Cycling a tank

[fooman]

Well i am in the process of setting up a 150 DT with about 200 gallon support room . I was wondering if i was to put some filter media in my freshwater tank and let the BB build up on it. Then when i am all set to start the cycle in my salt water tank move the media to the rock in my salt tank to kick start the tank . Do you think this would help or hurt the tank?

[The Grizz]

Fresh water bacteria is not the same as salt, just mix up your salt, add your sand and rock, fill the tank, add the recommended dose of Prodibio Start Up, leave lights off for a couple week and let it cycle. Just did this with my 300 gal and its full of fish and coral now doing great.

[fooman]

Thanks for the fast reply . So with this product you don't have to use anything else like a shrimp of ammonia? Oh and nice tank you have there i was just looking at your build .

[The Grizz]

I didn't use anything else, usually if you are using new sand it has some for of bacteria already. Are you using new live rock?

[fooman]

I am using dead rock and dead sand i decided that i don't want any thing to make it harder that it can be already (and expensive) .

[The Grizz]

Using dead rock is ok but I would get some live sand to seed the dead sand and a few pieces of live rock to seed the dead rock, it will help you big time.

[Doug]

I used all dead rock, no sand and the start up. But I cycled my rock in closed tubs for a month first then put it in the tank and used the start up.

[sumpfinfishe]

I sure hope you mean by dead rock that its 100% cleaned and dried rock because if it was recent lr that was simply just dried, then this rock needs needs to cure in a sw bath to clean off all the die off.
Adding a few small pieces of lr or a few cups of live sand will kick stàrt the cycle bigtime or you could add a dirty filter from a friends tank if your really desperate.

[fooman]

I am going to use Marco dry rock and some base rock that is new. Was just thinking that i might be able to speed it up a bit . But i will just do it the right way the first time so i don't screw things up.