Quantity of LR for cycle

[petersolson]

I will be shortly starting a 75g FOWLR tank. I plan to cycle it with LR from liverocks.com. The question is, how much to start with? I think the overall target is for 120 lbs at the end. Can I start with 40 lbs of LR and 80 lbs of what they call live base rock or some other dry base rock and let the LR seed the base rock? or should I up the quantity of LR? and how long will each option take to cycle?

followup question - i plan to run an Aqua-C Remora protein skimmer. in addition to the LR, do I need another kind of filter while I wait for all the rock to be seeded and fully LR?

Thanks.

 

[quarryshark]

Can I start with 40 lbs of LR and 80 lbs of what they call live base rock or some other dry base rock and let the LR seed the base rock?

That sounds like a great plan and will work fine. They ship the live rock so quickly that it won't take long at all to cycle. If fact to help it along , you may want to add a cocktail shrimp while cycling.

 

[IfoundNemo]

You also need to get atleast 2 PH and a a heater if you haven't done so. I cycled my 75 gal with LR/BR LS/BS and 3 cocktail shrimps. It took only 3 weeks to get the amonia and nitrite reading 0... Good Luck with your cycle process.

 

[petersolson]

Thanks to both of you for your replies. I have planned for three maxijet 1200s and two visitherm heaters. Will i need some additional form of filtration while waiting for all the rock to be live?

 

[gregp]

I hope I don't get blasted for this, but.... what exactly is a cocktail shrimp? Couldn't I just add a fire shrimp or two in the tank for the cycle?

 

[RMPD109]

Cocktail shrimp are shrimp from the local food store. The kind for human consumption. You just need something that will decay and produce ammonia to cycle with. Be careful not to get seasoned shrimp or shrimp with additives.

 

[guitarded]

yeah and don't forget the cocktail sauce!!!

 

[arminkropp]

Won't the LR cycle the tank without the need for shrimp?

 

[RMPD109]

Yes, the LR will as long as there is enough die off for your initial ammonia spike. The shrimp would just give you a good spike.