How long for dry rock to show some life?

[KDS]

Typically how long does it take for dry rock to show some life and turn live? Just started my first 75 gallon salt water tank which is now in its 2nd week of cycling. Added a bottle of Bio-Spira to help kick start the cycling. Of course I'm not expecting anything now but was wondering when I can expect to see some life. Thanks in advance!

Kevin

 

[brainless chef]

It takes a while. To hurry up the proces get a couple small live rocks from the lfs with lots of coraline algea.

 

[Jlsardina]

+1. The only way to speed up the process is though adding live rock to seed the base. Base rock can take a couple of months to really blend in with live rock depending on how much live you have

 

[Gti_Leo]

just add an ammonia source to build up the bacteria colony, you can buy bottles rotifers to help seed the rock with critters and you can buy bottled pods to build up a colony of them

 

[brainless chef]

Here is a thread i read it shows how he kick started the growth on his rocks.

http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/56220-faking-artificial-reef.html

 

[AquaRick]

Yup, add some live rock if anything to help seed your base more quickly.

 

[Gti_Leo]

are you lookign for coralline algae growth or actual critters? liek worms and pods?

 

[KDS]

Gti_Leo, I'm looking for coralline growth.

I just added two raw shrimp to start an ammonia spike.


Kevin

 

[austinsdad]

Like advised, add cured live rock with corraline after your cycle. Base or dry rock with an ammonia source for cycling only establishes the life you can't see.

P.S. - where in MD are you?

 

[KDS]

Ray,

I'm in Olney (Montgomery County). I've been to Accokeek a few times (I appraise houses for a living). About a 60-70 minute drive.

Kevin

 

[FTMMWS]

Like said ,,some Lr will seed it...Love the black sand...
Also,coralline can be tricky ,,some of us never get more than a few spots of it here and there,,like me..

 

[wvanderborg]

I've been trying to get coraline growing for over a year now and it seems to show up in spots. Then disappear and show up in other spots.. its strange. Defnately helps to add lr that's cultured with what you overall want in your tank. When I started my tank just to experiment I put a piece of tufa rock in there and over about four months time you couldnt tell the difference from the base figi rock.