Seeding dead coral

[Clint0912]

If dead coral is place in a display tank with live rock, will the coral be "seeded" by the live rock or will I end up with undiserable alge on the dead coral.

[AquaReeferMan]

[welcome]

Well both cases can happen. If your water water params are in check it will turn into nice LR. If you have high trates and phosphates there is a good chance it will pick up hair algae and what not. I usually look in the rubble bins at my LFS for dead coral since it usually has some good shapes to it. The ones I got turned out nice.

[GlobaLPimP]

it depends on what you mean by seeding. If the coral has holes that worms and the sort can inhabit then yes. I have also had success with coraline and mat type corals spreading over dead coral skeletons such as GSP's. Regarding the undesirerable algae - you shouldn't have that anywhere in your tank unless there is something wrong with your water parameters;)

[Clint0912]

Thanks to both of you. I'm setting up a "fish and hardy invert" tank and using live rock. I used to have a fish only tank and have alot of dead coral that I didn't want to see go to waste. As far as what I meant by seeding, I'm hoping that over time it will essentially turn into live rock and becoming covered in coraline alge. So basically if the environment is stable it should be fine.