Dry rock/BB tank questions......

[Waters]

So I am starting my first ever dry rock with BB, which I know can present some challenges. I do not plan on adding any SPS until it is about 9 months in. My goal is to be past any of the major algae issues before adding acros. My question is how would you handle lighting during those 9-12 months? Should I keep my high PAR light schedule (to ensure coraline algae growth on rock) or dim it way down? I am trying to avoid the algae/dyno issues that can plague dry rock/BB tanks but I also want substantial coraline growth to take real estate away from potential algae plagues. Also, what bacteria strains do you recommend? I am using BIO-Spira to start than will use MacroBacter7 for a couple of weeks afterwards. I will also add Pod populations at some point. I have only started tanks with live sand and rock so this is all new to me lol.

 

[Acrofiend]

I started my BB tank with dry rock and used microbacter clean with brightwell razor after the initial cycle. I havent had the usual “ugly stage” and I’m 4 months in with SPS growing. I also have a lot of trochus snails. Im not over feeding (2 pellet feedings daily) or dosing those “fast grow” elixirs.
I did have Dino issues only because I installed an ATS and dropped my nutrients.
I also dosed some phosphates for bacteria to grow.

 

[SPS2020]

I kept lighting low until frags were added. Dry rock and MicroBacter XLM initially and 7 later. SeaChem Matrix, two 1 liter bags in sump. My ugly stage was quick...which is probably not the norm.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Once your tank is cycled and only has no3 and po4 get the lights going. No point in waiting. Any algae will be easier to deal with if there are no corals in the tank. I highly recommend adding a little live rock to seed the dry rock. Even a small piece from a mature reef tank will be useful.