Age old question about live rock

[brentsum]

Hi guys, new to the board, but not the hobby. I'm setting up a new tank and wanted to get recommendations on what you thought were the best places to purchase live rock, or dry rock for the base of my new tank.

Years ago I did Tampa bay rock, but thinking to minimize hikers I might just do dry rock this time and have more control over initial aquascaping. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[Wieloch89]

My personally suggestion is to always use dry rock. With the ways to cycle a tank it’s almost a no brainer. You can control the pests that enter your tank and still cycle your tank in a short period of time as opposed to letting shrimp soak in your tank for 3 months lol.

Also, I haven’t personally bought from this place but they have a really large online following and their prices are better then a lot out there. Billysreefconnection.com.

Hope this helps.

 

[Laxdad]

Reefcleaners.org

 

[rtparty]

After going the dry rock route, I'll never do it again. You have zero diversity and no life in the tank. Yes, you limit bad hitch hikers but you get zero good as well.

Also, every coral you add to the tank has the chance to bring a hitch hikers in with it. My tank is nearly a year old and I've done nothing but fight it for almost 8 months. Chrysophytes, cyano, dino, hair algae and now back to cyano mixed with hair algae.

Plan a minimum of 12 months before your tank will be truly mature. It can take up to 24 months in some cases.

There will be plenty who will say they started with dry and had no issues but do some serious research. Just go check out 95% of the dino threads. Dry rock is used in almost every one of them

 

[User1]

It is a personal preference. However, if you are going live rock then I would seek out TBS.

My first two tanks used live Fiji rock. Shipped in a box with wet newspaper to keep it has live has possible. Great rock and still have it today. Sponges, algae, and of course hitch hikers in the from of Gorilla crab(s). Because it was shipped using wet newspaper there was die off even though it was shipped affordable and fast. Today we have sources like TBS in that you place an order and it is at your agreed air terminal in less than 24 hours. Shipped in water and little to no die off.

Like I noted above, I've done "live" and recently done the dry Pukani. Both have their purposes and unique in their own right. Everyone should do both in my opinion because with the dry or full cycle process you get to see the end to end process from start to end. Mother Nature is amazing in that capacity. In my opinion anyway. So having just cycled a new tank with 150 lbs of dry Pukani I wish I went with TBS. Besides the owner, Richard, is one heck of a friendly guy. I've not done business with him but we have exchanged emails from time to time - he is a avid Scuba Diver