Dry rock seeding

[tang love]

What is your thoughts on seeding dry rock with a few good chunks of live rock and live sand?

 

[TX_REEF]

Great idea, smart way to “make your own live rock”

 

[Cichlid Dad]

This was started in August of this year using Tampa Bay Salt Water live sand and dry rock in the display and 20 pounds of live rock in the sump

 

[tang love]

Nice

 

[mfinn]

What is your thoughts on seeding dry rock with a few good chunks of live rock and live sand?

It works very well.
Some people like to use a bottled bacteria to help jump start the process, but it's not necessary.

 

[LiquidSpace]

This was started in August of this year using Tampa Bay Salt Water live sand and dry rock in the display and 20 pounds of live rock in the sump

This is fantastic. I’m planning a 200 gallon aquarium and was tossing around the idea of doing the same thing, dry rock for aquascaping and Tampa Bay in the sump.

 

[Spare time]

Pretty common.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

This is fantastic. I’m planning a 200 gallon aquarium and was tossing around the idea of doing the same thing, dry rock for aquascaping and Tampa Bay in the sump.

The live sand in the display was key in my opinion. I would do both

 

[KC2020]

Yup that works !

 

[miroch]

This was started in August of this year using Tampa Bay Salt Water live sand and dry rock in the display and 20 pounds of live rock in the sump

Would it be a bad idea to put a piece of live rock with a few soft corals left on it? Would this mess with the cycle?

 

[tbrown]

What is your thoughts on seeding dry rock with a few good chunks of live rock and live sand?

I do this or add nitrates/Phosphates to the soaking water. It's the same as seeding dry rock.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Would it be a bad idea to put a piece of live rock with a few soft corals left on it? Would this mess with the cycle?

I would have to let someone with more experience answer this question. I do know that some of the items on even fresh live rock shiped in water overnight will have some die off .

 

[blstravler]

You could always do some rubble from TBS to seed your tank..

Rubble Live Rock – Tampa Bay Saltwater

 

[KC2020]

You could always do some rubble from TBS to seed your tank..

Rubble Live Rock – Tampa Bay Saltwater

TBS has great sand and rock but you'll have to wait until April for them to ship it to you.

 

[LiquidSpace]

The live sand in the display was key in my opinion. I would do both

I’m going to look into it. My most recent built was all dry rock because I hate bristle worms, but I realize I’m afraid I used up all my luck because I literally had no issues with an all dry rock tank. I do not want a 200 gallon going sideways. I can deal with a bristle worms if my reef is stable.

 

[tbrown]

I’m going to look into it. My most recent built was all dry rock because I hate bristle worms, but I realize I’m afraid I used up all my luck because I literally had no issues with an all dry rock tank. I do not want a 200 gallon going sideways. I can deal with a bristle worms if my reef is stable.

Dose pods, phyto, and some nutrients. Bacteria is the main thing you need on your rocks and tossing in a frozen shrimp or some ammonia will get you bacteria.

 

[KC2020]

Dose pods, phyto, and some nutrients. Bacteria is the main thing you need on your rocks and tossing in a frozen shrimp or some ammonia will get you bacteria.

True but not with the diversity of the bacteria you'll get from live sand or rock. It will be much slower to cycle and you'll have a much higher ammonia peak.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

What is your thoughts on seeding dry rock with a few good chunks of live rock and live sand?

That is exactly how I set my 90 gallon up! I used about 45 lbs. of dry base rock along with 2.5" of live sand and about 30 lbs. of live rock. Worked like a champ.

 

[John K]

There is an enormous amount of diversity we simply cannot get out of a bottle. cycling a reef tank goes far beyond the simple ammonia cycle