Starting new tank questions about rock

[mothergoose22]

Howdy! I’m upgrading from a nano to a 120 gallon! I have been researching tank cycling and I have learned that using live rock is going to be best for a faster cycle and avoiding ugly algae. I also like the idea of creating a negative space aquascape with dry rock.

My question is would I have the same success with avoiding ugly phase and rapid cycle if I loaded my sump full of live rock to seed the dry rock in display? If so how much live rock would be enough to do so?

Thanks I’m super excited to get into a bigger tank!

 

[exnisstech]

Howdy! I’m upgrading from a nano to a 120 gallon! I have been researching tank cycling and I have learned that using live rock is going to be best for a faster cycle and avoiding ugly algae. I also like the idea of creating a negative space aquascape with dry rock.

My question is would I have the same success with avoiding ugly phase and rapid cycle if I loaded my sump full of live rock to seed the dry rock in display? If so how much live rock would be enough to do so?

Thanks I’m super excited to get into a bigger tank!

That is exactly what I did with two of my tanks. Dry rock scapes with live rock in the sumps.
Never had an ugly stage that required anything more that a little time to pass.

Reefer 300

3 years in

WB 330.7

2 years in

I kept the rock in the WB sump and run it as a cryptic zone

 

[KrisReef]

The reason live rock "works" is because it has a biofilm growing upon it that developed as the rock went through the noral microbial succession in a lighted environment on a reef ( if it's true oceanic live rock).

Point is, that dry rock is a brand new surface that may contain phosphate and the rock surface needs to "cycle" through mmicrobial succession stages as well as plant/algae successions to become tank made live rock that will resist the uglies, once the succession stages have passed.

I have not seen any white papers on rock succession or hobby papers either for that matter. I have seen scoured clean rocks after a hurricane that were going through the ugly stages just like our tanks will. The reef takes years to recover, the rock is probably fairly cycled after a year(?) if I had to guess.

Settlement and growth of corals in hurricane damaged reefs is impacted by all of this, but has one clear advantage over a home tank in that water changes are continous and microbes and algaes and coral larvae are generally readily available in the water shortly after the storm passes and the ocean settles back down.

 

[mothergoose22]

Wow nice looking tanks!

Do you have a rough idea what ratio live rock to dry rock would be?

 

[exnisstech]

Wow nice looking tanks!

Do you have a rough idea what ratio live rock to dry rock would be?

Sorry I didn't weight anything so I have no idea. I built the scape to my liking then packed as much rock as would fit in the sumps. I had all the live rock in storage so I didn't have to purchased any

 

[mothergoose22]

Sorry I didn't weight anything so I have no idea. I built the scape to my liking then packed as much rock as would fit in the sumps. I had all the live rock in storage so I didn't have to purchased any

Gotcha. I’m looking at no aquatics starter rock for seeding.

 

[dont2930]

Howdy! I’m upgrading from a nano to a 120 gallon! I have been researching tank cycling and I have learned that using live rock is going to be best for a faster cycle and avoiding ugly algae. I also like the idea of creating a negative space aquascape with dry rock.

My question is would I have the same success with avoiding ugly phase and rapid cycle if I loaded my sump full of live rock to seed the dry rock in display? If so how much live rock would be enough to do so?

Thanks I’m super excited to get into a bigger tank!

There is no set rule or equation for amount. Monitor parameters often and have adequate lighting.

 

[BryanM]

Howdy! I’m upgrading from a nano to a 120 gallon! I have been researching tank cycling and I have learned that using live rock is going to be best for a faster cycle and avoiding ugly algae. I also like the idea of creating a negative space aquascape with dry rock.

My question is would I have the same success with avoiding ugly phase and rapid cycle if I loaded my sump full of live rock to seed the dry rock in display? If so how much live rock would be enough to do so?

Thanks I’m super excited to get into a bigger tank!

From everything I've read the dry rock is going to go through its thing, even with live rock in the DT or sump. No avoiding it, though reports are that it resolves itself faster.

 

[BlueSkyAT]

You should incorporate some of the live rock into your scape in the display tank. A lot of it will have life that you would want to see, and not just dump it in the sump. And possibly make structures so they come apart. Congrats on the bigger tank.