cycle - minimalist rocks

[potatocouch]

I wan to go super minimalist.

6 lb live rock to cycle 60 gallons in 1 month?

the idea is to grow the beneficial denitrification bacterias to convert those ammonia to nitrite then to nitrate, right?

 

[nmotz]

I would explore that idea a little more before committing to it. 6 lbs for a 60 gallon tank is probably not going to be enough in my opinion.

I also like the minimalist look and I'm going to try 25 lbs of LR for my 40 gallon breeder tank. I'm also going to use MarinePure ceramic media in my HOB refugium to provide extra surface area for beneficial bacteria. This might be something you want to look into. Or, just get a nice big sump and fill it with LR and leave your display tank empty. Lots of people do that.

 

[MinnFish]

Beneficial bacteria will be at a minimum. Your ideal is correct when it comes to the cycle. Are you trying to minimize your cycle period? 6 lbs of LR will probably be enough for 1 fish and light feedings. I can only see this working, if you had other media for the bacteria to live. Happy reefing.

 

[potatocouch]

The idea came about because I don't have good live rocks to be put in on my DT for now.

So what I did, I put whatever I have from my 5g tank onto the 60g, to kick off the cycle.

When I got the good LRs then I will put them in on my DT.

Don't know whether that 6 lbs of LR will help me to kick off the cycle?

I know when I put in the LRs on the DT, that will kick off another cycle, that's why I asked the question.

 

[myofibroblast]

the idea is to grow the beneficial denitrification bacterias to convert those ammonia to nitrite then to nitrate, right?

The conversion to which you referred is nitrification (stepwise oxidation of ammonia to nitrate). Nitrifying bacteria and archaea perform this task. Denitrification is the reduction of nitrates to nitrogen gas, sometimes through intermediates. Denitrifying organisms carryout this task.

The minimalist idea sounds nice, hope it works out! Happy reading and designing!

 

[shermanator]

If you want a REALLY minimal landscape, you can do things like a reactor full of Seachem Matrix or Kent Nitrogen sponge -- both act like artificial live rock and will be populated with bacteria.

I've never seen a test of it, but at 0.1 lbs per gallon, I would guess that little LR wouldn't provide enough of a biofilter.

 

[Kdadair]

You can also add some dry rock to the live rock. The dry rock will become populated with bacteria and will become live rock over time. It is also less expensive to purchase the dry rock.

I am seeing that you really are not wanting the minimal landscape as much as you just don't have the available live rock?

 

[Sk8r]

You can use dry rock: just takes about 12 weeks to enliven it: must have several pounds of real live rock with it, however, to provide the right bacteria.