Time needed to seed dead rock.

[EQCM2B]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I finally found a local LFS that deals with saltwater tanks. I asked them how long it would take for my dead rock and sand to become live rock and sand if I start with 4" DSB (dead) and @ 25lb dead rock and 20lbs of live rock in my 45 galoon tank. They told me that it would take a year or more to becomealive enough for filtration purposes. I was wondering what you guys thought about that. I didn't think it would take that long, especially if I put a couple of dead shrimp in at the beginning like I read on an earlier post.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I also have a "FIN 60" filter that came with the tank, it has two sets of filters on it.Is that good enough to get my tank cycling or should I go ahead and buy my skimmer now. The LFS advised to buy at a minimum there BIOWHEEL 800 to start and then later on buy the skimmer. I figured I would just buy a skimmer to start with if my FIN 60 was not adequate enough.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[dakar]

I'm assuming the FIN60 is one of the hangon type filters that uses the pad type filter elements? You can run it for a while to catch any free floating debris in the tank, and after that use it for water circulation without the filter pads. A year to seed the dead rock, well yes and no, I'd say after a year it would be pretty much fully 'live', but within 6 months it will be start being beneficial to the system for filtration, it really depends on how porous the dead rock is to start with.

We have been using a base rock called Tufa, very light and airy, water can litterally run right through the rock, with great results, not to mention it's CHEAP @ $1.59/lb.

To dramtaically speed up the whole process of livening up your rock and sandbed, seed your sandbed with a few cups of livesand from another well established tank or a couple of different tanks would be even better. Some LFS's will give or sell it to you, your other (better?) option is to find another reefer that is close to you, most will be glad to donate a cup to you, generally end up with a friend for life to swap stuff with.

[EQCM2B]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#So do I need to go ahead and get the skimmer first or can I at least start my sand bed and live rock combination with the FIN60? And what about the dead shrimp thing, will that help to speed up things or not.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graphixx]

you can start your process with the fin you have but you will want to get a skimmer eventually I would before you add any live stock in to the tank.

[flame]

Take your time and be patient. Very important to learn this early. It will save the livestock and your budget. BTDT

[peregrinus]

just get live rock and live sand the "dead shrimp thing" is just to get the cycle out of the way you can do the same thing with live rock. if you get live rock already cured and live sand it will take much less time to cycle if it does at all. uncured live rock will cause a cycle usullt 2 to 3 weeks. as for base rock i use it all the time but i put mine in an established tanks sume for about a month set ujp the tank and had coral and fish in that same week with no cycle. but i would recomend letting it sit longer.