can LR be second hand??

I don't believe so. I used all dry base rock when I set up my tank a year ago. It's doing it's job so, I believe it will cure inside the tank.

 

no you don't. Seeding your base rock with a little live rock is a complete myth. The bactera to do it's job will colonize as soon as you put something in the tank that would be considered waste.

 

+1 daniel072. You could seed for coralline if you saw a rock covered with it. This would speed it up.

 

I think he means seeding lifeforms such as pods. In that case yes, you will need a hunk of chaeto or some live rock that has pods on them to get some into your tank. Then they will seed the rest of your rock. I don't think pods grow from nothing. Just live coralline. It won't grow from nothing. It has to be introduced into the tank.

 

i belive so but ive read you can seed alot of base/dry rock with just a small amount of LR

 

That is very true. All is takes is a few pods to breed like crazy and seed all your rock within a month.

 

so will coralline grow on its own, or does it need to be seeded? Seems like using a small piece is best in order to control unwanted pests. How much LR would you recommend seeding with for a 240 gal tank with approx 250lbs of base rock?

 

Coralline does have to be seeded.
You can use any or none. I used no LR for my 200. I simply took a spoonful of sand from another system. Down the line when you get frags, they should all have coralline on them, or you can even just take the scrapings. It does not have to come from rock.

 

When you get your clean up crew (snails & hermits) try to get the ones covered in Coroline this is the best trick I know to introduce coraline besides getting scrappings from a mates tank.

 

Thats a good idea as well!