Can I cycle w/o lights?

[Grandfinale03]

I just set up my 65 gallon reef tank. RO/DI water, none of the plummings leaking, and I'm happy! I am going to add aragonite today and seed it from my neighbors 120 gal reef tank. My question is...

If I buy live rock now, will it die if I dont have lights yet? I need to cycle the tank and am going to use live rock from live aquaria (Dr Fosters and Smith premium select fiji)

 

[BurntOutReefer]

you can cycle withour lights

 

[acroporid23]

you can although lights can help

 

[Blown 346]

I would cycle without lights since it will help cut down on the algae problems you will have until the tank mature's and stabilizes.

 

[downlimit]

cycling a tank has nothing to do with your lights, the cycling process is a biological process by which you are creating or cultuing the bacteria that will aid in breaking amonia down to nitrates. Lighhts have nothing to do with that.

 

[DgenR8]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6866625#post6866625 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by downlimit
cycling a tank has nothing to do with your lights, the cycling process is a biological process by which you are creating or cultuing the bacteria that will aid in breaking amonia down to nitrates. Lighhts have nothing to do with that.

Absolutely correct, and Blown has a point about intentionally NOT using lights while cycling to cut down on nuisance algae that would inevitably grow strong in a nutrient rich, well lit tank. The downside to cycling with live rock, in the dark is that there will likely be photosynthetic life on that rock that you WILL want to keep alive. You are going to pay a fair amount of money for your Drs. Foster and Smith premium select fiji, and it's not just bacteria rock that you're paying for. It could very well have small corals in there somewhere, that you don't want to lose. If it's labeled as "premium select" and came without good coralline coverage, I'd be pretty unhappy about it. You should expect coralline coverage, and coralline needs light to stay alive.
The point is, there are two sides to cycling/curing live rock in the dark. You have to decide for yourself what's more important to you.

 

[Serioussnaps]

Make sure you cycle and let tank sit for about 3-6 mos. You wont regret it. Lights----either or----but be patient and let cycle for this time. Use a skimmer, while cylcing too.

 

[ReeferAl]

"Cooking" live rock essentially is extended cycling without lights and it is very popular right now. I "cooked" a bunch of live rock about a year ago for 9 months. After that time there is alot of sponge and tunicate growth on the rock. There were however also some encrusting porites corals that went 9 months without light and were doing fine. They evidently could switch to entirely autotrophic (or is it heterotrophic? I can't keep them straight) metabolism in the absence of light. Those corals are now still alive in my bright tank. The point is, you would be surprised what will survive in darkness as long as there is water motion and some nutrients. Algae though will not survive well in that environment.

Allen

 

[bandedangel]

I vote with lights, I always done this myself.

 

[wfrost]

I dont think it matters.