Cycling tank confusion

[Kaimana969]

I'm a bit confused regarding the process of curing rock/cycling the tank. Is it correct that I can cycle the tank at the same time I'm curing the rock? My intention was to cure the rock in a large barrel in the garage so I didn't get the smell in my house. So after I cure the rock, I aquascape, then I fill it with salt water and THEN I start cycling the tank? Why would someone want to cure their rock in the tank? Does it save time? But what about the smell in their house?

[ca1ore]

Your confusion probably stems from the imprecise use of the terms. Back when the vast majority of live rock came in fresh from the ocean, it was necessary to 'cure' it of all the dead and decaying organisms that didn't survive the trip. This was a grubby and smelly process and best done in vats in the garage (assuming proper temperatures). Today, most rock is either dry or aqua farmed, and doesn't really need to be cured. Dry rock may benefit from a FW soak, but I'd not view this a curing. Cycling is the process of building up adequate populations of bacteria for the tanks bio-filter. Dry rock has no bacteria so requires starting from scratch; live rock may give you a head start.

[mcgyvr]

+1.. yep..

If you have already cured your rock then you will probably have little to no cycle assuming its transferred right into the new saltwater..

[Kaimana969]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

Your confusion probably stems from the imprecise use of the terms. Back when the vast majority of live rock came in fresh from the ocean, it was necessary to 'cure' it of all the dead and decaying organisms that didn't survive the trip. This was a grubby and smelly process and best done in vats in the garage (assuming proper temperatures). Today, most rock is either dry or aqua farmed, and doesn't really need to be cured. Dry rock may benefit from a FW soak, but I'd not view this a curing. Cycling is the process of building up adequate populations of bacteria for the tanks bio-filter. Dry rock has no bacteria so requires starting from scratch; live rock may give you a head start.

So you're saying that I don't need to cure Pukani dry rock? Just soak it in freshwater, place it in my tank and start to cycle? Same with Reef Rock 2.1 from Bulk Reef Supply?

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Kaimana969

So you're saying that I don't need to cure Pukani dry rock? Just soak it in freshwater, place it in my tank and start to cycle? Same with Reef Rock 2.1 from Bulk Reef Supply?

I absolutely would not cure them by themselves if I was cycling a tank..

[Kaimana969]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

I absolutely would not cure them by themselves if I was cycling a tank..

Ok, now I'm really confused. So I should cure the Pukani rock or Reef Ready 2.1 (depending on what I get) with a live rock?

[Kaimana969]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

Your confusion probably stems from the imprecise use of the terms. Back when the vast majority of live rock came in fresh from the ocean, it was necessary to 'cure' it of all the dead and decaying organisms that didn't survive the trip. This was a grubby and smelly process and best done in vats in the garage (assuming proper temperatures). Today, most rock is either dry or aqua farmed, and doesn't really need to be cured. Dry rock may benefit from a FW soak, but I'd not view this a curing. Cycling is the process of building up adequate populations of bacteria for the tanks bio-filter. Dry rock has no bacteria so requires starting from scratch; live rock may give you a head start.

I understand that curing is killing off all bad stuff off of the rock and cycling is building up good bacteria. However Neptune Aquatics told me just to place the rock straight into the tank and start to cycle, without curing first. Isn't that asking for trouble?

[mcgyvr]

Again.. I would simply put the rock right into the tank and start the cycling process..
I would not cure the rock by itself with a new setup..

[sde1500]

Originally Posted by Kaimana969

I understand that curing is killing off all bad stuff off of the rock and cycling is building up good bacteria. However Neptune Aquatics told me just to place the rock straight into the tank and start to cycle, without curing first. Isn't that asking for trouble?

What trouble? The rock is dry, there is nothing but maybe a little dust on it. Aquascape it how you want your tank to look, then fill it up with water and go. Thats all. If your tank is all ready to go, then just go. If you maybe don't have the tank set up yet, but have the rock, then sure why not, toss them in a brute can, fill with saltwater, and add some ammonia or bacteria product. But that is in no way needed.

[JUNBUG361]

Agree with both mcgyvr & ca1ore. Wake up in the morning with ocean smell & when you get home from work. Grab some corona & your at the beach

[sde1500]

Originally Posted by JUNBUG361

Grab some corona & your at the beach

Or you know, some actually good beer

[LX20000]

Either works.....

1. If you cure your rock in the garage in a vat, there will be tons of die off in the vats, a ton of ammonia created, and this ammonia will fuel a growth in nitrogen cycle bacteria that will live in/on the rock.

2. You can put the rock right into the tank, let the die off occur there, and then this case, everything that happened in step one in the vat, now happens in your tank

So if you do step one, you might leave the rock out there two weeks. Then when you bring it inside into the tank, you might have continued cycling from further die off, or you might introduce some food to decay and make ammonia, or add ammonia directly to continue the creation of beneficial bacteria. This might take 2-3 more weeks.

So... do 1 and 2, maybe takes 5 weeks, 2 in vat, 3 in tank

Do only 2, it takes 5 weeks since you will have many weeks of die off in the tank, and you'll need to sit around waiting for a large amount of ammonia to be converted in the tank.

So... same diff. As Mcgyvr mentioned, most live rock you buy at stores does not have a crap ton of stuff to die off, so you often don't need to do the vat, hoping to avoid a stinky house. So just start in the tank. Think 3-5 weeks.

BOTTOM LINE... you have a bunch of stuff to die off, make ammonia and other organics, will need a bunch of time for bacteria to convert ammonia/nitrites to nitrate. Pay me now or pay me later.

[Potatohead]

No point in curing dry rock, if you don't add an ammonia source with it you would quite literally just be wasting time anyway.

[Diana A]

+1 ^ with LX22000

With Reef Ready rock it needs to cycle but there is no die off.

[vhuang168]

Neptune Aquatics in San Jose? If so, look to joining Bay Area Reefers club.

If you are using dry dead rock, you don't have to 'cure' it. If you still want to stick them in a barrel for a few weeks, throw some food in there and that will start the cycle and give you a head start.

Or you can just aquascape in the tank, fill it with NSW and start the cycle from there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nursedude]

So this is what I did. I used half Bulk Reef Supply dry rock. I knew this was most likely mined and void of any dead biological material e.g. dead bacteria, dead sponges, dead algae. It has nothing to produce ammonia.

I used Pukani dried Rock with the BRS rock; because, I knew it had the dead organics I need to start a nitrogen cycle i.e. ammonia. The ammonia would promote nitrifying bacteria that would seed the BRS rock with bacteria.

Later I added Biospira, while the rock was cycling, to seed more nitrifying bacteria.

[Kaimana969]

OK so you're saying that I can take the Pukani rock, put it directly in my tank and allow my tank to start to cycle without worrying about the smell of die off? Then I do a 100% water change in my tank is cycled? And my rock is all ready to go?

I have read all the sticky posts on preparing rock and cycling an tank. And watched the videos from BRS. But there are so many different opinions on what to do.

[Fish finder]

There will be no smell because the rock isn't covered in dead stuff. Just start the cycle, and some bacteria for a jump start

[Salty Waffles]

What about the issue of phosphate leaching from the dry Pukani?

I'm in the setup phase as well and have 125 lbs of Pukani I have been preparing to "cure" in order to leech out the phosphate. From the reading I've done on the subject I was under the impression this was the way to avoid high amounts phosphate in the system while it is cycling, thus minimizing nuisance algae growth during the tank cycle.

[Diana A]

Originally Posted by Kaimana969

OK so you're saying that I can take the Pukani rock, put it directly in my tank and allow my tank to start to cycle without worrying about the smell of die off? Then I do a 100% water change in my tank is cycled? And my rock is all ready to go?

I have read all the sticky posts on preparing rock and cycling an tank. And watched the videos from BRS. But there are so many different opinions on what to do.

I got this from their site.
"NOTE: This rock does come out of the ocean and may have some dead material on it such as sponges or other critters. We strongly suggest soaking or curing the rock before use in an active aquarium."

This is very good advice. My hat's off to BRS for adding this note. As organisms die and decompose, they release phosphate. I personally would cycle the rock in a trash can.

[Kaimana969]

Ok, thanks for all of this great advice. I think I've got it cleared up in my mind. I'll follow BRS's advice to cure the Pukani in a barrel in the garage to decrease the smell in the house. We don't even have the tank yet, so this will give us a head star. And the husband would flip out about the smell.

[JUNBUG361]

Lol

[McGarnicle]

Originally Posted by Salty Waffles

What about the issue of phosphate leaching from the dry Pukani?

I'm in the setup phase as well and have 125 lbs of Pukani I have been preparing to "cure" in order to leech out the phosphate. From the reading I've done on the subject I was under the impression this was the way to avoid high amounts phosphate in the system while it is cycling, thus minimizing nuisance algae growth during the tank cycle.

This was my concern as well.

I planned on keeping my rock in the garage soaking for about 2 months with heat and a power head, then throw it in my DT for another month just to make sure the phosphates are manageable.

[Kaimana969]

Originally Posted by McGarnicle

This was my concern as well.

I planned on keeping my rock in the garage soaking for about 2 months with heat and a power head, then throw it in my DT for another month just to make sure the phosphates are manageable.

I'm thinking that's a good idea as well. The high level of phosphates had me rethinking my choice for Pukani rock but I just like the look of it too much as well as how easy it appears to aquascape.

[aphinney]

Good read