Dry Rock Display - Live Rock Sump

[hans4811]

You're definitely not naive.

I've only ever done LR starts.

I had one horrible experience and considered a dry start for my new upcoming 180 reef, but after researching and the comments in this thread so far, I'm leaning towards a full dry display with KP aquatics live rock in my sump to start. A couple items that tipped the scales for me:

1.) KP aquatics and TBS live rock are of infinitely better quality that the past live rock I've used - that being aiptasia ridden, mostly white, algae covered "live" rock from a local fish store.

2.) The nuisance critter from my past debacle (mantis shrimp), along with gorilla and stone crabs, can be isolated in the sump while the live rock still effectively seeds the dry rock display. If a time comes where am firmly convinced that my live rock is free of these guys, I have the option to move it into the display later. Perhaps then, anything beneficial to that was formerly unable to seed up to the display will be able to transfer.

3.) Many reefers have started both ways - full live start vs full dry start. Obviously there will always be differing schools of thought, but many who have commented thus far say that, all things considered, they like live rock starts better. Lots of great comments here so far, explaining why they feel that way.

Just a note from KP in their description of their LR..(could just be a sales pitch, but....)

"Compared to most other live rock harvested in the Gulf of Mexico, our live rock is 100 % Aptasia free. This live rock for sale is completely different from Gulf of Mexico rock as far as the biodiversity goes "

I would not get sand off the beach and you would likely need a permit for lawful collection. The live sand/live rock suppliers collect offshore and dive to get it from their designated areas. Since you are in FL you might want to call them up and see if you can do a pickup to save you some money on shipping.

Good point...didnt think of that...probably not real eco-friendly idea either, now that I think of it !

And yes, I was thinking the same, about the drive down there to pick it up. Good excuse for getting a quick offshore dive in as well !!

 

[hans4811]

Not to hijack the OP thread here, but the KP website has a note about curing their rock...

"Perform 30% water changes daily in the first 3 days. Keep a close eye on your tank levels (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH), perform bigger water changes if they the levels go much higher. Afterwards perform biweekly water changes of 50% until your levels read zero. When the levels read zero for a couple of days, your tank has cycled and is ready to be used. "

Is that how y'all have done this before ?

Should I do this in trash cans, or can I do this in my aquarium ?

Seems like I'll be somewhat limited in setting up my aquascape, in that I can't play with it outside of my tank like i've seen others do here...not that big of a deal I guess....

 

[tmnails]

Not to hijack the OP thread here, but the KP website has a note about curing their rock...

"Perform 30% water changes daily in the first 3 days. Keep a close eye on your tank levels (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH), perform bigger water changes if they the levels go much higher. Afterwards perform biweekly water changes of 50% until your levels read zero. When the levels read zero for a couple of days, your tank has cycled and is ready to be used. "

Is that how y'all have done this before ?

Should I do this in trash cans, or can I do this in my aquarium ?

Seems like I'll be somewhat limited in setting up my aquascape, in that I can't play with it outside of my tank like i've seen others do here...not that big of a deal I guess....

Some reefers cure rock or let it cycle in Brute cans because of the convenience of doing water changes in their garage, or they're adding dry rock to an established system, or they still want to work on plumbing and setup on a new system and have their rock cure in the meantime. There are several reasons like this where people do it in a separate bin.

For me, I plan on putting the live rock right in my sump. I'm not in a crazy rush, and I want to have everything set up and ready (and working) before I even order my live rock. And with KP and TBS, some people say that they hardly have a level spike anyways. Your results may vary, but if it's overnighted and put into a system quickly, there might not be much die off and the cycle won't be that severe.

 

[hans4811]

Some reefers cure rock or let it cycle in Brute cans because of the convenience of doing water changes in their garage, or they're adding dry rock to an established system, or they still want to work on plumbing and setup on a new system and have their rock cure in the meantime. There are several reasons like this where people do it in a separate bin.

For me, I plan on putting the live rock right in my sump. I'm not in a crazy rush, and I want to have everything set up and ready (and working) before I even order my live rock. And with KP and TBS, some people say that they hardly have a level spike anyways. Your results may vary, but if it's overnighted and put into a system quickly, there might not be much die off and the cycle won't be that severe.

Plus, being in FLA myself, I'm thinking it would be a quick drive up by UPS or go pick it up myself, so even less of a shock causing die off either way.

But like you, I plan to have my whole system setup and tested out for leaks and such, drain it, then start making my salt water and place my order in then. That way, I'm ready to go when it comes and just plop it into my tank !

 

[Maximitsurugi]

I had read your post before. I saw you said no red bugs, and I know TBS doesn't have the bad kind of aptasia (though there is a Caribbean anemone which looks quite similar. I was talking more broadly about bad hitchhikers. As I've said in the past, there are basically three kinds:

1. Opportunistic predators which are more a threat to fish and motile inverts than coral. Crabs, mantis shrimp, fireworms, predatory snails, etc. Most don't breed in tanks, and all of them can be trapped, meaning they're problems with expiration dates.
2. Dedicated coral predators - red bugs, nudis, sundial snails, etc. These need coral to feed, and won't come in on live rock anyway.
3. Things that have outbreaks in tanks which are not ecologically balanced. Algae is the big one here, but things like aiptasia, red planaria, and arguably vermetid snails and asterina also are here. I honestly think that use of dry rock makes these outbreaks more - not less - likely to happen, because it means you have a very truncated tank ecosystem where it will be easy for any introduced life to expand into open niches.

Aaah is there something that i dont know about the Gulf of Mexico and Aiptasia? I live in the Caribbean and you can find tonnes of aiptaisia where you find zoas and generally around rocks even at the shore. Also, i thought MEN werent really an Atlantic thing but i got some chaeto and after putting it into my sump, and stupidly not dipping it, as i wanted copepods, Boom! Nudis on the chaeto. Tried to pull it fast but too late, im fighting them in the display nightly.

I want to put my new dry rockwok in my barebottom reef but i have acros and i want to offset a lot of the whole maturity issue so im going to one of our Cays to get some coral rubble a few feet from shore and pack it into my refugium. Think ill be able to keep my few acro frags?