Have a possibly unique cycling question.

[cracker]

Hello, A brief history. Last summer My ancient 220 sprang a leak so I decided to start all over again with a new tank. Started cooking 160 lbs of old LR July 4th 2016. While waiting I setup a new 180,added sand & 46 lbs of drybase & ghost feed all these months. Just a little bit to get something going. so 3 weeks ago I added the cooked rock & started with a chunk of oyster.Started testing zero am no Nitrites & a tiny bit of Nitrate. (I have exact numbers if Ya want.) more at a time ? I think I had a tiny cycle by feeding all those months. I have no idea what adding a bunch of cooked Lr has changed things.
so do I add a bunch of Am source for a strong cycle,or just keep feeding a little more each time?
I don't want to blow this important stage
I've already waited 8 months so I'm in no hurry at all. Thanks.

 

[jason2459]

8 months? I think you'll be fine.

 

[cracker]

Thanks jason, I'm concerned the cycle had to very small. Any thoughts on how the cooked rock would affect this ?

 

[jason2459]

Thanks jason, I'm concerned the cycle had to very small. Any thoughts on how the cooked rock would affect this ?

I much prefer the term curing the rock as I assume you didn't actually cook it. Many will read cooking live rock and will actually attempt to do so at the expense of their, and their family/pets, health or even life.

DO NOT DO THIS for anyone else reading this

As to how would that rock that's been growing bacteria for the past 8 months effect things? I would assume you would only see beneficial effects from it. From my experience I have been able to get a tank to get it's initial cycle started and going in about 11 weeks with dry sand and dry rock.

 

[jeff williams]

You could always dose ammonia (pure) up to 1 ppm and then start checking ammoni and nitrie levels. Heck why not ammonia is cheap and you will know if your tank is cycled if the ammonia and nitrite are reduced to nitrate in 24 hrs

 

[cracker]

I "cooked" this rock, total dark for over 8 months with water changes every 2 weeks. To clear things up curing means soaking Lr in an open container with water changes. This method is promoting any dead or dying stuff to rot away so to speak. Cooking rock is done in darkened containers. This kills algae and such and forces bacteria the rock to feed on what has built up in the Lr. Please don't boil rock, it can explode And release toxic fumes !
When I started this No3 & Po4 were off the charts. at the end I had No3>1 P04 > o.1

 

[cracker]

Man did I screw up ! tested again last week ) Am, 0 No2 ,0 No3. 3. So I figured it had been thru a lite cycle and was safe to add a fish. A buddy offered me a pair of mated striped clowns. I added these 2 fish Tuesday 4/11. They just hid out for the 1st day . I did see them swimming around the tank. Tried to feed,they ignored. So today unplugged the gyres & tried Mysis . No takers. tested water again to make sure. & damm If There wasn't 0.1 Am in the tank. I managed 2 30 gl water changes today. Any options? So getting these fish out is something I don't want to think about all the work and now the tank will take forever to cycle if I keep changing water to keep AM down to zero ! I can't believe I missed this little thing.