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Feeding cycled substrate in storage?

PeetaJai

PeetaJai

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Hi everyone
I need some advice on how to store cycled crush coral substrates in a bin for storage. I will use them for my new setup in beginning of next year.
My questions are
1. Do I need to feed the bacterias in storage?
2. How often do I need to feed the bacterias?
3. What to best type of food to use?
Dr. Tim’s Ammonium Chloride
Fish food
Raw shrimp
4. How often to do water change?
5. Can I use the used water from my display tank for water change? Or is it better to use fresh saltwater?

Thanks in advance!
 
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Throw a piece of raw shrimp in there when you make your shrimp fried rice. Take it out in a week or two. Small piece of live rock from your established aquarium will move it along. Ghost feed if you like but not required
 
Question is, How deep the substrate will be? If it mimics a deep sand bed and you later disturb it to transfer it to the new system, it will be really bad. You can have rock running and drop some fish food once in while to feed the bacteria. The substrate/sand, you can rinse it well, air dry it and store it for later use.
 
I think if I fill up the tank it would be 2 inches deep. But at the moment it is cycled in a bin running power head and heater. I just want to get all bacteria and keep them alive to be ready so when the tank is up I can dump all the substrate in and start putting corals and fish.
 
IMHO, when that happens, don’t immediately put corals in; 2” is not a DSB but you may still experience some bacteria die off. I would use porous rock to have a healthy population of bacteria and the very top layer of the substrate
 
PeetaJai said:
I think if I fill up the tank it would be 2 inches deep. But at the moment it is cycled in a bin running power head and heater. I just want to get all bacteria and keep them alive to be ready so when the tank is up I can dump all the substrate in and start putting corals and fish.
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Then keep going on the same path that you’re on. It will be fine.
 
Nah. Just let it run if you seeded it already. Let time do its thing. Ghost feed once in a blue moon with whatever. You’ll be fine.
People over think this step too much. Bacteria regenerates every 20 minutes. But you need a bunch so it takes forever. Best thing to do is what you’re doing. Then set up the aquarium put the rock and gravel in. And wait some more. Add fish slowly. When you see coralline algae. Add corals. Slowly. Don’t overwhelm the bio load. That’s where everyone makes the mistake.
Slow is your friend.
 
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If levels aren't to high do a water change with the old water from time to time and scrub if dirty that's what I do if the rocks are going to be soaking for more then 6 months..Keep in the dark to prevent algea...brittle stars/ bristle worms etc seem to make it in their by default and do fine never seemed to be an issue...
 
xcaret said:
Question is, How deep the substrate will be? If it mimics a deep sand bed and you later disturb it to transfer it to the new system, it will be really bad. You can have rock running and drop some fish food once in while to feed the bacteria. The substrate/sand, you can rinse it well, air dry it and store it for later use.
Click to expand...
I think so as you stir the substrate and not take the water, it will be fine. I always keep a HDX bin full of cycled sand and don't do anything to it... no heat, feed, or circ.

And always been fine. Figured no worse than bagged sand
 
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