Cycling w/ Dry Rock Question

[Ceejai777]

Hi everyone, this is my first question here After moving back to Seattle from Cali, I finally set up one of my 28g JBJ nanos about 2 weeks ago. I put my old dry rock in it (from when it was set up in Cali. Tank came down in June) and almost a week later, my Caribsea arragonite sand came. My ammonia was between 1 and 2ppm. I poured the sand in and my tank was really cloudy initially, then cleared up but not all the way. I read that the minerals in the sand can cause this cloudiness that can only be eliminated by water change(s) so I did a 50% water change.
Since I did the water change about 3 days ago, my ammonia has been at 0, nitrite at 0 and I just tested the nitrate and it is somewhere between 5-10ppm.
Do you think the water change eliminated the ammonia and nitrite or is it possible the cycle will start over? Tank has been set up for 13 days as of today.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

I would add a raw deli shrimp and let it rot

I doubt doing the wc hurt anything, with dry rock, I would guess you need to feed the cycle...

See what others think...

Start testing every day & watch for the ammonia to soar then fall to zero, then the nitrites soar & then fall to zero, then the nitrates soar, once this happens, do water changes to get rid of the nitrates - tank cycled

in general it will look something like this...

Start a tank thread & share your tank with us, we Love pics !

 

[Ceejai777]

I would add a raw deli shrimp and let it rot

I doubt doing the wc hurt anything, with dry rock, I would guess you need to feed the cycle...

See what others thing...

Start testing every day & watch for the ammonia to soar then fall to zero, then the nitrites soar & then fall to zero, then the nitrates soar, once this happens, do water changes to get rid of the nitrates - tank cycled

in general it will look something like this...

Start a tank thread & share your tank with us, we Love pics !

Thank you! I am familiar with the typical cycle so this one is kind of strange to me. I had just finished cycling my 2nd tank before we left California and it took 4 weeks total. I was thinking I may need to put something in there. I did want to substitute some of my current rock with live rock. If the ammonia spikes again, will it kill the life in and on the live rock? No coral, just whatever happens to be on the rock...

 

[Ceejai777]

Question: I do not have any shrimp or fish food but I do have a bottle of Zooplanktos-s from Brightwell Aquatics...would this work to introduce ammonia if I added a capful?

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

I doubt a capful would ... go to the local grocery store & tell the deli guy you want to buy one raw shrimp, like 25 cents, just bring it home & drop it in ... would be best

In theory... the zooplanktos may work...

Organic nitrogen may be in the form of a living organism, humus or in the intermediate products of organic matter decomposition

 

[Ceejai777]

I doubt a capful would ... go to the local grocery store & tell the deli guy you want to buy one raw shrimp, like 25 cents, just bring it home & drop it in ... would be best

In theory... the zooplanktos may work...

Organic nitrogen may be in the form of a living organism, humus or in the intermediate products of organic matter decomposition

Ok, sounds good. My main issue is not having a working car. I forgot to get shrimp when I was at the store yesterday. Do you think throwing in some more dry rock would help until I can get to the store to get a shrimp?

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

the ammonia (to start the nitrogen cycle) is created by decay... don't think adding more dry rock would help with this...

maybe some others have some ideas...

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

 

[Ceejai777]

the ammonia (to start the nitrogen cycle) is created by decay... don't think adding more dry rock would help with this...

maybe some others have some ideas...

Even the decay from the die-off on and in the rocks? That is how I cycled my tanks a couple times before but I guess I'm just worried about there being enough ammonia. I added about 12-15 lbs of additional rock. I'll test the water tomorrow to see if it's gone up at all but would definitely appreciate more ideas

 

[Squatch XXL]

If you used clean dry rocks, it will eventually cycle but really should use a kickstart.

I am currently curing about 150lbs of dry rock. I used a few bits of shrimp that were uneaten in my current tank. If you don't have any raw shrimps, there are other ways to kick start the process.

Do you have ANY frozen uncooked unseasoned seafood? A piece of shrimp, crab or even a piece of fish should get it going. I Have also heard of urine being used to start a cycle, but I don't know the volume or amounts...but in theory it would work also.

 

[Ceejai777]

If you used clean dry rocks, it will eventually cycle but really should use a kickstart.

I am currently curing about 150lbs of dry rock. I used a few bits of shrimp that were uneaten in my current tank. If you don't have any raw shrimps, there are other ways to kick start the process.

Do you have ANY frozen uncooked unseasoned seafood? A piece of shrimp, crab or even a piece of fish should get it going. I Have also heard of urine being used to start a cycle, but I don't know the volume or amounts...but in theory it would work also.

I have no seafood:-/ I did not clean my rock after I took it out of my tank or before I put it back in. I took my tank down in May or June...I think May, before I moved back to Seattle. I just let the rocks dry in buckets in my garage and they sat in a blazing hot storage facility (PODS) in SoCal (desert) until I could get everything shipped to me a couple month later.
I have to go to the airport tomorrow but likely won't be able to stop at a store before or after. Worse come to worse, I can get a shrimp next Thursday when I have access to a car and will be shopping. Thanks a lot for your input and advise, you guys!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

When you said Dry Rock, I was thinking like Marco's or BRS Dry Rock (clean) if your rock was LR from your old tank that you just let dry out... it may well have enough organics to get you going sure it will be fine, until you can pick up a raw shrimp, adding it will help feed the cycle.

 

[Ceejai777]

When you said Dry Rock, I was thinking like Marco's or BRS Dry Rock (clean) if your rock was LR from your old tank that you just let dry out... it may well have enough organics to get you going sure it will be fine, until you can pick up a raw shrimp, adding it will help feed the cycle.

I added the extra rocks yesterday and just tested the ammonia a little bit ago and it is still zero. Shouldn't it have gone up SOME?

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

If there was decay from organic material, you should have seen some... may be too clean

 

[Ceejai777]

If there was decay from organic material, you should have seen some... may be too clean

I've never cleaned the rock. I suppose I will just wait until next week to get a shrimp

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

This is a bit of a heavy read... but if interested, it the best I have ever read on cycling a tank & what is going on...

http://reefsanctuary.com/forum/inde...on-cycling-breaking-in-a-new-reef-tank.26180/

 

[Ceejai777]

This is a bit of a heavy read... but if interested, it the best I have ever read on cycling a tank & what is going on...

http://reefsanctuary.com/forum/inde...on-cycling-breaking-in-a-new-reef-tank.26180/

I actually read that about a week ago! Good info. Looks like I'll be able to get a piece of king crab tomorrow and I also found someone with some live rock who is willing to sell me a small amount.

 

[Ceejai777]

Good afternoon, everyone...I just tested my water after putting a raw shrimp in 3 days ago and ammonia is a very light green so i'm assuming very little to zero present. Nitrite is blue but not the light blue shown for 0...more of a medium blue so again, I assume very little to zero present. Nitrate is 0.
Kind of disappointing as I assumed there would be ammonia present by now. How long does it typically take for it to show in the tank after putting a shrimp in?

 

[Adrienne]

You may have missed an ammonia reading if you are not testing daily. In the cycling stage of a tank daily tests are something that really should not be missed and to help you remember make a note of it. I would add another shrimp and then test daily for a week or two. If you have enough beneficial bacteria in the tank to consume any ammonia that a second shrimp will create I would expect the nitrite to rise.

 

[Ceejai777]

You may have missed an ammonia reading if you are not testing daily. In the cycling stage of a tank daily tests are something that really should not be missed and to help you remember make a note of it. I would add another shrimp and then test daily for a week or two. If you have enough beneficial bacteria in the tank to consume any ammonia that a second shrimp will create I would expect the nitrite to rise.

Thank you...I will take your advise. 'Preciate it