How long for live rock to seed dry

[vanreefer]

Any thoughts or opinions on how long I would need to leave live rock in an aquarium to seed dry rock? using a few pieces from another tank to seed this new one but want to ultimately remove them
Thanks
VR

[Chase31]

Here's my experience, I did the same thing basically. so put your live rock in and let it cycle then add your livestock very very slowly, basically the dry rock will slowly build up
It's bacterial base. The dry rock will seed slowly. If there's no ammonia then there won't be any reason for bacteria to develop. So my advice would be move very slowly at first


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[Myka]

Originally Posted by vanreefer

Any thoughts or opinions on how long I would need to leave live rock in an aquarium to seed dry rock? using a few pieces from another tank to seed this new one but want to ultimately remove them
Thanks
VR

For what purpose? To seed aerobic bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrate? To seed anaerobic bacteria to convert nitrate to nitrogen gas (completing the cycle)? To seed the dry rock with pods and other critters? For aerobic bacteria, a few weeks is enough, and you'll get plenty of pods and critters in that time too. For anaerobic bacteria you're looking at months.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Myka

For anaerobic bacteria you're looking at months.

I'd go so far as suggesting that's optimistic.

[Reefer Rob]

I've used DIY or dry rock for the last few tanks, and the seeding goes quite quickly. I never had a problem with a build up of Nitrate. The trouble is getting rid of the PO4 in the dry rock, that can take a very long time. I would say at lease a year before you're completely rid of it. My next tank will be cooked live rock.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I'd go so far as suggesting that's optimistic.

Haha, yeah I was feeling optimistic this morning. Fwiw, I can't stand dry rock (or LEDs lol).

[Reefer Rob]

Originally Posted by Myka

Fwiw, I can't stand dry rock (or LEDs lol).

[vanreefer]

Originally Posted by Myka

For what purpose? To seed aerobic bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrate? To seed anaerobic bacteria to convert nitrate to nitrogen gas (completing the cycle)? To seed the dry rock with pods and other critters? For aerobic bacteria, a few weeks is enough, and you'll get plenty of pods and critters in that time too. For anaerobic bacteria you're looking at months.

I am looking for the amount of time these pieces of LR need to be in the tank in order for the aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to be present in the water and rock. I plan to leave the tank without fish corals etc while the rock matures thinking a few months. I plan to either ghost feed or add another ammonia source during this time to foster the bacterial population. Any thoughts on my plan are welcomed
Cheers
VR

[vanreefer]

Originally Posted by vanreefer

I am looking for the amount of time these pieces of LR need to be in the tank in order for the aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to be present in the water and rock. I plan to leave the tank without fish corals etc while the rock matures thinking a few months. I plan to either ghost feed or add another ammonia source during this time to foster the bacterial population. Any thoughts on my plan are welcomed
Cheers
VR

Oh and then turn the LED lights on 😋

[Reefer Rob]

From my experience with the 3 tanks I started this way, for fish you don't have to do anything different than you would with live rock, as long as you're seeding with live rock. Just start with a small bio-load and slowly work your way up. The rock colonizes with bacteria quite quickly, I never had a problem with ammonia nitrite or nitrate.

For corals you will likely have to wait until the PO4 drops before you can give them enough light. Especially with the last tank, the dry rocks were always covered in algae, while the live rock I seeded with had no growth.