Live rock vs dry rock

[jd120988]

I used all marco rock on my build and havn't had any problems. I am 16 months in now and only went through a small ugly phase back in the spring. I seeeded the tank with MB7 and GARF grunge and let it cycle for 3 months in a total black out. Tank is doing great! I would do dry rock again. I think the key was the GARF grunge.

That's a beautiful tank! Great work on it. The Marco rock is also very porous so I'm sure that is a huge benefit which worked in your favor. The dry carbisea life rock i went with isn't quality at all. There's no porosity to it at all. It's like solid heavy blocks of shaped concrete so this may have contributed to the issues I've had.

 

[mnat]

Ours was all real reef rock, fake but pretty porous. Each side has it pluses and minus but we felt starting over with rock fake was the way to go

 

[jd120988]

Ours was all real reef rock, fake but pretty porous. Each side has it pluses and minus but we felt starting over with rock fake was the way to go

Well you guys have a beautiful tank so it was definitely a good decision. Curious though did you guys have any nutrient issues along the way that caused unwanted algaes or dinos? That's the issue I've had with dry rock myself.

 

[Salted]

Haha I can’t tell You that!…I would try and someone selling tank and buy there rock…I’m always on the the look out for more real rock.

And @jd120988 too, my son has live rock to sell cheap. He’s getting out. There are a couple pieces that still have a little gha but it’s slowly being eliminated. The tank has been running about a year and a half.

 

[Deleted member 27248]

And @jd120988 too, my son has live rock to sell cheap. He’s getting out. There are a couple pieces that still have a little gha but it’s slowly being eliminated. The tank has been running about a year and a half.

Ah sorry to hear that!

 

[Salted]

Ah sorry to hear that!

Me too but it is what it is. He’s go a lot going on with school/work/girlfriend and his car. We still have my tank which he enjoys and I got his favorite fish so hopefully he’ll be back.

 

[Boehmtown]

#1 tank breakdown rock. Before I knew better I got a 150 with the live rock from a downgrade tank. Had no idea what I had at the time. Great rock, no pests. All my dry rock started tanks were prone to plagues . First tank was live rock and Petco rock. Lots of pests but I never kept coral so I didn't care.

 

[jd120988]

Got some hitchhikers so far looks like 2 bobbits, fire worm, some sort of crabs starfish of course and a pistol shrimp. Going to figure out what kind if Crab it is may sump it and for the other stuff it's free if anybody is interested. This is just the paper towels so far haven't even looked at the rock yet.

 

[jd120988]

Can anybody ID these crabs?

 

[Ashish]

I've used every type of rock available and feel the newer man made rock is just brick of cement and lacks any real biological filtration per LB - I dont trust its strength either as I recieved tonga branch rock in pieces, the real tonga rock i have is so strong I have to use a hammer drill to make holes in it. I just about got done aquascaping my 400 gallon and saved alot of large marshall island and tonga dry rock that I have been collecting for years. I would suggest next time add a mix of rock with some being porous while the caribsea can be used for the shapes. I have about 200LB of old live rock in a tub which is about 10+ years old that should speed up the cycle, Its free of aiptasia or any other unwanted pest - which my goal is to avoid aiptasia at any cost. live rock is fine as far as the critters go but i would hunt for dry rock turned LR from tank tear downs.

 

[Shawn2122]

I got the 15lbs shipped in water from KP aquatics and was really happy with it. I had most of the same hitchhikers you received. The rock went into my refugium sump so was a little less concerned about it making it my DT, as I am sure a few worms and such were deep in the rock.

 

[kschweer]

Ours was all real reef rock, fake but pretty porous. Each side has it pluses and minus but we felt starting over with rock fake was the way to go

Where did you guys get your real reef rock? I’m having a tough time tracking it down.

 

[jd120988]

And @jd120988 too, my son has live rock to sell cheap. He’s getting out. There are a couple pieces that still have a little gha but it’s slowly being eliminated. The tank has been running about a year and a half.

I think I'm covered on rock for the new tank. Sorry to hear your son is getting out of the hobby. I had to leave for a few years but I couldn't wait to get back into it.

 

[jd120988]

#1 tank breakdown rock. Before I knew better I got a 150 with the live rock from a downgrade tank. Had no idea what I had at the time. Great rock, no pests. All my dry rock started tanks were prone to plagues . First tank was live rock and Petco rock. Lots of pests but I never kept coral so I didn't care.

Thanks for sharing your experience. When you mention petco rock do you mean live rock from their systems or dry rock?

 

[jd120988]

I've used every type of rock available and feel the newer man made rock is just brick of cement and lacks any real biological filtration per LB - I dont trust its strength either as I recieved tonga branch rock in pieces, the real tonga rock i have is so strong I have to use a hammer drill to make holes in it. I just about got done aquascaping my 400 gallon and saved alot of large marshall island and tonga dry rock that I have been collecting for years. I would suggest next time add a mix of rock with some being porous while the caribsea can be used for the shapes. I have about 200LB of old live rock in a tub which is about 10+ years old that should speed up the cycle, Its free of aiptasia or any other unwanted pest - which my goal is to avoid aiptasia at any cost. live rock is fine as far as the critters go but i would hunt for dry rock turned LR from tank tear downs.

I would love to see some pictures of your 400 gallon and the aquascape. Do you have a build thread anywhere?

 

[jd120988]

I got the 15lbs shipped in water from KP aquatics and was really happy with it. I had most of the same hitchhikers you received. The rock went into my refugium sump so was a little less concerned about it making it my DT, as I am sure a few worms and such were deep in the rock.

I'm sure I won't get everything out but I'll do my best. I know I showed alot of pests which probably scares alot of people but that's nothing compared to the good stuff I've found. There's so many sponges, feather dusters even large ones, what looks like a bunch of coral on a few pieces, uncountable amount of pods and starfish of all sizes, some different red macros. It's loaded with so much life. I have to get it in a tank so I can get some pictures to share.

 

[diana a]

Most of my sponges survived and have gotten bigger. The feather dusters (big and small) have multiplied. There are 6 large starfishes from my delivery. No pods or macro

 

[jd120988]

Most of my sponges survived and have gotten bigger. The feather dusters (big and small) have multiplied. There are 6 large starfishes from my delivery. No pods or macro

Any signs of bobbits? I had alot of them. I'm sure there's more but I plan on doing another high salinity dip over the weekend to see what else comes out. I have some kind of bivalve or something climbing up the side of the bucket. No clue what it is but pretty cool to find.

 

[jd120988]

Here's 2 more tiny pistol shrimp and a mystery work? And a big feather duster as well.

 

[diana a]

Had one and I hope no more