Dry Rock

[tidal_waters]

OK, so I have had the 75 gallon with a 25 gallon sump up and running now for a month now and I'm hoping to get some assistance about cycling dry rock times.

I have 60lbs of dry rock in the main display with 60lbs of new sand. I have another 25lbs of rock from my solana in the sump. The pumps have been running for one months time. The skimmer has been running for 9 days, and last friday I had placed in a few Chromis.

I have been using Seachem Stabilizer in the tank for 9 days as well.

So far, I have yet to see any ammonia spike, and nitrates and nitrites are at a minimum. I was gone away for the first two weeks of the tank running. for the last two weeks i have noticed the following occurrences in my tank

1) a thin brown layer of algae film covered 85% of the tank
2) that died off and cleaned up
3) now I have little tuffs of green hair algae.

So for anyone else that had used dry rock in a new tank with new sand, how long did it take to cycle?

[naesco]

Originally Posted by tidal_waters

OK, so I have had the 75 gallon with a 25 gallon sump up and running now for a month now and I'm hoping to get some assistance about cycling dry rock times.

I have 60lbs of dry rock in the main display with 60lbs of new sand. I have another 25lbs of rock from my solana in the sump. The pumps have been running for one months time. The skimmer has been running for 9 days, and last friday I had placed in a few Chromis.

I have been using Seachem Stabilizer in the tank for 9 days as well.

So far, I have yet to see any ammonia spike, and nitrates and nitrites are at a minimum. I was gone away for the first two weeks of the tank running. for the last two weeks i have noticed the following occurrences in my tank

1) a thin brown layer of algae film covered 85% of the tank
2) that died off and cleaned up
3) now I have little tuffs of green hair algae.

So for anyone else that had used dry rock in a new tank with new sand, how long did it take to cycle?

Umm
Why did you put the chromis in the tank?

[tidal_waters]

Thanks Naesco,

Please don't ask a question with a question. I didn't ask about ethics.

[SAMSHUNG]

Using 50/50 base rock/live rock, it took me about a month to cycle. Took about 6 months to cover the base rock with coralline, dusters, and pods. Hope those Chromis are doing fine.

[tidal_waters]

Thank you, did you add anything to the tank like the seachem or is this stuff just a gimic.

The chromis are doing just fine, thanks for asking

[SAMSHUNG]

Yeah I dosed half a bottle of Purple Up using their recommendations but I think that product is a gimmick as well. I think I also dumped in some/lots (can't remember) of Hagen Cycle. Dunno if either product was really needed.
Guess I was a bit wet behind the ears when I started the SW hobby.

[tidal_waters]

Thanks again

[Rogue951]

I do not believe purple up to be a gimick. When I Was dosing I noticed a huge increase in coraline growth. that being said steady constant kalk water dosing works too. and cheaper.

[Rbacchiega]

personally I love Seachem Stability...some say it's snake oil, but I've had nothing but success in setting up a tank quickly with it. You'll need to "seed" dry rock, which is essentially what the Stability has done. What you witnessed was a diatom outbreak and now seeing some hair algae...all normal stages in cycling a tank.

[tidal_waters]

Thanks Rogue & Rbacchiega!