Starting with dry rock

[Zack]

So I'm starting a new tank, and I have about 8lbs of dry rock. I purchased bagged live sand and have been running the rock with light in my sump for about a week and a half now. Does running the tank water over the rock with light actually help any bacteria grow or would it be better to expose the rock to the bacteria in the packaged sand?

[Zack]

Or just seed it in the tank with some live rock?

[Fishstix@JewelsOfTheSea]

Yes it will help and help seed bacteria if you keep the rock in the tank. Because it's dry rock the pores in the rock will help the bacteria take hold but it does take some time.