Dry or Live Rock?

[Neo Jeo]

Aren't you glad you dodged this guy?

Haha to funny and yes

 

[lapin]

You want the ammonia to get to "0". That is food for your bacteria. The product of that process is nitrate. Once your ammonia gets to "0", add enough to get to 1ppm. Then test again and test until it gets to "0". If it gets to "0" in less than 24 hours then you are done. Change the water to get rid of the nitrates. Test your water for phosphates. If those are high, when you add the rock to the tank, you will get a big algae bloom. Not what you want. You will get one anyway, unless you are really lucky. Smaller the better.

 

[Neo Jeo]

You want the ammonia to get to "0". That is food for your bacteria. The product of that process is nitrate. Once your ammonia gets to "0", add enough to get to 1ppm. Then test again and test until it gets to "0". If it gets to "0" in less than 24 hours then you are done. Change the water to get rid of the nitrates. Test your water for phosphates. If those are high, when you add the rock to the tank, you will get a big algae bloom. Not what you want. You will get one anyway, unless you are really lucky. Smaller the better.

Thanks man.

 

[lapin]

Yup. A bit o slice and dice on the rock is gonna have to be done. Gots to fit thru these holes.

 

[lapin]

I pressure washed a few of the rocks. Its below freezing here so not the best day to do this. After 24 in RODI water I get no PO4 leeching. This is good news to me. If its in the rock its hiding. When it gets warmer I'll do the rest and get it cycling.

 

[Neo Jeo]

I would think it will take a few weeks to show po4 for die off. If you got Marco rocks you will be fine

 

[tdileo]

My suggestion is 75% dry and 25% live that you carefully inspect. Not sure if you have chosen already but I don’t really want to read through the entire thread lol!

 

[Susan Edwards]

I realized last night while trying to figure out how much dry rock to order and from where that when I take down the display refugium, I hae prob. 20-30 lbs of rock in there, plus another 10-15 in the coral qt which is also coming down. Some of what is in the DR has either macro glued to it or colt corals so will only use clean rock. Rest can go into the refugium. Or the dragon's breath can be detached. Don't want any colts in my display again.

 

[Sir Chris]

Dry rock and use old tank water to cycle it for 75g. But I saw a piece of live rock I NEEDED so got and QT’d. Yes a rock but was just watching it when added pellets and found a brisand set up bristle traps and took a week 2 weeks but after 3 days of none I added so u can bennifit from love rock greatly. Just clean and QT it for a bit. Ull b happier. This is my trap I made. Filled with these glass marbal like things and a shrimp and pellets and night and a few hours. It’s important 2 have the straws so they can’t crawl back out so the angle helps and allows u 2 wedge it between rock as most bristles won’t wanna venture far. Made 4

 

[Susan Edwards]

If I use my own live rock, no need to QT as there isn't anything nasty so far in any of my tanks. Will use dry sand, rinsed well, and butt some sand from the display refugium and main display. Might use most of the refug. sand for the new fuge. That tank was started in March so sand should be good. Might even have some pods in it.

 

[tdileo]

Why do so many people hate bristleworms? They are harmless detritivores and probably one of the biggest members of your clean up crew. A group can eat a dead fish fast enough that it won’t cause an ammonia spike from decaying, and they don’t hurt anything that’s alive. The population is also self controlling, meaning the amount you have depends on how much you feed.

 

[FarmerTy]

Picked up a pallet of Marco dry rock. Big pieces and lots of holes. Not much rubble, prob just from the truck ride to Texas. Stuff looks good. Heavier than Pukani but not near the price. Will let everyone know about phosphates once I get it soaking.

That's a fine looking tub! [emoji12]

 

[tony'stank]

I have started tanks both ways. I agree that with live rock the startup is faster and it is fun to watch the hitchhikers. But in the long run it took way too long to get rid of them ( and some I never did). My current tank is a RSR 450 ( 90 G) that I started with my own old dry rock. It did take a long time for coralline growth and a natural looking Reef ( almost a year) . But I have had zero problems with algae, phosphate or unwanted pests. If yu do go with live rock order it from a supplier like Tampa Bay. The live rock you can get fro LFS in MI is nasty, expensive and not worth it.

 

[jahnje]

Some other options I found in my research (I have not used any of them and they are in no particular order):

http://www.gulfliverock.com/

https://arcreef.com/

https://www.saltwaterfish.com/category-live-rock-sand

https://www.liverocknreef.com/

http://www.aquariumcreationsonline.net/saltwater_aquarium_liverock.html

And as mentioned above,
http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/

Also check your LFS if you have any good ones near by (I am lucky to have many).

Personally, I do not like the new “painted” faux rock, but over time it will likely be covered anyway.

Good luck all

KP Aquatics. I just wanted to make sure these guys get in this list.
As far as I can tell they are the closest to TBS I've found, and have been doing it for 25 years. Used to be Sea Life Inc. But they don't ship in water either, just really damp, nor do they seem to have the equivalent of "The Package". But they are selling ocean aquacultured live rock.
https://www.kpaquatics.com/

 

[tsav87]

I started with dry rock in June 2017. Looks live now.

 

[tsav87]

I will add that I didn't add any live rock other than coral plugs or rubble that they are attached to.

 

[Kendall9812]

I've had 3 tanks. 29, 90, and 120. I've always used LR and I've never had any really "bad" pests to deal with. You'll get something that might be a little annoying, but has never taken 6 months to control or get rid of. You can also find rock for cheap online from people who are getting out of the hobby.

 

[Kendall9812]

I've had 3 tanks. 29, 90, and 120. I've always used LR and I've never had any really "bad" pests to deal with. You'll get something that might be a little annoying, but has never taken 6 months to control or get rid of. You can also find rock for cheap online from people who are getting out of the hobby.

 

[Neo Jeo]

I have started tanks both ways. I agree that with live rock the startup is faster and it is fun to watch the hitchhikers. But in the long run it took way too long to get rid of them ( and some I never did). My current tank is a RSR 450 ( 90 G) that I started with my own old dry rock. It did take a long time for coralline growth and a natural looking Reef ( almost a year) . But I have had zero problems with algae, phosphate or unwanted pests. If yu do go with live rock order it from a supplier like Tampa Bay. The live rock you can get fro LFS in MI is nasty, expensive and not worth it.

Im also in MI and our rock is nasty! I agree I went 100% dry

 

[Neo Jeo]

Ok, Are my dry rock is getting ready for my tank I found this:

https://www.amazon.com/Coralline-Ni...srs=15058565011&ie=UTF8&qid=1515180007&sr=8-1

• Unique 2 in 1 Formula Contains Both Live Coralline Algae Spores & Active Nitrifying Probiotic Bacteria
• Creates a Balanced Environment by Introducing Multiple Strains and Color Variations of Coralline Algae
• Contains Highly Epiphytic Coralline Algae Stains to Help Outcompete Nuisance Algae and Diatoms
• Will Rapidly Establish Your Saltwater Aquariums Biological Filtration and Quicken your Tanks Cycle
• Use When Stating an Aquarium, Adding Rock or Sand, or to Increase the Color and Diversity of Existing Live Rock

How great is this?! I don't want to seed my tank with life rock as im getting dry rock to stay away from hitchhikers... Is this the real stuff? Will it work?