Advice on cycling with LR please! Need to know ASAP

[Laakmann]

I currently have a newly set up 125 gallon that originally I had no intention of putting any LR into. Well, now that I have a 150 gallon tenecor on the way, could I buy 150 pounds of LR, put it in the 125 and cycle it in that tank by putting pieces or prawn into it then when my 150 gallon arrives just place the rocks in the 150 and some of the water so then the tank would cycle in way less time???

I really want to know soon because if so I want to go out and get the LR tomarrow morning, because other wise the next opertunity is in a week and that another week before I can add live stock, please help.

Eric

 

[BreadmanMike]

If the live rock you're purchasing is already cured... there's a pretty good chance that you will not have a cycle as long as you don't go dumping 10 fish in there....

 

[toothman]

I added 120 lbs of live cured rock to my tank. I would recommend curing it in a separate tank. I also agree that cured rock has a greatly reduced cure time however it still has a cycle period.

I put 120 lbs in a 125 gal tank with a tunze and no skimmer, after 1 week the nitrates were 40 ppm and a good bit of nitrite. After 3 weeks the nitrite was 0 and the live rock was added to the main tank. I personally prefer not to add too much nitrate to my main tank.

Alternate suggestions: a skimmer would help, cure the rock in a garbage can.

 

[Laakmann]

I am pretty sure the rocks I am buying are already cured, I want to start my cycle by adding large pieces of food that will break down into ammonia so then the bacteria will colonize the rocks ect ect and finally all thats left is nitrates. I dont exect to have the complete nitrogen cycle happen in the first tank but enough to take care of the ammonia and nitrite is a good enough start for me.

 

[Serioussnaps]

You dont need to add prawns man. Just go get the LR and cycle it in the 120. Put half the water in the new 150 with the LR that is cycled and the substrate. Feed it once or twice with Prawns if you choose, but please be sparing. Let it sit for a couple weeks, but dont go dumping livestock in there. No matter what you do, you cant make this instant, patience is a virtue, but that will definitely speed up the process of cycling in the new 150, just dont go adding angels, acros or anything silly.

 

[Laakmann]

my plan with the prawns is that if I dont have any source of ammonia in the water, any bacteria that eat it will starve and die so shouldnt I have to add it? Anyways, before the LR the tank was still in the process of cycling, it had some nitrates and some nitrite but after it had no nitrite and more nitrate.

I will give anything that needs time the time it deserves but if I why wait if I could do this faster in a different way with the same results?