The slow approach

[S.SReefer]

Hello,
I've just started my first reefing journey with a 90 litre. I started the on the rock to which I must admit I'm rather happy with my first rockscape. I'm going away for a one week vacation in August- leaving my family member looking after pets already I was worried about my marine.
For the past 4 weeks I had been walking past a empty tank with just rock inside so I decided why am I waiting when I can cycle my rock... right?

Well I got my saltwater in there, pink fuji live sand and now I'm thinking crap, is this even working? The lights are off. The heaters on. I need advice have I made a mistake? Am I wasting my time doing this? Am I wasting my electricity on this?
I'm going to be buying next week a ATO H2Ocean and some cleaning tools.
Please give me advice do I just leave it be and let it do its course for 2 months?? I'd appreciate the honesty and help.

Enjoy the photos

 

[PharmrJohn]

You have made no mistakes at this point. Running with the rock will not hurt a thing. If I were you I would either dose ammonia pure no surfactants (shouldn’t create lasting bubbles if you shake the jug) or a piece of raw shrimp. This will allow the biological filter to establish. This is what is referred to as the cycle.

I understand at least in some parts of Europe it is difficult to get pods, but I strongly recommend adding pods as soon as your nitrogen cycle is established. That combined with dosing live phytoplankton can have a significant impact on your ugly stage and how ugly it gets.

Being in the US I can’t help you with product, but feel free to reach out with questions.

Welcome to R2R. The greatest reefing forum of all time.

Kent

Great answer. Myself, I'm gonna pre-cycle my dry rock in a Brute before I get my tank. Same difference really. Just realize you're gonna have to give the tank some bacteria to start the nitrification process. Tim's One and Only is a good product. And yes to the shrimp. You may have to run some carbon to soak up the smell if it happens. Otherwise keep the light off for about 2.5 months. Let everything stabilize before turning them on. This way you'll have more bacteria on surfaces that will outcompete any (most) algae that wants to grow. Remember, algae is photosynthetic.

Also, Greetings and Welcome to our collective obsession!!!!

 

[Dmmz]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Reef By Steele]

Great answer. Myself, I'm gonna pre-cycle my dry rock in a Brute before I get my tank. Same difference really. Just realize you're gonna have to give the tank some bacteria to start the nitrification process. Tim's One and Only is a good product. And yes to the shrimp. You may have to run some carbon to soak up the smell if it happens. Otherwise keep the light off for about 2.5 months. Let everything stabilize before turning them on. This way you'll have more bacteria on surfaces that will outcompete any (most) algae that wants to grow. Remember, algae is photosynthetic.

Also, Greetings and Welcome to our collective obsession!!!!

Adding bacteria can certainly speed the process, but isn’t necessary.

I do like the pre cycling the rock in a brute. Just make sure you have plenty of flow in it.

 

[AlyciaMarie]

Welcome to our Reefing community! Glad you're here!

Totally agree with everyone else, it'll do it's thing while you're away! Aquascape looks great, by the way. Don't forget to start your build thread so we can all follow along your journey. Link in my signature on how to do that.

 

[PharmrJohn]

Adding bacteria can certainly speed the process, but isn’t necessary.

I do like the pre cycling the rock in a brute. Just make sure you have plenty of flow in it.

May not be. But it can't hurt. I plan on adding at week 1, 8 and 10 during the cycle. I did miss the live sand reference. So, yes, there is a start.

 

[Gman83]

Welcome!

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

Welcome from Camaro Show Corals! We are happy to assist with all your coral needs! We specialize in collector, rare and high end corals but have corals for all budgets!

 

[Goaway]

Welcome to r2r, hopefully you got your answers. As I have always just cycled with live rock and sand.

 

[Jimbhoy13]

Welcome to R2R and the salty world. Lots of knowledgeable and helpful people here who will support and advise you when needed. Looking good so far.
London UK?
You can get the UK banner here: Click Account then “Join User Group”, scroll to the bottom and click on “United Kingdom User Group‘’

 

[shakacuz]

welcome aboard the r2r board. hello from PA!

 

[zheka757]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[DDenny]

 

[elryry]

Welcome! Nice job on the rock work!

 

[X-37B]

Hello,
I've just started my first reefing journey with a 90 litre. I started the on the rock to which I must admit I'm rather happy with my first rockscape. I'm going away for a one week vacation in August- leaving my family member looking after pets already I was worried about my marine.
For the past 4 weeks I had been walking past a empty tank with just rock inside so I decided why am I waiting when I can cycle my rock... right?

Well I got my saltwater in there, pink fuji live sand and now I'm thinking crap, is this even working? The lights are off. The heaters on. I need advice have I made a mistake? Am I wasting my time doing this? Am I wasting my electricity on this?
I'm going to be buying next week a ATO H2Ocean and some cleaning tools.
Please give me advice do I just leave it be and let it do its course for 2 months?? I'd appreciate the honesty and help.

Enjoy the photos

Welcome!
Honesty, well honestly, you should do some more reseaech and get a plan.
You should have an understanding of what it takes to maintain a system before water is put into said system.
You owe it to the fish and corals you are going to keep in said system.
This is not a downer post but I see post after post just like this asking what I should do with basic reefing questions and its sad.

Just my opinion after 30+ in this wonderful hobby.

 

[William Chiavetta]

Hello,
I've just started my first reefing journey with a 90 litre. I started the on the rock to which I must admit I'm rather happy with my first rockscape. I'm going away for a one week vacation in August- leaving my family member looking after pets already I was worried about my marine.
For the past 4 weeks I had been walking past a empty tank with just rock inside so I decided why am I waiting when I can cycle my rock... right?

Well I got my saltwater in there, pink fuji live sand and now I'm thinking crap, is this even working? The lights are off. The heaters on. I need advice have I made a mistake? Am I wasting my time doing this? Am I wasting my electricity on this?
I'm going to be buying next week a ATO H2Ocean and some cleaning tools.
Please give me advice do I just leave it be and let it do its course for 2 months?? I'd appreciate the honesty and help.

Enjoy the photos

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

 

[S.SReefer]

Welcome!
Honesty, well honestly, you should do some more reseaech and get a plan.
You should have an understanding of what it takes to maintain a system before water is put into said system.
You owe it to the fish and corals you are going to keep in said system.
This is not a downer post but I see post after post just like this asking what I should do with basic reefing questions and its sad.

Just my opinion after 30+ in this wonderful hobby.

Thank you for your opinion, I appreciate it.
I'm marinating the rocks. No fish will not be going in here nor any corals. I only asked if I was wasting my time putting water in the tank to start the marinating. But thank you. As soo as I'm back after my holiday I will test and then add my fish in. This post is really about germinating my tank and marinating my rock. No fish will go inside or corals.

Thank you again

 

[tharbin]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Sleeping Giant]

sounds like a good plan, welcome to R2R

 

[S.SReefer]

sounds like a good plan, welcome to R2R

I couldn't wait untill August unfortunately, but it had atleast a few weeks with the rock and water

 

[CoralB]

Welcome !!