algae barn vs BRS rock

[mook1178]

Just wanting to get some opinion on the dry rock from Algae Barn compared to that of BRS Marco Dry Rock.

From the pics BRS looks a bit more aesthetic, but AB is so much cheaper for 90 lbs. I figure once the coral starts really growing I won't be seeing so much of the rock and it won't matter.

Is one inherently better than the other for any reason?

 

[billyocean]

Just wanting to get some opinion on the dry rock from Algae Barn compared to that of BRS Marco Dry Rock.

From the pics BRS looks a bit more aesthetic, but AB is so much cheaper for 90 lbs. I figure once the coral starts really growing I won't be seeing so much of the rock and it won't matter.

Is one inherently better than the other for any reason?

The more porous the better..whichever one that is.

 

[danimal1211]

The more porous the better..whichever one that is.

I wish as a hobby we could get past this silly notion.

Does the surface area of live rock really matter? | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

The reef aquarium hobby is a past time of expendable income and mental bandwidth; this explains why even though the focus is supposed to be about reef life like corals, fish and inverts…

reefbuilders.com

New Study: Live Rock Doesn’t Really Denitrify

The bane of most aquarists is the slow buildup of organic wastes in the form of nitrate. This is Aquarium Keeping 101—cellular respira

reefs.com

 

[billyocean]

I wish as a hobby we could get past this silly notion.

Does the surface area of live rock really matter? | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

The reef aquarium hobby is a past time of expendable income and mental bandwidth; this explains why even though the focus is supposed to be about reef life like corals, fish and inverts…

reefbuilders.com

New Study: Live Rock Doesn’t Really Denitrify

The bane of most aquarists is the slow buildup of organic wastes in the form of nitrate. This is Aquarium Keeping 101—cellular respira

reefs.com

Well.maybe so...I've always just gone on that and it made sense. Seems like more porosity vs a solid rock would hold more surface area for bacteria but I'm far from an expert on the situation.

 

[danimal1211]

That’s what’s always been said and I also thought the same for years until I saw the ‘Formosa Forest’ back in the reefcentral days.


Fun fact: arogonite buffers to a ph of 7.5

 

[mook1178]

I wish as a hobby we could get past this silly notion.

Does the surface area of live rock really matter? | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

The reef aquarium hobby is a past time of expendable income and mental bandwidth; this explains why even though the focus is supposed to be about reef life like corals, fish and inverts…

reefbuilders.com

New Study: Live Rock Doesn’t Really Denitrify

The bane of most aquarists is the slow buildup of organic wastes in the form of nitrate. This is Aquarium Keeping 101—cellular respira

reefs.com

Looks like I will cheap out and get the Algae Barn rock

 

[billyocean]

That’s what’s always been said and I also thought the same for years until I saw the ‘Formosa Forest’ back in the reefcentral days.


Fun fact: arogonite buffers to a ph of 7.5

Same..lol. It makes sense though...although blowing out rock on a regular basis helps as well but no way to get all of it.

 

[GlassMunky]

I wish as a hobby we could get past this silly notion.

Does the surface area of live rock really matter? | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

The reef aquarium hobby is a past time of expendable income and mental bandwidth; this explains why even though the focus is supposed to be about reef life like corals, fish and inverts…

reefbuilders.com

https://reefs.com/new-study-live-rock-doesnt-really-denitrify/[/URL

honestly those are FAR from convincing. One is just a BRS "experiment" that shows nothing at all in a scientific manor. its the same us some person setting up a tank and saying "mine did this so this is true" it means nothing as its purely anecdotal.

The other one is an actual study, but i've seen in my own experience the serious lack of quality than anything E-DNA testing comes with. That whole field of study is wayyyy too new and not repeatable in many cases so its just as much a guess based off one instance.[/url]

 

[GlassMunky]

I will say that it has been made pretty clear over the years the old addage of 1-2lbs of rock per gallon isnt really true, and theres countless tanks that have way less rock.
I just dont think we know why that is just yet exactly.

 

[danimal1211]

Maybe so, but decades of preaching 1-2lbs of live rock will reduce nitrates by any significant amount has been refuted by every single tank set up with 1-2lbs live rock w/o some other source of denitrification.

 

[GlassMunky]

Maybe so, but decades of preaching 1-2lbs of live rock will reduce nitrates by any significant amount has been refuted by every single tank set up with 1-2lbs live rock w/o some other source of denitrification.

if you say so....
I think using absolutes like that is silly.... but you do you and believe what you want.
Ill personally wait till we have actual repeatable evidence to show whats up. until then its all just a guess like anyone else.

 

[mook1178]

In the ocean, the vast majority of Denitrification happens in the sand bed, not rock. Just something to think about.

 

[danimal1211]

if you say so....
I think using absolutes like that is silly.... but you do you and believe what you want.
Ill personally wait till we have actual repeatable evidence to show whats up. until then its all just a guess like anyone else.

stating common experience is not speaking in absolutes and while it may be anecdotal it is certainly repeatable. It has in fact been observably verified by every single reefer who needs any form of nutrient export, ie. skimmers, water changes, refugiums, DSBs…. Other than live rock to manage nitrates.
The article posted above simply shows peer-reviewable evidence of what common experience has shown the entire time. That live rock alone simply cannot perform full denitrification of a significant amount in a closed reef aquarium ecosystem regardless of “porosity.”

 

[GlassMunky]

stating common experience is not speaking in absolutes and while it may be anecdotal it is certainly repeatable. It has in fact been observably verified by every single reefer who needs any form of nutrient export, ie. skimmers, water changes, refugiums, DSBs…. Other than live rock to manage nitrates.
The article posted above simply shows peer-reviewable evidence of what common experience has shown the entire time. That live rock alone simply cannot perform full denitrification of a significant amount in a closed reef aquarium ecosystem regardless of “porosity.”

not speaking in absolutes "Every single reefer ever has experienced this"
do you see the irony?

 

[GlassMunky]

stating common experience is not speaking in absolutes and while it may be anecdotal it is certainly repeatable. It has in fact been observably verified by every single reefer who needs any form of nutrient export, ie. skimmers, water changes, refugiums, DSBs…. Other than live rock to manage nitrates.
The article posted above simply shows peer-reviewable evidence of what common experience has shown the entire time. That live rock alone simply cannot perform full denitrification of a significant amount in a closed reef aquarium ecosystem regardless of “porosity.”

nothing in either of those articles was peer reviewed and repeated. it was a single experiment that was published once and thats it.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Just wanting to get some opinion on the dry rock from Algae Barn compared to that of BRS Marco Dry Rock.

From the pics BRS looks a bit more aesthetic, but AB is so much cheaper for 90 lbs. I figure once the coral starts really growing I won't be seeing so much of the rock and it won't matter.

Is one inherently better than the other for any reason?

Hello, you should also look at ARC! That stands for Atlantic Reef Conservation. They have a quarry that that use to ship rock from. I purchased 45 lbs. from them for my aquarium when I set it up. The rock is amazing, and relatively cheap. It comes with multiple pre drilled 3/8" holes for frag plugs.

 

[danimal1211]

nothing in either of those articles was peer reviewed and repeated. it was a single experiment that was published once and thats it.

The peer reviewed study discussed in the article is cited at the bottom of the article where references are typically cited. The other article that discussed the ‘BRS’ video missing the mark was an op-ed written by Jake Adams. While I’m not fully familiar with his qualifications, they were likely more than adequate.

 

[GlassMunky]

The peer reviewed study discussed in the article is cited at the bottom of the article where references are typically cited. The other article that discussed the ‘BRS’ video missing the mark was an op-ed written by Jake Adams. While I’m not fully familiar with his qualifications, they were likely more than adequate.

While im not familiar im sure its adequate. meaning you have no idea and didn't check but just assume.... just like your whole premise in this thread.
Jake adams was just another reefer who setup a media company "Reefbuilders" hes no scientist.

 

[GlassMunky]

While im not familiar im sure its adequate. meaning you have no idea and didn't check but just assume.... just like your whole premise in this thread.
Jake adams was just another reefer who setup a media company "Reefbuilders" hes no scientist.

and agian, that single paper, is just that. a single paper done once and published..... no other repeated tests, just their one time

heres the whole thing

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321752786_Effects_of_live_rock_on_removal_of_dissolved_inorganic_nitrogen_in_coral_aquaria

 

[danimal1211]

I saw that link and it has been peer reviewed I don’t understand what the confusion is or what exactly is the point of contention. Maybe being silly just to be. That single paper highlights clearly what has been common experience amongst reef aquarists.