Dry rock cycle for long time in brute trash can

[Mooser161]

Hey everyone I’m looking for a little advice. I am planing on setting up a new tank early next year but was thinking of getting the rock soon and starting to cycle it in a brute trash can. My question is once I have the rock in the brute with saltwater heater and flow pump along with the bacteria and food source ( I’m thinking a frozen shrimp) how often do I need to 1. Do a water change on the trash can and 2 . How much water do I change out and 3 how often should I plan on adding more food aka a frozen shrimp as it could be sitting in this brute for 6 months . Thank you I appreciate you taking the time to help me out

 

[PotatoPig]

Hey everyone I’m looking for a little advice. I am planing on setting up a new tank early next year but was thinking of getting the rock soon and starting to cycle it in a brute trash can. My question is once I have the rock in the brute with saltwater heater and flow pump along with the bacteria and food source ( I’m thinking a frozen shrimp) how often do I need to 1. Do a water change on the trash can and 2 . How much water do I change out and 3 how often should I plan on adding more food aka a frozen shrimp as it could be sitting in this brute for 6 months . Thank you I appreciate you taking the time to help me out

If you’re starting with dry rock then I wouldn’t attempt to start cycling it until, at the most, one month before you set up your tank. TBH - even a week would probably be fine. For months on end - you’re just going to be paying for heating and salt that you don’t need to spend.

Get the rock, trial aquascapes, then either in-tank cycle it, or maybe pre-cycle a couple pieces in a bucket shortly before you set up.

If the bucket is indoors then you probably don’t need to heat it either, not for this - the bacteria aren’t as sensitive as corals or fish.

A lot of recommendations about rock in brutes are geared around curing wet live rock - where some of the life on it will invariably die during transport so you put the wet rock in a brute for a few days/weeks so all the dead stuff can decompose/get eaten outside the tank rather than inside - for this you do heat because you don’t want all the creatures on it to die.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I see no issue running the rock for months, it can only help it mature.

Water changes are not likely needed, but could be done if there are phosphates detected. There is no need to keep feeding the rock, especially if it is getting any light. You could toss in some live brine shrimp if you want to play around.

 

[Spare time]

I would put a light above the rock (like a cheap par38 bulb) as well as add some coralline algae. Maybe add some bommie reef rock in the mix. I'd just throw some fish food, a bottle of biospira, add a cheap internal filter (so you can add a phosphate remover to prevent phosphates from acccumulating as well as for circulation), and a heater. You could also just use a powerhead and lanthanum chloride to deal with phosphate accumulation.

 

[Smite]

I don't think it's a bad idea at all, you'll have nice mature rock. You'll be able to see if it leaches phosphates ect too during that time. Personally I wouldn't light it but maybe that would work out.

Have you looked into bottled ammonia? It's more accurate than tossing a shrimp in there. Dr Tim's makes some and it's relatively cheap.

I'd only perform a water change if you notice phosphates rising (potentially locked in rocks, even dry marco style rocks can have it) or if the nitrates end up getting vey high.

Honestly, pending room temperature, I'm not even sure you need to heat it? Just a pump that gives enough surface agitation and you'd most likely be good

 

[EricR]

Never done it before but like the idea mentioned of playing around with aquascape first -- like on a cardboard cutout of internal footprint of whatever tank you're planning.

Beyond that, I'd actually think the longer underwater beforehand would be better and might, personally, go for the bacteria + coralline (bottle or scrapings) + some light (even though I know a lot of people like to avoid light).

 

[Mooser161]

Never done it before but like the idea mentioned of playing around with aquascape first -- like on a cardboard cutout of internal footprint of whatever tank you're planning.

Beyond that, I'd actually think the longer underwater beforehand would be better and might, personally, go for the bacteria + coralline (bottle or scrapings) + some light (even though I know a lot of people like to avoid light).

Ya I never thought about adding coraline in that time frame and a cheap light might be somthing I try. I was also thinking about adding a marine pure brick or balls for extra filtration

 

[dangles]

I did this for my build. You’ll kind of have to play it by ear and test it like you would a cycling tank. Ammonia, NO3, PO4 and let those numbers guide your water changes and feeding.

In the end it worked great for me though

 

[Spare time]

Ya I never thought about adding coraline in that time frame and a cheap light might be somthing I try. I was also thinking about adding a marine pure brick or balls for extra filtration

I wouldn't bother with biomedia.

 

[dangles]

Ya I never thought about adding coraline in that time frame and a cheap light might be somthing I try. I was also thinking about adding a marine pure brick or balls for extra filtration

I would definitely not do a light. You won’t have any herbivores or other utilitarian creatures to keep the algae and other photosynthetic uglies under control. I did mine in a blacked out Rubbermaid tub. Zero photosynthetic uglies. The goal is to establish the good bacteria without having to worry about the bad stuff (as much as is possible anyway).

 

[Mooser161]

I would definitely not do a light. You won’t have any herbivores or other utilitarian creatures to keep the algae and other photosynthetic uglies under control. I did mine in a blacked out Rubbermaid tub. Zero photosynthetic uglies. The goal is to establish the good bacteria without having to worry about the bad stuff (as much as is possible anyway).

How long did you have it in the Rubbermaid bin? How did it work out for you? Did you have an ugly stage after you set up your tank? Curious to know what product of bacteria you used? I was thinking microbacter 7
Thanks!

 

[dangles]

How long did you have it in the Rubbermaid bin? How did it work out for you? Did you have an ugly stage after you set up your tank? Curious to know what product of bacteria you used? I was thinking microbacter 7
Thanks!

I had it in the bin for about 3 months. I didn’t use bottled bacteria. Just a couple of mesh bags of rubble that had been in my old tank. I did have a brief spell of diatoms in the new tank but nothing besides that. I also used Tampa Bay Saltwater live gulf sand which I’m sure helped. If you don’t have access to rubble from a friend or a local fish shop, you could order some rubble or sand from TBS or AquaBiomics. Neither are super cheap but VERY worth the money. They’ll do much better than bottled stuff.

If you have no other option but bottles, I’d use either Dr. Tim’s or Fritz Turbo.

 

[jmoneyyy703]

Cycling rock for months or longer is great for maturing. Dont need to change water frequently if at all. You will need to do ATO. I would recommend doing with a light eventually, then toss in CUC/pods. The reason if your able to do this is cycling, maturing, getting through ugly phase, and starting to get that coraline algea growing in preparation.