Dry Rock vs Live Rock for 1st reef....

[ClearwaterReefer]

Have had a FOWLR for 4-5 years but now doing first reef. 32 LED Biocube with the intank addons.

I am familiar with wet rocks but have never done dry.

I know there is a big seperation on opinions, so curious on some peoples input.

 

[Don_Jorge]

less beneficial bacteria to start out with but during the cycle you achieve this anyway. dry rocks will cause a diatom bloom do to silicates but they still just fade away. id say the only con for me is you dont get the random life/coral you would with live rock

 

[fish farmer]

dry rock with some aquacultured live rock for the life forms.

 

[Super Fly]

@fish farmer has a good suggestion to combine them.
Can't beat biodiversity you get with rocks harvested from ocean vs cured dry rock. However have to deal w hitchhikers (which was a real hassle) with ocean rocks. There are threads that credit their rocks from the ocean for reefing success with sps corals vs cured rocks. However farmed ocean rocks are expensive esp after shipping, unless u happen to live nearby and can pick up from seller. IMO, I'd always go with ocean harvested rocks.

 

[Ippyroy]

If you can add a few rocks from your FOWLR system you would be all set. Rocks from an established system work almost as well as rocks from the ocean, minus the pests.

 

[Silent]

Starting with dry rock has made it so much more difficult for me than previous builds using live rock. Painfully slow process for me.

 

[ClearwaterReefer]

If you can add a few rocks from your FOWLR system you would be all set. Rocks from an established system work almost as well as rocks from the ocean, minus the pests.

FOWLR has aiptasia. and was copper treated 3 years ago. Too risky I was told, especially with my 1st reef.

 

[Pkunk35]

If you have patience then dry rock you can aquascape super nice and take your time. Obviously as people have said the beneficial life forms (and negative ones) will not be there and you have to build them up which can add cost maybe people don't think of (adding pods, mud, etc)

Wet rock is amazing right but so hard to scape wet. It's really the only negative IMO.

 

[ClearwaterReefer]

If you have patience then dry rock you can aquascape super nice and take your time. Obviously as people have said the beneficial life forms (and negative ones) will not be there and you have to build them up which can add cost maybe people don't think of (adding pods, mud, etc)

Wet rock is amazing right but so hard to scape wet. It's really the only negative IMO.

I'm putting pods in when I set up my refugium.

 

[ApoIsland]

dry rock with some aquacultured live rock for the life forms.

This all the way!! No bigger waste of money than a bunch of live rock when only one piece of live mixed with a lot of previously dry will give you the same result in a fairly short amount of time.

 

[Garf]

Dry rock stuck together in a form that pleases you. Then a small lump or two of live, anywhere in the system.
Are you doing bare bottom or sand?

 

[Ippyroy]

FOWLR has aiptasia. and was copper treated 3 years ago. Too risky I was told, especially with my 1st reef.

You would have to use acid to clean and even then it might not work.

 

[blueridgereef]

I've been out of the hobby for about 7 years, and LR was still pretty standard (especially where I was, in FL) at that time. My biggest concern starting my new tank with dry rock was about the cycle, and I am confident that it won't be an issue with bacteria in a bottle products. I'm planning to use dry rock so I can do whatever I want with the scape, and then probably Fritz TurboStart 900.

These threads/posts really helped me.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bacteria-in-a-bottle-myth-or-fact.403226/post-8454390

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/100-water-change.752693/post-7888324

 

[ClearwaterReefer]

Dry rock stuck together in a form that pleases you. Then a small lump or two of live, anywhere in the system.
Are you doing bare bottom or sand?

Caribsea live sand. (not a fan of bare bottom) I was thinking of mixing. 70/30 dry would work?