Cycling with live and dry rock

[mehaffydr]

I think I already know the answer just wanted others opinion to be sure. I have been reefing for about 15 years and in the past the only rock I have bought was shipped Fiji rock in wet newspaper and live rock from local fish store. So I have cycled live rock with die off.amonia
I am currently building a 1100 gal tank and I will be using about 300 lbs of rock that is in my current established system that has been running for years. But to supplement I bought 200 lbs. of Marco dry rock. I an about 6 weeks from putting salt water in the new tank.

Question is should I be doing something now with the Marco rock or just wait until I start the new tank and put in the Marco rock along with my established rock. I only have a few fish so with 1100 gallon tank and another couple hundred in sump and refugium I don't think I have to worry about any ammonia. I will also be transferring a couple hundred pounds of sand from established tank.

 

[brandon429]

That much live rock will carry the full bioload in the tank. The inert surfaces don’t matter. They take on the bac casted off from being in the same water as live rock in under a month, other threads have tracked this time. The dry portions need to cure out a bunch of waste, maybe phosphate, so BRS recommends a four month lead in curing before coral-depending on your plans. Regarding bacteria the dry rocks aren’t making a difference inert or active, 300# live as skip cycle transfer rock (how they manage all reef convention start dates for decades) runs all reef bioloads.