If you could start over: Live Rock or Dry? - Page 6

jda · 05/25/2017, 09:30 PM

Isn't amazing how things have changed in almost a decade. Almost all of the posts on the first page say dry is the way to go, yet with all of the subsequent issues with a year or two of turf algae, high phosphates and tub after tub of GFO, it is easier now than ever to convince folks that dry rock is no bargain and will cost folks more in the long run. Plus, everybody has all the pests that they could ever want after the first frag plug gets into their tank.

Thanks for the trip back in time...

reefmutt · 05/26/2017, 01:31 PM

This thread just made me realize I need to go out and buy some good live rock to add to my system!
90% of my system was old dead live rock when I set it up..

tmantaylor18 · 05/28/2017, 11:44 PM

When first really got into SPS aquariums about 10 years ago I was lucky enough to start with some really nice live rock from an established aquarists breakdown. I had no idea what service I was doing myself by getting this rock. Anything SPS I added to that tank looked great and grew like crazy.

I've had my latest tank up for over 2 years now which was started with dry rock. I really enjoyed how easy it was to aquascape this rock with reef cement. I made really nice looking structures with it. To this day I don't see any kind of cool biodiversity/life on the rocks at night looking with a flashlight. I've had decent success with the rock but nothing like I had when I was a noob with the old established live rock. I'll be adding some live rock soon after I look it over in a quarantine tank.

Razorback reef · 05/29/2017, 01:12 AM

The costs of Air Freight is through the roof. Last time I checked it was like $5/kilo.

The solution to make live rock more affordable is to ship tons of it over on ships which sits in the boxes for weeks. The wholesalers quickly recure it and people think they are getting live. Hard to find good quality live rock anymore, but it is superior to using dry rock because of the detritivores which help to maintain water quality and zooplankton which feeds the corals.

shih87 · 05/29/2017, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reefmutt

This thread just made me realize I need to go out and buy some good live rock to add to my system!
90% of my system was old dead live rock when I set it up..

You bet!!!
I replace my refugium live rock ( main tank is dead rock always) 30% every 3Q. It help to keep tank stay in honeymoon period with great bacteria variety.

hottuna · 11/01/2018, 07:30 AM

DRY ROCK.....no detritus spewing from it...add 1 small piece of live to jumpstart everything

mrg02d · 11/01/2018, 08:26 AM

I began buying cycled rock from my LFS. It’s already colored up with coralline algea and no visible critters or algea on it. It costs a lot more, but it’s ready to go and a bargain compared to the other things we spend our money on. $150 worth of cycled rock and no cycling needed made perfect sense to me.

Piper27 · 11/01/2018, 03:43 PM

If I could start over and get real actual live rock I wouldn't second guess myself.
I think a lot of people start with dry because they don't want pest algae and such issues, but later find out it's nearly impossible to keep it all out of the tank without a quarantine system. Plus other issues like dino happen much more often and much worse in tanks started with dry rock.
I also try and add new rocks to my tank every year and take out the nastiest ones, but I use dry rock for this, just cheaper even though you don't get the bacteria.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

pdiehm · 11/02/2018, 04:30 AM

Dry Rock. Like Marco Rocks/Reef Cleaners Rock. I tried dry pukani and while it looks great, just didn't work for me. The first go round was all kinds of nutrients being leached out causing dino's, hair, cyano, never ending cycle.

This time, I went with reefcleaners, because 3 years ago, I set up my Biocube with Marco Rocks. It's covered in coralline, and I really don't do anything to the tank but change 10g of water every 2 weeks.

I'm also in no rush. I started my barebottom cycle on 10/7, and as of yesterday, we cannot process 1ppm ammonia in 24 hours...yet. We will, in time. I wanted no pests, no vermetid snails, nothing. When the time comes, I'll add in my pods, and let them get established. I'll add in my Cerith/Nerite and Trochus snails when there's a need. Probably by March or so, I'll add my Acropora that I have alive sitting in the 40 breeder.

There's no rush, and by taking my time, that dry rock, will become very live and very colorful.

navvet8992 · 06/27/2019, 09:13 PM

Live rock no question. I’ve done tanks with dry and live and will never go dry again. Biodiversity is huge in reef tanks and you just can’t get that starting with dry rock.

05/26/2017, 01:31 PM	#127
reefmutt Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Mtl. Canada Posts: 7,824	This thread just made me realize I need to go out and buy some good live rock to add to my system! 90% of my system was old dead live rock when I set it up.. __________________ Matt. Current Tank Info: 53x32.5x26 190g dt 60g of sumps 3 tank-100 gal frag system 6xAI prime 8xt5. 4x maxspect gyre. Skimz Dual internal sicce pump skimmer Deltec PF601s ca rx+Kalk stirrer

11/01/2018, 07:30 AM	#131
hottuna Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 1,248	DRY ROCK.....no detritus spewing from it...add 1 small piece of live to jumpstart everything __________________ HotTuna

11/02/2018, 04:30 AM	#134
pdiehm Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Delaware Posts: 921	Dry Rock. Like Marco Rocks/Reef Cleaners Rock. I tried dry pukani and while it looks great, just didn't work for me. The first go round was all kinds of nutrients being leached out causing dino's, hair, cyano, never ending cycle. This time, I went with reefcleaners, because 3 years ago, I set up my Biocube with Marco Rocks. It's covered in coralline, and I really don't do anything to the tank but change 10g of water every 2 weeks. I'm also in no rush. I started my barebottom cycle on 10/7, and as of yesterday, we cannot process 1ppm ammonia in 24 hours...yet. We will, in time. I wanted no pests, no vermetid snails, nothing. When the time comes, I'll add in my pods, and let them get established. I'll add in my Cerith/Nerite and Trochus snails when there's a need. Probably by March or so, I'll add my Acropora that I have alive sitting in the 40 breeder. There's no rush, and by taking my time, that dry rock, will become very live and very colorful. __________________ [URL=http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/pdiehm/2][IMG]http://images.aquaticlog.com/aquarium/aquarium14573.png[/IMG][/URL]

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05/25/2017, 09:30 PM	#126
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	Isn't amazing how things have changed in almost a decade. Almost all of the posts on the first page say dry is the way to go, yet with all of the subsequent issues with a year or two of turf algae, high phosphates and tub after tub of GFO, it is easier now than ever to convince folks that dry rock is no bargain and will cost folks more in the long run. Plus, everybody has all the pests that they could ever want after the first frag plug gets into their tank. Thanks for the trip back in time...

05/28/2017, 11:44 PM	#128
tmantaylor18 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sunnyvale, CA Posts: 4,143	When first really got into SPS aquariums about 10 years ago I was lucky enough to start with some really nice live rock from an established aquarists breakdown. I had no idea what service I was doing myself by getting this rock. Anything SPS I added to that tank looked great and grew like crazy. I've had my latest tank up for over 2 years now which was started with dry rock. I really enjoyed how easy it was to aquascape this rock with reef cement. I made really nice looking structures with it. To this day I don't see any kind of cool biodiversity/life on the rocks at night looking with a flashlight. I've had decent success with the rock but nothing like I had when I was a noob with the old established live rock. I'll be adding some live rock soon after I look it over in a quarantine tank.

05/29/2017, 01:12 AM	#129
Razorback reef Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 61	The costs of Air Freight is through the roof. Last time I checked it was like $5/kilo. The solution to make live rock more affordable is to ship tons of it over on ships which sits in the boxes for weeks. The wholesalers quickly recure it and people think they are getting live. Hard to find good quality live rock anymore, but it is superior to using dry rock because of the detritivores which help to maintain water quality and zooplankton which feeds the corals.

11/01/2018, 08:26 AM	#132
mrg02d Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 55	I began buying cycled rock from my LFS. It’s already colored up with coralline algea and no visible critters or algea on it. It costs a lot more, but it’s ready to go and a bargain compared to the other things we spend our money on. $150 worth of cycled rock and no cycling needed made perfect sense to me.

11/01/2018, 03:43 PM	#133
Piper27 I love bengals Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Manassas Virginia Posts: 2,512	If I could start over and get real actual live rock I wouldn't second guess myself. I think a lot of people start with dry because they don't want pest algae and such issues, but later find out it's nearly impossible to keep it all out of the tank without a quarantine system. Plus other issues like dino happen much more often and much worse in tanks started with dry rock. I also try and add new rocks to my tank every year and take out the nastiest ones, but I use dry rock for this, just cheaper even though you don't get the bacteria. Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

06/27/2019, 09:13 PM	#135
navvet8992 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: SC Posts: 27	Live rock no question. I’ve done tanks with dry and live and will never go dry again. Biodiversity is huge in reef tanks and you just can’t get that starting with dry rock.