cycling dry rock.

[peterj]

I got dry rock from brs. I have it in a rubbermaid. Heater powerhead. Added pure ammonia. Its at 2 ppm. Been cycling for about a week. No change. I'm in no rush. Plan on leaving it go for about 10 weeks, even if its ready beforehand. Would there be any benefit going to lfs and buying 20lbs of live rock and adding it to the other rock once the ammonia starts to drop. Would it be beneficial. The lfs is a small place. He has a tank of live rock that looks like its been in there forever. The place dosent do much business. He seems retired and does it for a hobby. I buy my ghost shrimp there. It seems like the fish in his tanks are healthy. Seems like thr sane ones there all the time. But is there some benefits of having live rock "old". Added to newly cycled rock

 

[Sniperhank]

The only benefit from adding already live rock is that it would make the cycle faster since there is already established beneficial bacteria in it.
That in mind, there is also the chance of hitchhikers into your system from the one that is already going, good or bad.

 

[peterj]

Then why does everyone say with saltwater you have to go slow. I cycled my brackish water tank with ammonia and it took 8 weeks. Using 2 canister filters. Was able to stock my tank fully at once. 15 2-3 inch fish. Never had an ammonia spike. All fish healthy. Water parm. 0-0 and nitrates. Can I do that with my soon to be saltwater 105 gallon tank. I have around 100lbs of dry rock cycling. If I leave it go for 10 weeks it should have enough bacteria built up to handle 8-10 fish. Everybody I talk to says you can't do that.

 

[Sniperhank]

You need to go slow so you don't overwhelm the bacteria that is established. It lets things adjust. Even if you used every piece of rock from this guy's tank and threw in 8 fish...you'd end up having an ammonia spike and deaths. If there is one fish, you won't have enough bacteria to consume the waste of 8 fish, you'll have one. From all of my experiences so far, salt isn't as quick and forgiving as fresh is. Hence, go slow. With things being more expensive as well, it saves your pocketbook in the same chunk of advice.
Slow and steady on the cycle with the rock you have and slowly start up your tank. Don't over do it or you'll overwhelm your tank and yourself.

 

[peterj]

I'm in no rush. Just trying to learn and understand. If I'm maintaining 2 ppm ammonia while I'm cycling the rock in the rubbermaid. It should have plenty of bacteria built up. If it at the end of ten weeks can handle 2ppm ammonia in 24 hours. There should be ample bacteria to handle the load.

 

[Sniperhank]

Ample bacteria to slowly add stock to the tank, let the bacteria adjust to what you add, then add another...so on.

 

[peterj]

Just thinking if I cycled this way then only added one fish. I wouldn't have enought waste to maintain the colonies of bacteria that I built up over 10 weeks with ammonia.