Dry or Live Rock?

[Midrats]

You seem to be a person able to answer this. I'm planning my first reef and as such it has a lot of first time expenses with it. So it will probably go a bit slow but I'm in no real hurry. Every stage is exciting really. But anyway, I plan on setting up a plenum/dsb in my refugium as I start up the tank and cycling it so hopefully it will have an established bacterial filter after that. And I want to use good quality live rock from the ocean. But being a bit expensive I thought that I could add it over some time.

I have a few lfs from where I can get it so it doesn't have to be shipped and can be brought to it's new tank quickly. How about curing in a case like that? Should I cure each batch of live rock or can I add a little over time straight to the DT if it's not stocked with fish or coral yet? My reasoning is that if it's cured at the lfs and I can bring it home without any major die off there shouldn't be much dead stuff that could cause any spikes?

Or should I add it to a second container and just monitor the values for a few days before adding it to the DT?

Adding small amounts of cured rock to a system over an extended period of time is perfectly acceptable.

 

[Mandelstam]

Adding small amounts of cured rock to a system over an extended period of time is perfectly acceptable.

Thank you for your reply!

 

[Midrats]

For sure, good luck with it.

 

[FDAWG]

I went with dry Pukani rock 5 months ago and I'm still dealing with all sort of crazy algae issues. Am I safe from hitchhikers? Yes at the moment but your quarantine techniques better be in check because all it takes is a few Vertimid snails under a frag plug to plague your whole tank.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I am in the beginning stages of a new aquarium and have enjoyed this thread. A couple of thoughts after reading.

1) I may be wrong but it seems there are more worries these days than twenty, thirty years ago about bad hitchhikers in live rock. I wonder if that is due to the popularity of Atlantic aquacultured live rock that goes almost directly from ocean to tank. Mantis shrimp and nuisance crabs for example may show up. Back when I started in the late eighties, I used a lot of Fiji live rock. There was always a good amount of die off in the transportation by boat to the US. Most of these bad critters would not make the trip alive. My point is there is different live rock with different risks.

2. Whichever you choose the key is patience. Dry rock must be cured if it once harbored life or else algae issues may persist. This process may take many months. Live rock can go right into a new build, but I would recommend waiting a month or two before adding additional life to it. This will give you time to remove any unwanted pests before they can hurt your livestock. Either way, if you rush, you will likely have problems.

For me, I am using a mix of dry and live for a 30 gallon tank. The dry shelf and rubble rock are curing now (not cycling, curing). About 8 pounds. I will order about 15-20 pounds of live rock in the spring. Once I add them all to the aquarium, I will wait an additional month or two more before adding anything more than a CUC.

Do not rush this process. Your rock is the key to your system. It performs the bulk of the filtration and provides homes and bases. Take it slow and let it mature. Some will add bacteria supplements with success, but I never understood this. What is the rush? Let your rock develop naturally over time and you will likely be successful.

 

[Mark Gray]

I have used both. I will always now a days use 100% dry rock l. I can buy everything I want in the tank,and does not come with things I don't want in the tank. 30 years,ago you could not get dry rock.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Is there any other place then TBS?

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

 

[NY_Caveman]

I have used both. I will always now a days use 100% dry rock l. I can buy everything I want in the tank,and does not come with things I don't want in the tank. 30 years,ago you could not get dry rock.

One reason I considered going all dry is I have a specific aquascape in my head. With dry I could select the exact pieces to make that happen. If I order live rock the shapes and sizes may be hit or miss. That said, maybe I am old school, but I just love watching all of the life that comes with live rock, so I decided on a mix of dry and live.

 

[NY_Caveman]

...I want to bring in as many organisms and hitchhikers as possible. My build will be quite slow and I don't have a problem with running the tank with just rocks for as long as it takes before adding other livestock so any pests can more easily be dealt with. Adding live rock from the ocean is to me equally exciting as adding corals or fish. It's a way to bring in some added complexity and a piece from the actual ocean to our little glass boxes. That's how I see it anyway. [emoji4]

I feel exactly the same way. People will notice your fish, but you will be amazed by all the tiny life in your rock.

 

[Mark Gray]

One reason I considered going all dry is I have a specific aquascape in my head. With dry I could select the exact pieces to make that happen. If I order live rock the shapes and sizes may be hit or miss. That said, maybe I am old school, but I just love watching all of the life that comes with live rock, so I decided on a mix of dry and live.

I understand back in the day my rock came out of the South Asian ocean, had a mantis shrimp in one shipment, didn't know he was there,fish started disappearing. lol had to take most of the rock out to catch him.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Ugh. Worst nightmare. There is no guarantee for sure. And bad critters can still come out of nowhere months after you think you are safe.

 

[Mark Gray]

Ugh. Worst nightmare. There is no guarantee for sure. And bad critters can still come out of nowhere months after you think you are safe.

Oh yeah the tank was over a year old when the first clown disappeared then my juvenile emperor angle 225 gallon tank

 

[Mandelstam]

I mean I wouldn't want a stealthy mantis shrimp hiding in the same tank as my fish but I would love to have one in a little nano satellite tank off the main display... Those critters are cool!

 

[mattgsa]

My first tank, I was in a hurry and wanted it up and running as fast as possible. So I used live rock. I had all kinds of algae problems, and pest problems. Granted it was my first time, so I'm sure the rock was not entirely to blame. So this time, I'm going to take it real slow and use old dead, and dry rock. I will get some small pieces of live rock to put in the sump, just to help seed. The tank has been up and running for several months. Other then just a little dino, I have seen no algae in the tank (90 gallons). My clean up crew consists of 3 hermit crabs. I also put in an over sized skimmer which helps.

 

[JackalCackal]

I started my tank with pukani dry rock that I soaked in bleach for three weeks prior to using. Phosphates have never been above .25 and nitrates never above .25. My tank is five months old now and has 18 fish, 50 frags and no algae problems or pests.

Did you change out the bleach or just set and forget?

 

[Neo Jeo]

Merry Christmas everyone ! I have an update I scrubbed all my dry rock and rinse it off now I have it soaking in a 55 gallon tub with a heater and powerhead with no lights ! I’m bringing up the salinity level Then I’ll be adding bacteria and ammonia for the next three weeks . I think I have too much rock why it’s better to have more ready than not. I got this rock on Amazon from natures ocean it was fantastic .

Also I have my tub wrapped in an insulated blanket that normally goes around a hot water tank there is no fiberglass it’s in my basement in Michigan when it’s 20° outside lol

 

[MarsRover]

I got dry rock from Marco rocks. Didn't soak before using.

Use a biological during tank cycle (like red sea's reef mature program or prodibio) to help ensure seeding of strong cultures of the proper bacteria. Then later dose a pile of copepods and live phyto from algae barn and you'll be in business. Cycle takes "longer" i guess....people say that....I didn't really notice a difference and my copepod/amphipod population is crazy right now. Coraline is popping up all over and my sand bed is already filled with beneficial spagetti worms etc. it's only been a few months.

I didn't have brown algae bloom going this route.

Check my build thread and see what I did with my stuff. Probabaly around page 13 or so. I documented heavily. I even used cement without curing to put the rocks together and it's been fine (just don't use a ton to make rocks....that'd probably be a bad idea...but Marco mortar is dark dark dark and so I used either that mixed with aragonite sand to lighten it up or I used white Portland and aragonite to cement my rocks together)

 

[Neo Jeo]

Looks great man! The rock is the same as mine, it's from the same farm area I found out. How did you introduce Coraline into the tank? and get those spegetti worms?

-Also did you drip your corals for pests or quarantine fish?

 

[Neo Jeo]

Ok, I added dr tims and ammonia to my rock batch. How many times should I add bacteria and ammonia ?

 

[lapin]

I'm also going the marco dry rock this time. Waiting for the pallet now. I plan on soaking and testing. Hoping for no leeching. Looking forward to aquascaping.