does live rock help mature a new set up?

HI CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF WHEN SETTING UP A NEW TANK, ONCE THE R/O SALT WATER MIX IS IN AND THE TANK IS FULL SHOULD I -(a) LEAVE THE TANK WITH JUST THE WATER IN AND USE A BOTTLED BACTERIA TO MATURE THE TANK THEN ONCE THE CYCLE IS OVER ADD LIVE ROCK, (b) PUT LIVE ROCK IN AND LET IT MATURE THE TANK WITHOUT THE USE OF BOTTLED BACTERIA ETC... OR (c) PUT LIVE ROCK IN AND ADD BOTTLED BACTERIA ALSO?? (WOULD THAT HARM THE LIVE ROCK)?? NOT REALLY SURE OF THE CORRECT PROCEDURE!! HELP!:-[:-[:-[:-[

 

Welcome Option b would be the best you could put a prawn in to help mature the tank and get bacteria levels up also, if you can put all the live rock in at once, so you don't get another mini cycle later on....don't bother with the bottled stuff...your cycle will be finished when you nitrites and ammonia reach 0ppm...good luck

 

you wont need the bottle stuff just put the live rock in the tank and it will cycle, a lot of people use some base rock and some live that way it is not so much money. you will have some dieoff from the rock that will start the cycle

 

Option B.

easy on the caps hard to read

 

Use all base and dry sand. Get a single small live rock and about 1 cup of sand from an existing system that is established with no known invasive algae's or inverts.
Skip on the bottled stuff. Its mostly a detoxifier and a complete gimmick IMHO.

 

Hi

I have never used A - but have used both B and C methods before
method C - I may be the odd one out here, but I have used Hagen Cycle when setting up tanks and have found the cycling period is reduced when using this product -

Packleaders - base rock and dry sand suggestion is a good way of making sure you dont end up with problems stemming from live rock ( Algea's, Nudis, various pests)

and base rock will become live rock in your tank, once the bacteria colonises it.

Steve

 

Thanks guys,
I will put my live rock in and let the tank mature on its own.
Thanks again for all your help, 3 Reef really is a great source of knowledge and help to newcomers to the hobby like myself and its thanks to people like you.
Thanks again to all who took the time to reply.

 

Stingray, you say add a prawn?
can you explain?

 

You can pick up a prawn from your local grocery store in the fresh sea food are. put it in the tank for week then take it out. It decays in the tank and kicks off the start of the cycle.