Progress on my 65g Tank

Discussion in 'New Tank Builds' started by NatalieMadison, Mar 13, 2017.

  1. image.jpg Yay! Got the tank leak tested, cleaned up, and stand repainted. My hubby added a 2nd door for easier reach through in the cabinet in case I choose to change systems. I'll be running a Fluval canister initially. I'm curious to see how that goes.

    I got the dry rock in and spent all day selecting, placing, and attaching pieces.

    I decided on pukani from BRS for the bulk of the rock. Took me a while to find the right drill bit to work through the rock without chiseling it in half. :p I used tonga shelf and a couple pieces of branching tonga. Acrylic rods hold the main structure together. There are a couple of pieces of well scrubbed live rock in there too. I'm hoping to hold onto a bit of that corraline.

    Now to let the dry rock cure for a few weeks. Patience is not my strength.o_O

    What are your preferred methods, temp, and water change routines for curing dry rock?
     
  2. Botheboss

    Botheboss Director-At Large

    Nice aquascape
     
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  3. Kim

    Kim Secretary Staff Member

    Hiya,

    I'd just let it go if you're trying to cycle the tank. You could put a pinch of food in the tank to help it cycle. Temp, to where you want it, water changes after cycle. Oh, and yeah, love the aquascpaing.
     
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  4. Thank you Bo!
     
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  5. Thank you!
     
  6. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    Wow! I like that 'scape!

    If you would like I can bring my bottle of ammonia. 1-2 drops per gallon, or what I do is just add it and check until I get the ammonnia level up to about 2.0-3.0. Then sit back and monitor ammonia. When ammonia starts to drop, start monitoring NO2 and when it drops to zero check nitrate and do a water change. I wouldn't do a water change before then if it was me.

    Food or shrimp will work but is kind of skanky/stinky. :D
     
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  7. Botheboss

    Botheboss Director-At Large

    What kind of ammonia are you using
     
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  8. I have a sensitive sniffer. Not so stanky would be better. I would definitely prefer to add ammonia. :confused:

    And is there anything different I should do for dry rock versus live rock? Mine came with a mummified eel. :eek:

    And what about temperature? Slightly higher than normal tank conditions?
     
  9. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    Remove the mummified eel if you can, would add to the stanky. Nothing different with live rock in there. Hopefully will speed up the cycle. I would run the temp you intend to keep the tank. I understand people think it will speed up the cycle but I've never seen anything to support that. It also makes sense to me to culture the species of bacteria that will thrive under the conditions the tank will be in the future. Why select for bacteria that thrive in warmer water and then run the temp at a different temp?
     
  10. Very good point! (And I removed the eel and as much loose debris as possible. ;). )

    Next question...while letting this rock clean itself and begin the cycle, should I run the Fluval filtration or wait a few weeks...let it perc...do a massive water change and then start filtration and cycling in earnest?

    The Fluval canisters add a bit to the cost if I'm discarding canisters back to back. I do have a small overflow for use in my quarantine tank that I could use initially with inexpensive pad filtration the first couple weeks if filtration is needed.

    My understanding is that the first 4 weeks of curing the rock is really just about circulation, warmth, and breeding good bacteria. Correct?
     
  11. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    No experience with canister filters so I really don't know, maybe someone else knows more about them. I didn't run my skimmer, I just used filter socks to catch any big stuff.

    I really wouldn't call what you're doing as curing rock but cycling a tank. Curing to me is bathing in muriatic acid, rinsing and cycling the rock in tubs or trash cans. I've done that too. Agree circulation, flow and patience is all you need right now. The bacteria are there in your live rock. They just need some time reproduce.
     
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  12. Should I treat with vinegar or seaklear for a few days to really clean the rock and remove po4 or just proceed on into the soak and cycle stage?
     
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  13. huntindoc

    huntindoc RRMAS BOD Membership Director Staff Member

    Good question. I just soaked mine in RO/DI for about a week and then tested the water for phosphate. Since it was negative I didn't do anything else. You would not want to do anything to the live rock or you would kill the bacteria on it.
     
  14. frankinswine1

    frankinswine1 Plankton

    I've got about half a bottle of Macrobacter that I used to help cycle my 65 gallon, if I can make it to the meeting I'll bring it and you can have whats left. Should be about enough to help establish your bio-filter and speed up the cycle a little. I didn't filter, run lights or skim initially, just water changes about every two weeks. It did take longer than when I cycled with live rock, but its not too bad. Mine was about 90% dead rock and about 10% live rock, took about 6 weeks for nitrates to run there course. In my tank that's what took the longest, ammonia was down quick, but the nitrite/nitrate took a long time(maybe I was just ready to get started).
     
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  15. Thank you! I would appreciate that.

    I'd love to pick brains on how to get this tank going, step by step. I'm afraid I may be missing steps. ;)
     
  16. LJC6780

    LJC6780 Grouper

    So how's it going? What did you decide to do?
     
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  17. I'm on my second week of soaking. I used the water change water from my 29g and piled extra live rock (not part of the scape) in there to get things going. I have stabilized the temp.

    This weekend I'm going to do a massive water change after a torrential hurricane water flow session to remove any remaining loose debris.

    Then I'll add live sand, clean saltwater, and a decent amount of water from my 29g weekly water change. I'll get the cycle started in earnest and add the cleanup crew and see how things test out.
     
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  18. fattytwobyfour

    fattytwobyfour Grouper

    I like that aqua scape. I've got a similar design in my 93 gallon, but I've got the front middle of the arch turned towards the front left corner. I think that angle works better in a cube and makes it look more interesting. Just throwing that out there. I think it looks good the way it is though.
     
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  19. Thank you!
    I tried to turn it, because I like the art element of breaking the scene into thirds and Not centering the focal, but this 65 is too small. ;). I kept hitting the glass. Wish I could squeeze a 120 or larger into this space. :p

    It does have a left edge forward and right edge pushed back. I love the way it looks from the front door.
     
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  20. fattytwobyfour

    fattytwobyfour Grouper

    Yeah, I can see where it would hang up on the sides. But you are right about the tanks being an art element. I think it's part of why I'm drawn to this hobby. A tank is no different than a canvas hanging on a gallery wall.
     
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