Live Rock and Dry Rock together in new tank ?

[Cichlid Convert]

Hi. Ive got several tanks to set up, getting back into the hobby. Last time , many yrs ago , i used all cured live rock when i set up my tank. This time im starting from scratch and have both a box of dry rock and a box of live rock coming. Im also going to be using Dr TIms one and only and Amonia to jump start the cycle. I need to know if i should put all the live rock in one tank, keep it seperated or if i should mix it up together in both tanks half and half. Im not sure if cycling the dry rock will kill off the "live" things on the live rock. Thanks.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Hi. Ive got several tanks to set up, getting back into the hobby. Last time , many yrs ago , i used all cured live rock when i set up my tank. This time im starting from scratch and have both a box of dry rock and a box of live rock coming. Im also going to be using Dr TIms one and only and Amonia to jump start the cycle. I need to know if i should put all the live rock in one tank, keep it seperated or if i should mix it up together in both tanks half and half. Im not sure if cycling the dry rock will kill off the "live" things on the live rock. Thanks.

You should be fine. The live rock will seed the dry rock and you probably don't even need to add bacteria (or ammonia)

 

[UMALUM]

I would recommend curing the dry rock separately. After your sure it's phosphate and silicate free add it to the live.

 

[hexcolor reef]

You should be fine. The live rock will seed the dry rock and you probably don't even need to add bacteria (or ammonia)

I did the same and dry rock already started to get algae

 

[Cichlid Convert]

Was it the good algae ? LOL Im picturing the ugly brown crap, im sure thats the one I would end up with lol

 

[littlefoxx]

Hi. Ive got several tanks to set up, getting back into the hobby. Last time , many yrs ago , i used all cured live rock when i set up my tank. This time im starting from scratch and have both a box of dry rock and a box of live rock coming. Im also going to be using Dr TIms one and only and Amonia to jump start the cycle. I need to know if i should put all the live rock in one tank, keep it seperated or if i should mix it up together in both tanks half and half. Im not sure if cycling the dry rock will kill off the "live" things on the live rock. Thanks.

I mixed rock like this from when I bought a used tank from someone, put their live ocean rock (which didnt have those nasty tube snail thingies), caribsea dry “live rock” and the white dry rock and all turned out fine

 

[Cichlid Convert]

Well all your guys responses make me feel better, like I did good with what I purchased. Its been so long ago that i had a saltwater tank and that was just a FOWLR

 

[JoJosReef]

I put 2/3rd dried (5 yrs) ocean rocks from someone else's old broken down tank in with 1/3rd gulf live rock and it's been rocking. With the autodoser pumping AFR 4x/day, the coraline jumped over to the dry rocks and has taken over. I'd go heavy CUC from day 1 (as long as ammonium is absent) to handle the dry rock while the live rock seeds.

 

[Cichlid Convert]

What does CUC and AFR stand for. My lingo is outdated lol.

 

[Nano_Man]

Yep if you want to bulk up your scape you can mix but I would always have more live rock than dry rock. If you have plenty of money live rock all the way is my opinion. Good luck
Cuc means clean up crew this is hermit crabs / turbo snails/ and a lot more. They eat unwanted algae they eat leftover food in the tank . Just your own little cleaners

 

[Cichlid Convert]

Thanks.

 

[ptrahan]

AFR = All for Reef

 

[Cell]

If you have a box of live rock coming, there is no need to waste money on bottled bac and ammonia.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Was it the good algae ? LOL Im picturing the ugly brown crap, im sure thats the one I would end up with lol

You will get that regardless.

 

[hexcolor reef]

Was it the good algae ? LOL Im picturing the ugly brown crap, im sure thats the one I would end up with lol

It’s good algae, I never had bubble algae. All red or green hair algae which the crabs take care of quickly. I use night out bacteria as well when I add dry rock to keep things moving along.
I have algae but it doesn’t get long or bad at all.
I have red leg crabs, pink fluffy sea urchins, and tangs in my tank that eats it all up quicker than it produces.
My white dry rock is getting its red/purple tint.

As long as you have a decent clean up crew before algae takes off it will be maintained

 

[Cichlid Convert]

Thanks ! Im window shopping for the clean up crew as i type this. Going to go with snails, shrimp, emerald crab and hermit crab. Im also building a DIY refugium for some macro algae. Going to put that on my ten gallon. If i like it i can do one for the 30g. Its a good way to wait for stuff in shipping now.