Seeding old LR

[Aqua Keepers]

I have a 5g bucket with about 15-20# of old LR that's now base rock. I'd like to get this seeded and cooked while I finish my build. Do I need a piece of LR to seed it or will the bac just start to grow?

[ihavtats29]

just a cup of live sand from your tank will get it started

[Aqua Keepers]

there's no tank to get anything from. Think of it as a brand new set up.

[SaltyDr]

Either sand from an established tank or a small piece of LR from an established tank. You need the bacteria to seed the tank and it has to come from some where. I wouldn't rely on it falling from the sky.

[luv951]

Yeah, go to your LFS and just buy even a small piece of LR. It should do the trick.

[Aqua Keepers]

For some reason, there's something about raw shrimp that's popping in my head.

[returnofsid]

Raw shrimp won't seed the tank, but will create ammonia, which will feed beneficial bacteria and start a cycle. I wouldn't recommend doing any seeding until the cycle is complete. Otherwise, an ammonia spike could kill the seed. After the cycle is complete, if you want to seed it, you'll need something from an existing tank...sand...rubble....something.

[Aqua Keepers]

K. gonna get a small piece of LR.
Thanks