Need advice on LR and LS

[wet bar]

Here's the deal:
Had a great tank going and moved states (NC back to FL). The LR that was doing awesome (loaded with coraline) was put into a cooler with a PH for the first few days, but then sat for about two weeks in just SW.
New tank is just a 29G that is going to be a mini-reef. So far I have about 45# of the "LR" from the other tank, and 60# of Nature's Ocean LS that was just purchased. The tank has been up and running with two PHs since 2/27/03 (last Thursday).
I just got back from a LFS, and he gave me some crud from the bottom of his LR curing tank to put down. It is at the bottom of a bag with some water from that tank on top.
WHAT DO I DO NOW?
My old tank had CC as substrate, so with the DSB I am lost. How do I seed the LS with the stuff I brought home, and will the rock I put in become really alive again without help?

 

[thomas712]

What you need is a ditrivore kit, with pods, worms, and other bugs. If those things are in the crud that your lfs gave to you then dump it in. If not then you will need a new piece of liverock or the ditrivore kit if you can find it. Perhaps you can hookup with a fellow reefer there in florida that can help.
In this way the rock will become truley alive again with all the pods, worms and such, and you will benifit from them being in your sand as well.
Thomas

 

[wet bar]

I saw plenty of stuff in the crud. Turned of the PHs and dumped the bag in.
Now do I just turn the PHs back on and let things swirl until they settle, or do I actually stir up the DSB and then turn the PHs back on?
Sorry for the ???s, but I plan on keeping this house and this mini-reef for a long, long time!

 

[thomas712]

No need to stir things, please do not stir a DSB, it takes time for them to mature and any large stiring just damages the sandbed. Its ok to turn powerheads back on. Patience now while they multiply and do there thing.
Thomas