Dry Rock or Live Rock?

[newtohobby1025]

I’m looking to set up a new tank, but my LFS told me they only carry dry rock. Isn’t there essential good bacteria on live rock? They also told me that live rock is illegal. If someone could please help me out it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[Propane]

Live rock is not illegal. Plenty of places sell it. They want you to make purchases from them and they don’t have what you want. Seems like you need a different place to shop.

 

[xWascallyWabbit]

Live rock is not illegal. Plenty of places sell it. They want you to make purchases from them and they don’t have what you want. Seems like you need a different place to shop.

Agreed with above.
Dry rock is fine there are plenty of ways to skin a cat.
Live rock can be expensive. So ultimately if I had to do it again. I would not do 100% dry rock for my first tank. I would do as much live as I was willing to pay for and then fill in the rest of the hardscape with dry rock. Whether that is 50/50 or 80/20 depends on your budget.

 

[MrGisonni]

Live rock is illegal to harvest. It can be aquacultured, some have licenses. It is still imported. I went with "life rock" by caribsea in my 30 reef after using live on all of my past tanks for decades. The life rock was easy to scape with, cool arches, but the tank took forever to mature. I didn't see Coraline algae growth for a year.

 

[newtohobby1025]

Live rock is not illegal. Plenty of places sell it. They want you to make purchases from them and they don’t have what you want. Seems like you need a different place to shop.

Thank you. I guess they want me to just buy from them. They’re even charging $7/ lb for it.

 

[zoomonster]

There's the fake purple painted stuff that is kinda sorta "live" rock as long as it's been in a tank. If you want the real thing there a couple of places that sell farmed gulf rock like Tampa Bay Saltwater, the $9+ a pound Walt Smith Fiji farmed stuff is also available again and of course the outrageously priced Aussie rock at ~$25 a pound. Just my opinion but at least some real live rock is necessary for a successful tank startup.

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

Live rock will be the better option for stability and biodiversity. You can order it online, KP Aquatics and TBS will be the best sources in the US.

 

[newtohobby1025]

Does anyone know why he would say I can only do dry rock, yet still charge $7/ lb for it?

 

[Double monti 61]

Live no matter if is manmade and seasoned or aqua cultured in the ocean.

 

[newtohobby1025]

Live no matter if is manmade and seasoned or aqua cultured in the ocean.

Thank you. Also, I see under your name we are actually local to each other. I live in the hudson valley at all. Im not sure if you want to talk private, but what shop do you use?

 

[Double monti 61]

Whatever shop that is local and might have something I need or like otherwise I make my purchases online and yes private contact is ok.

 

[reeftivo]

started two tanks with all dry rock and won't do that again. took too long to build the diversity and ran into many issues along the way.

i now have 80% LR in my system and an aqua-tecture piece i couldn't part with.

if all LR is too pricy for you then do a mix of LR and dry.

i order from Tampa Bay saltwater and gulf live rock. worth every penny

 

[Sump Crab]

I would not trust that LFS at all if I were you. Their comment about live rock being “illegal” was either extremely ignorant/misinformed or a flat out lie. There are plenty of options to buy perfectly legal and environmentally sustainable liverock from Florida aquaculture facilities.

 

[newtohobby1025]

And what makes it crazy, it wasn’t he starting almost yelling at me and calling him a liar about how dry rock is the way to go. I think he might not have the proper facilities

 

[Propane]

Does anyone know why he would say I can only do dry rock, yet still charge $7/ lb for it?

You can get dry Marco rock for 3.00 bucks a pound. Buy online or go elsewhere. BTW did you wear a nice watch to his shop lol.

 

[MrGisonni]

The KP Aquatics rock looks pretty good. Aquacultured,decent shapes, coralline algae

 

[newtohobby1025]

You can get dry Marco rock for 3.00 bucks a pound. Buy online or go elsewhere. BTW did you wear a nice watch to his shop lol.

You can get dry Marco rock for 3.00 bucks a pound. Buy online or go elsewhere. BTW did you wear a nice watch to his shop lol.

He knows I drive a bmw, so he probably takes advantage of that. Lol

 

[Propane]

Check out Tampa Bay live rock. It’s spendy but people that get it seemed very pleased. Some aquarium stores also sell cycled rock but they charge almost as much.

 

[razorskiss]

I started my first tank with dry rock and my 2nd with live rock from TBS. I would definitely use TBS exclusively for nano and pico tanks but would be scared of missing potentially problematic hitchhikers in a large system- my pico kit with only 3 lbs of rock came with a mantis shrimp. If you have the ability to qt the rock in several batches and slowly move them into the display tank, I much prefer the diversity and stability of the live rock start over the dry.

 

[newtohobby1025]

Check out Tampa Bay live rock. It’s spendy but people that get it seemed very pleased. Some aquarium stores also sell cycled rock but they charge almost as much.

Thanks I will look into it. My ony issure is buying my tank from the guy and I also need sand and water. Can I possibly say I want to buy my own live rock ?