Making Man-Made Rock Become LIVE!!!
- Thread starter asharp13
- Start date
king_neptune
Active Member
I think what you are asking is how do you seed base rock into live rock.
You have to first have live rock to seed with. Its a popular method and cheaper alternative thatn buying %100 live rock. For my tank I did 50lbs LR, and 50lbs Base rock(dead stuff).
Then I put the base rock down and the LR on top. It will take about 6 months to seed the base rock so it becomes live, but close to 2 years before it is fully saturated. However you cannot turn base/dead rock into Live rock unless you seed it with stuff that is already live.
hope this answers your question
You have to first have live rock to seed with. Its a popular method and cheaper alternative thatn buying %100 live rock. For my tank I did 50lbs LR, and 50lbs Base rock(dead stuff).
Then I put the base rock down and the LR on top. It will take about 6 months to seed the base rock so it becomes live, but close to 2 years before it is fully saturated. However you cannot turn base/dead rock into Live rock unless you seed it with stuff that is already live.
hope this answers your question
scopus tang
Active Member
Originally Posted by asharp13
http:///forum/post/3135189
that is exactly what i am trying to do thanks!
now, do i have to do this in my tank? or can i set up a tub in my garage and add base rock and live rock to it and let it sit for a couple months? do i need lights? flow? airstone? beneficial bacteria? coralin plates?
The answer to your question is determined by what you consider to be Live Rock. At the simplist level, Live Rock is nothing more than rock with bacteria living in it - I would propose that happens fairly quickly - even sooner that 6 months (most likely a matter of weeks).
If on the other hand, you are looking for coralline algae growth, worms, pods, and other benefical hitch-hikers on your rock, then it will indeed take much longer (6 months to 2 years is correct).
So, base rock can be converted to live rock in your garage, and if all you want is bacteria, you will not need a light, you need only moderate flow, and no bacteria additives (assuming you are seeding with existing live rock). If on the other hand you want coralline algae and other hitch-hikers, it most likely will not occur in your garage, in order for it to do so, you would very large tubs (the rock cannot be stacked too tight or too deep), heaters, the same flow required in your aquarium, the same lighting system required for a reef aquarium, and live rock covered in coralline and hitch-hikers to "seed" the dead rock. Regardless of what you are trying to accomplish, if you have sufficient flow, you do not need air.
HTH
http:///forum/post/3135189
that is exactly what i am trying to do thanks!
now, do i have to do this in my tank? or can i set up a tub in my garage and add base rock and live rock to it and let it sit for a couple months? do i need lights? flow? airstone? beneficial bacteria? coralin plates?
The answer to your question is determined by what you consider to be Live Rock. At the simplist level, Live Rock is nothing more than rock with bacteria living in it - I would propose that happens fairly quickly - even sooner that 6 months (most likely a matter of weeks).
If on the other hand, you are looking for coralline algae growth, worms, pods, and other benefical hitch-hikers on your rock, then it will indeed take much longer (6 months to 2 years is correct).
So, base rock can be converted to live rock in your garage, and if all you want is bacteria, you will not need a light, you need only moderate flow, and no bacteria additives (assuming you are seeding with existing live rock). If on the other hand you want coralline algae and other hitch-hikers, it most likely will not occur in your garage, in order for it to do so, you would very large tubs (the rock cannot be stacked too tight or too deep), heaters, the same flow required in your aquarium, the same lighting system required for a reef aquarium, and live rock covered in coralline and hitch-hikers to "seed" the dead rock. Regardless of what you are trying to accomplish, if you have sufficient flow, you do not need air.
HTH