater and ATO to cycle the new rock in before putting it in my tank.

aside from just following the Dr Tim’s instructions, what can I do to make sure it’s REALLY well cycled. Im desperate to do this without any die off of corals.

i was thinking of letting it sit for 2ish weeks and then adding in some of my existing rock to the trash can to help migrate some bacteria over and let it cure for 6-8 weeks in total. Not sure what to do in the 6-8 week time frame other than let it sit though.

any other suggestions?
 

Timfish

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I hope you're not planning to remove all the existing rock. There's lots of beneficial stuff on it including cryptic sponges. At the very least I'd go ahead and move rock from your system as soon as you put your new rock in saltwater. 8 weeks will get some stuff cultured but it can take quite awhile to grow some of the stuff and if it was my tank I'd be suing a lotof the old stuff. FWIW, bottle bacteria won't hurt anything but less than 2% of the microbial stuff on reefs can be cultured and stuck in a bottle.
 
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ekandler

ekandler

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I recognize nothing I do will be perfect, but my existing rock just doesn’t provide much room for coral, so I’m getting a new aquascape made for me.

I hope you're not planning to remove all the existing rock. There's lots of beneficial stuff on it including cryptic sponges. At the very least I'd go ahead and move rock from your system as soon as you put your new rock in saltwater. 8 weeks will get some stuff cultured but it can take quite awhile to grow some of the stuff and if it was my tank I'd be suing a lotof the old stuff. FWIW, bottle bacteria won't hurt anything but less than 2% of the microbial stuff on reefs can be cultured and stuck in a bottle.
I will be replacing my entire aquascape, I was planning to put as much rock as I can in my sump to help keep transferring that bacteria, but I don’t have room in my tank for my new rock and old rock. That’s why I’m trying to figure out the best plan to cycle my new rock as best as possible before introducing it to my tank and coral.
You could do it the other way round and place chunks of the new rock in the display tank for a week or two?
I have quite a bit of coral, and my current aquascape can’t accommodate it all (the reason I’m getting a new one). Last thing I want is to cycle new rock in my tank with my coral. I have no where else to put my coral, which is why I planned to get a trash can to cycle my new rock and cycle it as best as I can.
 

BillFish Coral Lover

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I recognize nothing I do will be perfect, but my existing rock just doesn’t provide much room for coral, so I’m getting a new aquascape made for me.


I will be replacing my entire aquascape, I was planning to put as much rock as I can in my sump to help keep transferring that bacteria, but I don’t have room in my tank for my new rock and old rock. That’s why I’m trying to figure out the best plan to cycle my new rock as best as possible before introducing it to my tank and coral.

I have quite a bit of coral, and my current aquascape can’t accommodate it all (the reason I’m getting a new one). Last thing I want is to cycle new rock in my tank with my coral. I have no where else to put my coral, which is why I planned to get a trash can to cycle my new rock and cycle it as best as I can.
Agree with Timfish and Arricefe (and you) - cycle new rock as long as possible (four months is way more than double the benefit of two months and with some existing rock with it for diversity and continuity, a small inconvenience in the long run) then keep AS MUCH existing rock as possible in sump for a couple of months after switch (maybe add small fuge with current rock temporarily after switch in display if possible), again, small pain big gain.
Good luck!
 
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