Questions about cycling dry rock + oceandirect + wet live rock rubble

[ReeferHolland]

Hello, Im a little confused about cycling my tank. I'm setting everything up but I dont exactly know the correct steps because of the many cycling options and which steps to follow for my tank.
My tank:
Red sea reefer 200L G2 with sump. Caribsea live rock aquascape in DT (dry with bacteria). Combined with Caribsea Oceandirect sand mixed with AragAlive special grade sand for better grain size. Also some wet live rock rubble from Indonesia, about 1-2kg placed in the sump. Maybe a few very small pieces are added to the DT aquascape for better bacterial spread. I want to prevent hitchhikers and pests as much as possible. Can I do this by only putting the rubble in the sump and keep out of the DT?

So what is the best and most robust way to cycle this exact setup from the start? Should I do fast cycle? Slow cycle? Should I add bacterial additives? Live mud? A shrimp? Ghost feeding? Add ammonium chloride? And then what else...? Should I introduce pods, and when? Any other additives?

I'm aiming for a mixed reef with some LPS and SPS, and a handfull of some easy fish and cleanup crew. I want at least 1 anemone in 6-12 months after startup. But not sure yet.

I know about almost all the ways to cycle, but thats exactly what confuses me the most now. Hope anyone can help me out

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Hello, Im a little confused about cycling my tank. I'm setting everything up but I dont exactly know the correct steps because of the many cycling options and which steps to follow for my tank.
My tank:
Red sea reefer 200L G2 with sump. Caribsea live rock aquascape in DT (dry with bacteria). Combined with Caribsea Oceandirect sand mixed with AragAlive special grade sand for better grain size. Also some wet live rock rubble from Indonesia, about 1-2kg placed in the sump. Maybe a few very small pieces are added to the DT aquascape for better bacterial spread. I want to prevent hitchhikers and pests as much as possible. Can I do this by only putting the rubble in the sump and keep out of the DT?

So what is the best and most robust way to cycle this exact setup from the start? Should I do fast cycle? Slow cycle? Should I add bacterial additives? Live mud? A shrimp? Ghost feeding? Add ammonium chloride? And then what else...? Should I introduce pods, and when? Any other additives?

I'm aiming for a mixed reef with some LPS and SPS, and a handfull of some easy fish and cleanup crew. I want at least 1 anemone in 6-12 months after startup. But not sure yet.

I know about almost all the ways to cycle, but thats exactly what confuses me the most now. Hope anyone can help me out

What I would personally do is cycle the tank with the dry rock first before adding the live rock. This is because high levels of ammonia may kill some of the biodiversity on the live rock since ammonia can be very toxic at high levels

 

[ReeferHolland]

What I would personally do is cycle the tank with the dry rock first before adding the live rock. This is because high levels of ammonia may kill some of the biodiversity on the live rock since ammonia can be very toxic at high levels

Great advice, thanks. So does that mean I get a second smaller cycle when adding the live rock? After how long would you add the live rock? After how long can I add my first fish? And what additives should I introduce to the system when starting my cycle?

Should I also add ceramic filtermedia in the sump for extra surface area? From the beginning?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Great advice, thanks. So does that mean I get a second smaller cycle when adding the live rock? After how long would you add the live rock? After how long can I add my first fish? And what additives should I introduce to the system when starting my cycle?

Should I also add ceramic filtermedia in the sump for extra surface area? From the beginning?

You'd add ammonia only once when you added the dry rock to start the cycle. The live rock already is colonized with bacteria so no need to build up any higher of a population by adding ammonia twice. I'd add the live rock at the end of the cycle or at least close to the end of the cycle. Your first fish can be added as soon as your ammonia and nitrites both reach 0...even if you haven't added the live rock yet (unless there is die-off on the live rock releasing ammonia.) As far as additives go, an ammonia source like Fishless Fuel dosed to 2ppm before adding the bottled bacteria of your choice is sufficient.

You don't really need ceramic filter media usually but I understand why you're asking and it wouldn't hurt.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Keep in mind though, I'd imagine your gonna remove the ceramic filter media after adding the live rock so you'll be removing any bacteria which grew on the ceramic media.

 

[ReeferHolland]

You'd add ammonia only once when you added the dry rock to start the cycle. The live rock already is colonized with bacteria so no need to build up any higher of a population by adding ammonia twice. I'd add the live rock at the end of the cycle or at least close to the end of the cycle. Your first fish can be added as soon as your ammonia and nitrites both reach 0...even if you haven't added the live rock yet (unless there is die-off on the live rock releasing ammonia.) As far as additives go, an ammonia source like Fishless Fuel dosed to 2ppm before adding the bottled bacteria of your choice is sufficient.

You don't really need ceramic filter media usually but I understand why you're asking and it wouldn't hurt.

So now I have a strategy! Any bottled bacteria you'd advice for me?

How do I detect die-off on the rock? With my eyes or by testing? Because if the fish are already in, then I add the live rock with die-off and then ammonia spikes. Should I detect it beforehand?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

So now I have a strategy! Any bottled bacteria you'd advice for me?

How do I detect die-off on the rock? With my eyes or by testing? Because if the fish are already in, then I add the live rock with die-off and then ammonia spikes. Should I detect it beforehand?

Bio-Spira is pretty good stuff...you can usually smell die-off because of the decay but as long as you keep it in water at a good temperature it should be fine. If it smells really bad though that means ammonia is being released.

 

[Steven Garland]

I would get the aquascape you want,and in the sump put the live rock. Easy as pie.