Base rock and live rock...

Ok...Here's the question. I've heard so many different things about cycling the live and base rock and I want all your info. My LFS says that if I combine my 50lbs. base rock and a few pounds live rock. The bacteria in the live rock will die because it has nothing to feed on. Do I need to put a fish in there right away or add ammonia? Someone please help?!

 

Not true, i use LIVE ROCK to seed my base rock. I have a tank with base rock, and i always add a couple pieces of live rock to start the other rock going. To cycyle your tank just tank a piece or two of raw shrimp and toss it in the tank.

 

Your lfs is way out of line on this one. Will die??? Has nothing to feed on??? What a crock!!!!! I have seen many systems go up with primarily base rock.

 

The bottom line is that you can cycle with either just base rock or just live rock or a combination of both. I like to use just base rock as it is cheaper and you get more for your money. You can cycle the rock without adding anything to it. I have cycled purely base rock in a 5 gallon bucket without adding anything but water and salt. I did it in only 2 weeks too. I cycled my DT with a yellow tailed damsel and still have him to this day, it's great starter fish BTW. You can also had a piece of raw shrimp or any raw seafood will do.

 

The plan you laid out is a sound one. 50lbs of base and a few pounds of live. Perfect. ITO fish during cycling, I am a believer in one damsel during cycling. They are tough little fish. I am currently cycling a little 10g with a single damsel. Working out great.

 

My tank is new, and my knowledge limited, but I started with 10 pounds live sand and about 6 or 7 pounds of live rock along with dead rock and dead sand. My live rock was/is teeming with creatures and bacteria that lasted and thrived while there was nothing in my tank. The only thing I lost was the snail who appeared, but I think my hermit crabs may have eaten it... Anyway, I think the critters and bacteria in your live rock will survive just fine without having fish in there.

However, if you do want a starter fish, my local marine pro told me if water quality checks out after a week of having your fish-free tank up and running you can get a damsel. He said they can turn mean as they age, but supposedly Springer's damsels are more peaceful...so maybe one of those if you can find one.

 

Clowns are also good fish to start with, very hardy and also are related to damsels.

 

There are pros and cons to cycling with only base rock, and cycling with only live rock. Cycling with only base means you're spending about 1/4 the price, but you'll have to wait a decent amount of time for the rock to become fully "live". All base rock will eventually become live rock anyways. So you save money, but have to wait quite a while longer. Some people says it takes maybe 5 or 6 months for the rock to become fully live, some say 12 months. I'm a believer in 6-8 months, because our tank is 9 months old and we started with 40% live with 60% base, and I believe all of our base is cycled.

Using only live rock means you can normally have the tank cycled and ready to go in only 2-4 weeks (depends on the rock and the tank!)

Starting with a ratio of rock/rock is good, because it's kind of a comprimise. It costs more, but takes less time to cycle, than regular base rock, if that makes sense. Another benefit of only base rock is that you don't get any nasty hitchhikers in base. However, there's still the possibility of getting something on corals. But if you quaruntine everything that goes into a tank that started with all base, you normally dodge alot of potential trouble.

Also, people who know what they're doing may go out and buy a large vat, fill it with saltwater, toss in an air stone, a powerhead, maybe a heater, and a bunch of base rock. Along with some grocery store shrimp, and then plan out and build their tank, so the rock will be ready around when the tank is. You may only have to wait two months after adding rock to the tank if you get a jump start on the cycle this way.