Maintaining cycled rock

[b2smoov]

Hello everyone,

I have about 60 or so pounds of dry rock that has finished cycling in a brute can using Dr. Tims. I would like to keep it in the can for another couple of months until I set up my new system. My question is how much ammonia should I add to the can and how often to maintain the bacteria population?

Thanks

 

[lil sumpin]

I’m doing something similar except much less volume. If it’s finished cycling, why add more ammonia?

 

[b2smoov]

I’m doing something similar except much less volume. If it’s finished cycling, why add more ammonia?

I would think the bacteria need a good source to continue to live and multiply. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[lil sumpin]

I don’t add ammonia, I’ve been adding pinches of fish food and using the water change water to do small water changes in my can. I also plan to acquire and add some live rock to start adding diversity to the otherwise sterile cycled rock

 

[Spare time]

Just add some fish food every now and then

 

[Bpones]

Just add some fish food every now and then

I’d agree. A little fish food and some circulation should keep it in good shape.

 

[The_Paradox]

You could literally do nothing and it would be fine as long as the temperatures stayed somewhat sane.

 

[b2smoov]

Just add some fish food every now and then

Wouldn't fish food add phosphates? It seems to me ammonia would be the cleanest way to maintain the population without adding anything else undesirable. I have plenty of ammonia.

 

[Spare time]

Wouldn't fish food add phosphates? It seems to me ammonia would be the cleanest way to maintain the population without adding anything else undesirable. I have plenty of ammonia.

You need some phosphate.

 

[b2smoov]

You could literally do nothing and it would be fine as long as the temperatures stayed somewhat sane.

It's being heated currently to 84 to help speed up bacterially growth. I also have a power head and an air pump. The can is sealed with no light penetration. The bacterial population won't start to die off without a continued food source?

 

[b2smoov]

You need some phosphate.

Why is that? It is only dry rock. No livestock or coral at this time. Just keeping the rock cycled until my upgrade where I will be adding 2+ year old rock and livestock from my current system.

 

[Spare time]

Why is that? It is only dry rock. No livestock or coral at this time. Just keeping the rock cycled until my upgrade where I will be adding 2+ year old rock and livestock from my current system.

Technically the bacteria and other microbes will need some. Personally I would get a cheap light over the rocks to start the algae phases and toss some snails in with it. That way you can get a head start on coralline and what not.

 

[The_Paradox]

It's being heated currently to 84 to help speed up bacterially growth. I also have a power head and an air pump. The can is sealed with no light penetration. The bacterial population won't start to die off without a continued food source?

No. bacteria is insanely hard to kill off. UF did a long term study on this a few years back. In practicum I consolidated tanks down during covid. After 2+ years of nothing other than pumps I still had starfish, pods, bacteria, probably bristle worms in the tank. Cleaned the glass and added 5 fish back into the tank.

 

[b2smoov]

I appreciate everyone's feedback. If I added some fish food every now and again and added a light do you think I could add some pods to start building a copepod population?

 

[Bpones]

I appreciate everyone's feedback. If I added some fish food every now and again and added a light do you think I could add some pods to start building a copepod population?

I’d say yes. No reason not to try.

 

[The_Paradox]

I appreciate everyone's feedback. If I added some fish food every now and again and added a light do you think I could add some pods to start building a copepod population?

You’re going to need to add phyto at least a few times to start. Personally I would not bother. You can build a ridiculous pod population in 1-2 weeks when the time comes.

 

[brandon429]

@b2smoov

before you change anything

would you like to use your planned setup to generate information about reef tank cycling nobody has charted
(cycle starvation proofing after initial establishment)

there's something in particular with your plan that sets your cycle apart from the common. the intended plan can be positioned to prove or disprove something in reefing that sides have battled over for a long time: what can water bacteria do and what can they not do

if we simply change one small detail you're ripe for testing here.

our test won't harm your cycle. that fact is what we'll be testing

reef cycling science articles and data can come from tests like yours, where you're willing to cycle then deliberately fallow test rocks for bacterial ability. most people don't want to go through the wait and cost for an extended wait time cycle test, but your listed plan is exactly one of those tests if modified just right.

 

[b2smoov]

@b2smoov

before you change anything

would you like to use your planned setup to generate information about reef tank cycling nobody has charted
(cycle starvation proofing after initial establishment)

there's something in particular with your plan that sets your cycle apart from the common. the intended plan can be positioned to prove or disprove something in reefing that sides have battled over for a long time: what can water bacteria do and what can they not do

if we simply change one small detail you're ripe for testing here.

our test won't harm your cycle. that fact is what we'll be testing

reef cycling science articles and data can come from tests like yours, where you're willing to cycle then deliberately fallow test rocks for bacterial ability. most people don't want to go through the wait and cost for an extended wait time cycle test, but your listed plan is exactly one of those tests if modified just right.

What sort of tests are you imagining. I'm not entirely against the idea of being a guinea pig. I would imagine the only drawback is that I am planning on upgrading in about two months ( just need to build the stand and get some more sand) so the sample time is relatively short. Also I'm not much of a scientist.

 

[brandon429]

We would first factor what you used to be certain it is cycled

But not feed one single thing for a few months, proving the ability of water bacteria seeded into water to get food even if we don't provide it. That's a big deal in reefing

Millions of dollars of things to prevent bacteria starvation are sold to us annually

But I bet it's a lark I bet they don't starve and you could test that. Simply don't feed, and I bet your original cycle close criterion still works in 60 days, or 600 days.

If your cycle can't pass, you toss in one pinch of ground up fish food and wait ten days then it'll pass.


But I bet they won't starve, due to a series of posts by MSteven1 starting page 98 of Dr. Reefs giant bottle bac testing threads.

MSteven did an even harsher test than yours: he fed nothing and put in no bottle bac

It time- cycled

Not needing to buy things to save our bacteria from perceived harm benefits reefers and balances a market

 

[brandon429]

@Dan_P this is perhaps #1 or #2 on my list of important seneye tests but for a much longer wait period, a year would be great. Just a bubbling bucket of test rocks in someone's room topped off and bubbling, room temp is ok given that timeframe, and stress test it after 12 mos fallow. I predict it'll pass.

Even though getting lucky here with a seneye isn't likely its a fine stand in to know how the first cycle was deemed ready then we'll just run that same assessment at the end of the fallow wait.