Cycling to end with premium live rock, best method?

[BubblesandSqueak]

Did anyone watch the BRS 52 week biome results? I was asking this question early in the thread. Seems the recommendation was no Dr Tim’s and just do live rock for cycling. BRS seems to have added DR Tim’s to every cycle including the live TBS rock and sand?

Any reasons why?

Episode 13: Biome Cycle Results, Grouper, Octopus, Clams, Wins and Missteps on 7 Reef Tanks | 52SE

Ryan brings everyone up to speed with what's been going on with the 7 52 Weeks of Reefing: Second Edition tanks.

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Nazar]

Hi I’ve been cycling my 32 gallon biocube using dr Tim’s method then boosting it with some instant bio spira and now I’ve been cycling over two months I’m a bit tired of it is there any way to finish the cycle? Ph=7.8 ammonia=0 nitrite=5.0 last few days been dropping to 0 ammonia and 0.25 nitrite and after adding a full dose of ammonia chlorine back to 5.0 ppm of nitrite can’t end the cycle.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hi I’ve been cycling my 32 gallon biocube using dr Tim’s method then boosting it with some instant bio spira and now I’ve been cycling over two months I’m a bit tired of it is there any way to finish the cycle? Ph=7.8 ammonia=0 nitrite=5.0 last few days been dropping to 0 ammonia and 0.25 nitrite and after adding a full dose of ammonia chlorine back to 5.0 ppm of nitrite can’t end the cycle.

You're done.

 

[crabgrass]

Put it straight into your awaiting tank. You want to treat it just as you would coral. All the hitchhiker fearmongering is totally unwarranted. Adding live rock is the most fun part of setting up a tank!

Reviving an older thread. Situation:

• 85lbs of cycled Dry rock in tank already (cycled 30 days in a trash can)
• 80's of new CaribSea "Live" Sand, which has been in the tank a week (not truely live, but came with bacteria, etc.)

4 fish have been transferred for a few and they are still alive. Ammonia badge is reading 0. I am planning on transferring a couple more on Friday.

I am getting 15 Lbs of KP Base rock tomorrow. DO I:

a) Drop-em right in?

OR

b) Let them sit in the old cycling-trashcan for a week or so?

My worst fear would be a drop them right in, and see an ammonia spike. However, given that its a small enough size compared, the rest of the tank should be able to process any die-off that would happen. Its also base vs premium.

 

[Midrats]

I'd let them hang out in your rock tub with daily water changes for a week just to be safe. There won't be much decay at all. Give the rocks a swish once in a while.

 

[crabgrass]

I'd let them hang out in your rock tub with daily water changes for a week just to be safe. There won't be much decay at all. Give the rocks a swish once in a while.

Thanks. That answer I wanted is drop them right in, but I think the right answer is give it a week for die-off.

Maybe do a daily 5% water change, with a couple of high salinity dips - and then transfer them to the display after a week?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

So 100 gallon tank. I’d like to do live ocean rock. Was told cycle with base premium later. Can I and what recommendation would be if I cycled a smaller amount of base rock? Would it be feasible to cycle with maybe 40lbs of base then after a couple months move most of it to the sump then add 60lbs of premium to the DT? Then cycle for another month? Or do I really need to cycle the full 100lbs of base? Trying to get minimal due to the cost but just want to end up with all premium in about 2 months. I think the recommendation was there’d be too Much die off from premium but wouldn’t that be better for the ammonia spike? So basically best method for all premium rock in a new aquarium. Thanks for thoughts. (Seems like a waste to place premium in an aquarium that you already need to cycle if you Dr Tim’s, dry rock rock, cyan and other ugly stages after months then premium etc..) even if I could Dr Tim’s to water, sand and marine pure in the sump for a few weeks then straight premium and let it cycle more…?)

I started my 90 gallon with 45 lbs. of base rock, 30 lbs. of live rock, and 2 1/2” of live sand. It’s doing great. You should be fine.

 

[LiverockRocks]

Did anyone watch the BRS 52 week biome results? I was asking this question early in the thread. Seems the recommendation was no Dr Tim’s and just do live rock for cycling. BRS seems to have added DR Tim’s to every cycle including the live TBS rock and sand?

Any reasons why?

Episode 13: Biome Cycle Results, Grouper, Octopus, Clams, Wins and Missteps on 7 Reef Tanks | 52SE

Ryan brings everyone up to speed with what's been going on with the 7 52 Weeks of Reefing: Second Edition tanks.

www.bulkreefsupply.com

Happy New Year!

To sum it up:
-There is no reason to add bottle bacteria to a tank with TBS live rock or sand.
-fresh harvested ocean rock cared for as we do and shipped submerged, should never be cured. It’s not sick.
-treat TBS live rock as you would treat a coral, a hermit crab, a fish, a feather duster, an urchin, a shrimp, or macro algae …because all these life forms are living on and in the rock.
-Healthy ocean live rock requires life support provided by a functioning aquarium. See reasons above.
-1lb per gallon of ocean base rock and 1lb per gallon of ocean sand will cycle an aquarium with no guesswork.
-add premium rock directly to a cycled aquarium.
-premium rock will have the highest % of visible life forms (coral, sponges, tunicates, macro, bivalves), these organisms prefer a stable environment. Curing kills the life forms that you are paying for when purchasing TBS rock.

Lots of misinformation out there about live rock. Email us with specific questions, we are more than happy to help.

Rock on.

 

[d2mini]

Happy New Year!

To sum it up:
-There is no reason to add bottle bacteria to a tank with TBS live rock or sand.
-fresh harvested ocean rock cared for as we do and shipped submerged, should never be cured. It’s not sick.
-treat TBS live rock as you would treat a coral, a hermit crab, a fish, a feather duster, an urchin, a shrimp, or macro algae …because all these life forms are living on and in the rock.
-Healthy ocean live rock requires life support provided by a functioning aquarium. See reasons above.
-1lb per gallon of ocean base rock and 1lb per gallon of ocean sand will cycle an aquarium with no guesswork.
-add premium rock directly to a cycled aquarium.
-premium rock will have the highest % of visible life forms (coral, sponges, tunicates, macro, bivalves), these organisms prefer a stable environment. Curing kills the life forms that you are paying for when purchasing TBS rock.

Lots of misinformation out there about live rock. Email us with specific questions, we are more than happy to help.

Rock on.

This is the way! Listen to @LiverockRocks
All my tanks have been started with TBS rock and sand.
Unbox the rock and sand and place them into your running tank. Enjoy.

 

[Midrats]

Skip the hypersaline dips.

 

[jda]

Any reasons why?

They want to sell it. That is the only reason why. I am sure that you know this, but BRS is not an objective, impartial source for anything - they produce infomercials to sell products.

BTW - the cycle never ends. If it did it would be called a straight line, not a cycle, which is ongoing. When you add bacteria, it will grow for a bit, but then be replaced with direct consumers of nh4 and other fish waste like film algae/bacteria, corals, algae, etc. Ammonia Oxidizing bacteria is now still around, but in lesser numbers. As you add/remove corals, rocks, etc, the next "cycle" in the cyclical nature of things will adjust with AOB and NOB either growing or dying back.