Live rock vs dry rock

[w.gurney77]

I'm in the process of building a new 93 cube and I am trying to decide on rock. I like the look of the different colored coraline algae on live rock, the purple and red and pink. It seems that when I have used dry rock in the past all I could grow was the pink. Filling my tank with all live rock would be expensive. In the past I tried to mix dry and live rock. The purple would not move to the dry rock.

Is it possible to get the purple calcareous algae to spread?
I don't want this aquascape to look like a pile of rocks, like my previous tanks.

 

[KorD]

In my 30 I used 14lbs live and the rest was dry rock.. After a few months the dry rock started looking like the live rock.

 

[w.gurney77]

In the past all I could get to spread was the pink ( and lots of algae lol). Did you have any luck with the purple? I would like a variety of different calcareous algae.

 

[w.gurney77]

In the past all I could get to spread was the pink ( and lots of algae lol). Did you have any luck with the purple? I would like a variety of different calcareous algae.

 

[KorD]

I think the purple rock spreads the coralline algae better then the regular live rock does.. LOL

Here is my tank.. you can see I have a mix of both. The reg looking rock was the live rock I added, and the purple rock was my dry rock. (right side of the tank)

Here is a close up of the purple rock.. it is going on 6 months soon and is nicely covered in coralline algae. (Knocking on wood) I have never had an outbreak of regular algae yet... I give it credit to my urchin and turbo snail for keeping it away

 

[TBAquaculture]

I personally prefer live rock. We have always used it in our tanks and have never had any trouble getting coralline to grow on it. Check out our website tbaquaculture.com don't the entire tank in love rock might not be as expensive as you think.

 

[w.gurney77]

I like the way the purple looks. It also keeps algae from growing in the places it covers.

 

[JOKER]

Dry rock you don't get any hitchhikers and can take your time to aquascape. Can seed it with a live rock or just scrape coralline off hermit crab or another rock and it will color up in no time. It is also cheaper and becomes live rock. I will use dry rock from now on.

 

[BigDog008]

When getting dry rock, be weary of phosphates leaching.... ask me, I'm learning the hard way....

 

[w.gurney77]

The no hitchhikers and workability are two of the reasons I am considering dry rock.

The phosphate leaching is troubling. Does all dry rock leach phosphates or does it depend on where you get it?

 

[JOKER]

I got mine from reefrocks.net and as far as I know no leaching. Highest mine has been is .1 but I feed heavy. With gfo I keep mine at .03 tank is right at a year old 90 gallon with heavy bioload

 

[w.gurney77]

I got mine from reefrocks.net and as far as I know no leaching. Highest mine has been is .1 but I feed heavy. With gfo I keep mine at .03 tank is right at a year old 90 gallon with heavy bioload

Ok cool I will check it out. I will be running gfo also. Probably will have a large bio load as well.

 

[BigDog008]

I always run with the assumption that if its live it has hitch hikers, if its dry it has phosphates.... nothing that a bit of good QT practice or lanthanum chloride for the later can't fix...

 

[JOKER]

The reefrocks are $85 for 50lbs so price is good. I really like mine and up until 11 months had no algae issues, that's when I started feeding the tank heavily so I think my phosphate problem is food related. Coral look better since started feeding more though so gfo it is.

 

[Camellia]

Dry rock! Safe, slow start....

 

[jt17]

I have an aquaroche ceramic pillar in my DT and the coaraline covered it in a few months and it looks just like the pieces of live rock. If you do go the dry route check out The Alternative Reef. They make hand made ceramics for the reef tank. I picked up a shelf with built in magnets that is mounted to the back wall of my tank. In my nano I used Marco rock and it's my favorite to work with. The pieces fit together very nice and with some epoxy and glue you can build structures that look natural. I used Dr. Tims one and only to start the cycle. I did cycle the tank for a few months to allow it to stabilize, it definitely takes longer to stabilize, and I also used live sand. I didn't have problems with phosphates but the rock did suck up alot of alkalinity. All of these options had zero impact on the natural reef with no hitch hikers.

 

[w.gurney77]

I have an aquaroche ceramic pillar in my DT and the coaraline covered it in a few months and it looks just like the pieces of live rock. If you do go the dry route check out The Alternative Reef. They make hand made ceramics for the reef tank. I picked up a shelf with built in magnets that is mounted to the back wall of my tank. In my nano I used Marco rock and it's my favorite to work with. The pieces fit together very nice and with some epoxy and glue you can build structures that look natural. I used Dr. Tims one and only to start the cycle. I did cycle the tank for a few months to allow it to stabilize, it definitely takes longer to stabilize, and I also used live sand. I didn't have problems with phosphates but the rock did suck up alot of alkalinity. All of these options had zero impact on the natural reef with no hitch hikers.

Did you cycle with fish or hit it with ammonia to start it off? How much did your alk drop? Did it drop in days or weeks?
Looks like the pros out way the cons for dry rock. Seems the cons are dealt with easy enough.

 

[w.gurney77]

I always run with the assumption that if its live it has hitch hikers, if its dry it has phosphates.... nothing that a bit of good QT practice or lanthanum chloride for the later can't fix...

I have read a little about it. How do you handle the precipitate? I would like to remove it somehow. Do you drip it next to the skimmer or can it be filtered out somehow?

 

[Rob&Gab]

I'm going to be using 100-140lbs of dry Marco rock straight from Marcorock.com

Also going to be usin live sand and then putting a live rock from pure smaller display I to the sump to avoid any hitchhikers or anything unwanted.


How long would it take for the tank to cycle with that said? 2months? I never used dry rock before . Had the real reef rock , and liv e rock.

 

[w.gurney77]

I'm going to be using 100-140lbs of dry Marco rock straight from Marcorock.com

Also going to be usin live sand and then putting a live rock from pure smaller display I to the sump to avoid any hitchhikers or anything unwanted.


How long would it take for the tank to cycle with that said? 2months? I never used dry rock before . Had the real reef rock , and liv e rock.

You definitely know what you're doing. I've seen the pics you post of your acros.... SICK!