Live rock growth

[Drummer]

Now that my new 75 gal. tank has cycled and I have tossed in a half dozen hermits, what can I do to promote the live rock that really looks kinda dead now to start living again? The water parameters all look good. Do I increase the amount of light.....any additives...etc..??

Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated !

Thanks

 

[NaH2O]

What is your current photoperiod? IMO, you won't need to add any supplements until you have inhabitants that are utilizing things like Ca, or if your parameters start to get out of whack. Also, you mentioned the addition of hermits, just wondering if you have any snails in your clean-up crew mix?

 

[Lexi]

did you use all base rock or did you buy live rock? cured or uncured? the living portion of live rock is actually the organisms and micro-organisms that live on and in the live rock itself. the actual rock is not alive. these organisms generally don't completely die off during the cycle and over a period of time you will notice the population increasing. you'll see visible amphipods scurrying around on the rock and sand bed and you'll see tiny copepods on the glass of your tank.

just be patient and let the tank settle before you rush into stocking it. the clean up crew should consist of several different types of snails and hermits.

good luck with the new tank.

 

[Sgt.Baker]

the actual rock is not alive.

It's ALIVE! ALIVE, I tell you!

 

[Drummer]

The rock consists of 35 pounds of uncured kaelini that I bought from kevinpo at Aquatic Dreams and 60 pounds of dry base rock. I also added a pound of live sand from Kevin to my southdown sand bottom. I haven't turned on the hood lights yet due to reading in here about staying semi-dark while the tank cycles due to algae blooms? I do have a dual 250w mh and dual 48" 40watt actinic hood. How much of the lighting should I be using at this time?
I haven't added any snails yet.....maybe add a few this weekend?

I understand the the rock itself isn't alive. I guess I should have said I wanted to promote the coraline algae and organisms that live within the rock to grow ?

I've read about folks dropping in a shrimp from the grocery store to feed the tank. Is that somehting I should consider?

I want to do this right so I'm going slow and trying to be patient.

Thanks for all the great advice !

 

[Sgt.Baker]

skip the shrimp. unnecessary.