How to keep an empty tank alive?

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Originally Posted by monocus

add your rubble now so the bacteria have a place to live.are you going bare bottom or sand?a nitrate reactor will give a place for bacteria to live as well-very easy and cheap to build

Sorry I should of clarified. The tank has a sand bottom and there is already just over 100lbs of dry rock in the tank already.

Originally Posted by Myka

Don't use ammonia, that's a FW method. All you need in SW is some live rock/rubble.

Just use the rubble as suggested above. Add your dry rock now too. That will give the bacteria time to seed the dry rock. Or instead of getting rubble just go buy some live rock. Let the rock and/or rubble and the dry rock sit in the tank until you're ready. That would be great. You could "feed" the tank a couple times a months with a small amount of flake (or w.h.y.) food if you want.

Really? Huh. See I figured that you would want your bacteria base before adding life so they don't go through any spikes. I think I understand what your writing. Instead of building a large bacteria base now, adding life then maintaining said life your saying Add life now and slowly introduce food to grow the bacteria. Ok so if that's indeed what you are meaning then what's a small amount? I would imagine it would need to be a little progressive as well? I'm good with doing it this route and going slow but I also don't want to think everything is good and then add a fish and see something spike. The last tank was full live rock so that's easy but I've decided to go a slower less "crabby" route with dry rock and seed it with rubble where things have a harder time hiding. It's just hard to know what will maintain all the good stuff while the tank is empty and getting comfy.