"Cycling" new tank

[DmitryB]

So my IM 170 has been filled with water for a few days, I just put a raw shrimp into the sump. It is about 70% cured live rock that's been sitting in buckets (some of it was in the ocean before that.) There is some formerly dry Pukani rock (was curing in buckets with ocean rock, and it's leeching phosphates like crazy; right now phosphate is .22), and some dry Marco's shelves. I dropped some frozen food cubes into the tank two days ago, but maybe it wasn't enough to kickstart anything. The basic readings are:

pH 8.6
Nitrate 0.9
Nitrite 4.0
Phosphate 0.22
Ammonia 0

I'll see what the raw shrimp does. (There is currently no live sand in the tank; I'm waiting for Gulf Live Rock to head back out into the ocean to collect some.)

I have not installed a skimmer or UV sterilizer yet. The only filtration currently is one chamber with fiber balls and another chamber with activated carbon.

Now a question: I got some PolypLab blocks for extra filtration in the sump. It's been dry; is this a good time to add it into the sump or let levels stabilize? I'm thinking I should add it now. And do I want to orient the box to be aerobic bacteria or anaerobic bacteria.

I need to get some better photos, but so you get an idea of what the rocks look like.

 

[Fish Fan]

I don't typically like or use any of those bio bricks because at least some have been known to leach heavy metals, and I personally don't think you need *more* biofiltration than your rock and sand in a typical reef tank. That said, I only just yesterday learned that the Polyplabs blocks are said to be 100% ceramic, and will not leach anything. If you have one, and want to use one, you can add it to the system now. In the future, if you ever need to quickly setup a hospital tank, you can pull that fully seeded block and your new tank will basically be instantly cycled.

I would suggest that the block should be in a high-flow, aerobic part of your sump. I am not convinced that such a thin block will create the anoxic environment needed for the anaerobic bacteria that convert nitrate to nitrogen gas to grow.

I wouldn't worry too much about your cycle. It sounds like you used a good portion of real live rock, and once you get that live sand in there you'll be in very good shape.

Good luck!

 

[exnisstech]

Interesting on phosphate and the dry rock. I just started my 100g with 35lbs of gulf live rock after I let the rock soak for a week with flow to remove any die off. I had to dose phosphate and ammonia for nitrate because both were testing zero. I wanted to get them up to match the tank I was moving out of.

 

[Gulf Live Rock]

So my IM 170 has been filled with water for a few days, I just put a raw shrimp into the sump. It is about 70% cured live rock that's been sitting in buckets (some of it was in the ocean before that.) There is some formerly dry Pukani rock (was curing in buckets with ocean rock, and it's leeching phosphates like crazy; right now phosphate is .22), and some dry Marco's shelves. I dropped some frozen food cubes into the tank two days ago, but maybe it wasn't enough to kickstart anything. The basic readings are:

pH 8.6
Nitrate 0.9
Nitrite 4.0
Phosphate 0.22
Ammonia 0

I'll see what the raw shrimp does. (There is currently no live sand in the tank; I'm waiting for Gulf Live Rock to head back out into the ocean to collect some.)

I have not installed a skimmer or UV sterilizer yet. The only filtration currently is one chamber with fiber balls and another chamber with activated carbon.

Now a question: I got some PolypLab blocks for extra filtration in the sump. It's been dry; is this a good time to add it into the sump or let levels stabilize? I'm thinking I should add it now. And do I want to orient the box to be aerobic bacteria or anaerobic bacteria.

I need to get some better photos, but so you get an idea of what the rocks look like.

Doesn't look good for this week my friend. The weather has been terrible. https://marine.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-83.035&lat=28.258

 

[DmitryB]

Doesn't look good for this week my friend. The weather has been terrible. https://marine.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-83.035&lat=28.258

I understand! Be safe!