Starting a reef from dryrock.

Karsten · #1 10-25-2012, 02:03 AM

Hello I am going to start a new project. I have learned the hard way about reef pests. So For my new project I would like to start compleatly from dry rock.

My question is how do I build up bacteria with a clean start?
What should I add? If I use filter media from my existing tank with pests get into my new tank?

Once my new tank is cycled I plan on only adding livestock that has went through a quarantine tank.

Does anyone have experiance doing this?

Salt2Death · #2 10-25-2012, 02:25 AM

I started mine Dry Rock less than 2 months ago-
I picked up Prodibio from RedCoral and my tank is fully cycled and by adding chetto with tons of life on it to the sump less than 2 months now my tank is full of cocopods and life everywhere!
No Pests!
Corals have never looked better, coralline algae already popping up all over. No nasty algae blooms!!!

Best stuff I have ever used!

Sent Via The Pirate Ship...

eli@fijireefrock.com · #3 10-25-2012, 02:49 AM

starting a reef with pest free is doable but that will need your full power over purchasing new live stock..
1st dry rock like http://www.caco3reef or there are few online selling dry rock,then you need to seed it and again lots of product out there for seeding,the 2 methods I like and used in my system is seeding with dead raw washed fresh shrimp dropped into the system until bacteria start to form..2nd (my choice) finding someone with good quality live rock to buy or trade to have the full spectrum of good bacteria.
Removing pests from your existing reef by filters is really not that good..depending on what you mean by pests in your present system,if you are talking about pests residing in your live rock then cooking method will do best.if you have diseased fish then quarantine them and medicate accordingly.
I am sure more folks will chime in with other methods as these are the ones come to mind at the moment.

jostafew · #4 10-25-2012, 05:55 AM

I started my reef with about 95% dry rock (BRS Reef Save Rock to be exact) and sand, then seeded with about 3lbs of choice live rock from the LFS. After adding the little bit of LR I cycled by dropping some cooked shrimp in there to decompose and feed the bacteria populations. Fish food will work too, just anything to decompose and feed the bacteria. Once I was confident the cycle was complete I added a fish and a cleaner shrimp and slowly built of the bioload over the many months to come.

Enigma · #5 10-25-2012, 11:47 AM

What pests are you specifically worried about transferring over in the filter media?

I only use dry rock now. I use a variety of bacterial products: Microbacter7 and Stability are the two I have on hand right now.

Calgarynewtankguy · #6 10-25-2012, 02:24 PM

If you are starting a large tank with primarily dry rock. How would that affect a deep live sand bed. Do you not need the LR to seed the deep sand bed?

Salt2Death · #7 10-25-2012, 02:41 PM

It's a common misconception that you need live rock to "seed" sand beds or other dry rock.
I never used anything but old LR I "cooked" witch is much simpler than the big 4-6 week soaking and sun backing event always listed. (Boil water and soak rock, scrub off with soft non metallic cleaning brush, rinse often and repeat until bone white. Then 24-48 hours soaking in water/ high vinegar concentration with power head and heater on high. Make sure you reposition the rock every so often. After the vinegar bath rinse the rock repeatedly. Let dry, then use or glue as you please.
Bam....
After you have you sand and rock setup in the tank, water running and all leak checks done. Now drain your water, mix up your salt water and let the system run until its not cloudy and add the nitrifying bacteria!!! To fully seed the system like I said add Cheeto Algae to the sump and your system will seed and flourish as pest free as posable!

(Test water often still, also water changes often as system is new)

!!!!!!PROTIBIO!!!!!!!

Sent Via The Pirate Ship...

Reef Supplies · #8 10-25-2012, 04:09 PM

We're seeing more and more people starting systems with dry rock, we CANT keep it in stock. Pest free and cheaper. You must however have patience and let the cycle take it's course.

Ray

reefwars · #9 10-25-2012, 04:23 PM

maybe in the first 6 mths or so youll go pest free but it will get through over time, in order to stay pest free you have to be willing to qt ANYTHING that hits your tank for minimum weeks on end and then to not buy anything while you qt each and every individual thing.......theres very very few people who are willing to do that.

qt is for making sure the coral is healthy and to see if it has immediate health problems or pests.......if you want to guarantee you have no pests come in you would have to qt the first piece of livestock.....then weeeks later add 1 more thing and qt that.....then weeks later you wouldhave to add 1 more thng to your qt tank.....everytime you add something you put something in your display.

the only other way is too add it all at once into your qt tank and hope you get all the possible pests.

if your not doing this then there is a chance of pests getting through for sure.

fwiw dips dont kill half of what we think it does , so unless you know how to kill it all, its going to be tough.

either way i hope you do get to be pest free, i will be the first you to commend all the hard work for sure

cheers

FitoPharmer · #10 10-25-2012, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefwars

maybe in the first 6 months or so youll go pest free but it will get through over time, in order to stay pest free you have to be willing to qt ANYTHING that hits your tank for minimum weeks on end and/or then to not buy anything while you qt each and every individual thing.......theres very very few people who are willing to do that.

So true. If you don't QT your corals the only benefits to dry rock that I see are the price and ease of styling. And even if you do QT for months there is zero guarantee it worked like you hoped since some problems are very hard to spot and can take a long time to develop to noticeable or plague proportions. Also, what are the reef pests you are trying to prevent? GBA, GHA, Caulerpa, aiptasia, mini stars, hydoids, bristol worms, flatworms, and brittle stars. These pests would require at least a month in QT with very careful attention. Some would require 3 or more months to be sure.