Live rock

[shazane]

From what I read on this site and some books most of you recommend having at least one pound of live rock per gallon. While doing more research on live rock on different sites some only recommend using live rock to start the nitrogen cycle and recommend just using dry or base rock for the rest.

I understand that live rock is a great way to start the nitrogen cycle and has a lot of beneficial bacteria in it along with good and bad hitch hikers.

Im also reading that base rock becomes colonized with beneficial bacteria when placed with live rock?(10+ people are saying this) can anyone tell why or why cant that work? Not just "it wont'...

What bacteria is actually still alive on live rock after transportation? If it is actually "cured" why does the ammonia from the die off start the nitrogen cycle? I thought curing was supposed to take care of all the die off... is it only the slight die off from the LFS to you DT?

Couldn't a tank start its cycle by a cup of sand from an established tank mixed in with some aragonite sand? Maybe some live rock with base rock? Am I on the right track here?

Does anyone have any past experience with using dry rock?Half and Half? I already have 30 pounds of live rock and wanted to purchase atleast another 60 pounds but am now puzzled.

It seems like every forum has its main informants and everyone else just repeats what the say so I would appreciate explanations with your answers.
Thanks
Shane

[leebca]

Answers to your questions are covered in this post: What is Live Rock, Anyway?

Read the above for details.

However the short, unexplained answers are:
There is much more to 'live rock' then just bacteria;
Base rock and ANY surface can eventually be seeded with bacteria, but not all the bacteria and in the same numbers and well as other creatures that come with live rock which affect water quality; and
There is no need for anything to establish the bacteria. Like the Marines, they are on land, sea and in the air.

There is no way to rush Nature. It takes its own time. Bacteria can be active or inactive. When moist but not being fed, they can encyst or become inactive. When fed they take time to adjust, metabolize, and then reproduce. Actually 'seeding' is of little value, although it can shorten the increase in population when conditions are right. Right conditions? The same conditions they came from.

An established tank is far from the same as a new tank, so when bacteria enter from an old into a new, they stop, adjust, metabolize, and then reproduce. The change in environment will slow them down and they become almost as fast in populating the tank as the bacteria in the air will accomplish.

You need to decide what you want from live rock. Read the post and make the decision. If it is just for handling ammonia and nitrites, you don't need live rock at all.