Live Rock assist?

[Aquattro]

Question about load and rock. I've just added about 80 pounds of really amazing pieces of rock to a tub, and will seed it with established rock from a display. The 80 pounds has been sitting dry for about 5 months.

I figure I'll run this for about a month before my new tank is ready for water.

I'm not confident in it's ability at that point to be fully capable of filtering my fish load. I will have lots of water for changes, but it will still be a young filter system

So, I thought about adding a large aquaclear foam block to an established tanks' sump. This should give me an additional filter block to assist my rock until it catches up.

Does this make sense, or just sound good on paper?

If it works, what impact would it have on the donor tank? Nitrate potential, or not really in that time frame?

Thoughts?

[kien]

I float dish cleaning pads in my sump for similar purposes. That is, to seed new tanks for QT or emergencies. Works great. I've done it a few times. The great thing about them I find is that they float rather than sink so they don't trap detritus like foam pads tend to. I've got pads that have been in there for years that are pristine (minus the bacterial coating and the Copepods living in them).

[Aquattro]

I used to that too. But now I'm stuck in that I can't risk transferring the flatties to the new system, so I'll need to seed from another tank.
Thinking Wayne's, as he probably has the cleanest tank in town Maybe I should run that by Wayne first ?? lol

[toytech]

dosent the bacteria need a food source to multiply ? maybe ghost feeding is the answer. I started my new tank with all dry rock from previous tanks and seeded with some live rock and I don't think it has the capacity of fully cured live rock. Im not ghost feeding but I am adding fish very slowly to let the bacteria catch up . I don't see why adding more bacterial filtration will hurt so why not ?

[kien]

Oh right, those buggers. I never noticed any impact on my system when I took out the pads and put them in new tanks. Is just replace them with new pads if I had to medicate the new tanks with copper or something like that.

[Aquattro]

I'll seed my dried rock with real rock, and add some sludge with pods from a holding tank. Also adding snails and hermits, and I'll feed it regularly.

I think the additional foam block will be enough, more concerned with what it may do, if anything, to the donor tank. I think it would be fine.

Unfortunately I have to add all my fish to the new tank at once. I have to drain the original tank to get them.

[apexifd]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I'll seed my dried rock with real rock, and add some sludge with pods from a holding tank. Also adding snails and hermits, and I'll feed it regularly.

are you using dead rock?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by apexifd

are you using dead rock?

Hibernating rock Ok, ya, it's dead. Not my preferred choice, but I had access to some really nice large pieces that have dried out. I think it will be fine, with the proper care and handling. I think..

[Proteus]

I seeded my dead rock with a sponge that was in origanal sump. For a month or little better. No issues when I transfered. Stocked with fish and frags same day it was filled.
I also double up on Prodibio which I was using at the time.
If you dose zeobak for ten days straight you should be fine

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Hibernating rock Ok, ya, it's dead. Not my preferred choice, but I had access to some really nice large pieces that have dried out. I think it will be fine, with the proper care and handling. I think..

Not that I would discourage this practice, but I thought the same thing and 3+ years in my tank still has PO4 issues if I don't have massive amounts of money burning in a gfo reactor, er, I mean, if I don't have massive amounts of GFO being replaced every couple of weeks.

I would instead encourage a healthy mixture of rock-that-hasn't-been-dried-for-too-long in the tank as well.