Live rock vs dry rock

[torchreefer]

I want to redo a 40 gallon tank with a nice dry rock piece. Every tank previously I've used live rock. Tips on success with the dry rock? Planning on using fitz turbo start?

 

[docforestal]

I have liked real reef rock as it looks purple, vs. marco rock that is bleached, but fills in eventually -
i have used some real reef rock, cooked in tanks at Pacific east aquaculture to come with some "stuff" to help it cook a little quicker

 

[aws2266]

I usually use a combo of both live rock and dry rock. The live rock already has established bacteria on it that will help out a new tank but it's expensive so I usually get a couple of pieces of live rock and the rest dry. In my opinion, if you can afford it, it's best to use live rock whenever possible. If you look on craigslist, FB marketplace, and some lesser-known fish forums you can usually find some decently priced pieces of live rock. Also, don't let people bust your head on dry rock. I personally don't pay over $2lb for dry rock unless it's a great piece. It all comes down to patience. If you have it, the dry rock will be fine. If you want something up and going sooner rather than later, live rock is the way to go. Hope my 2cents helps

 

[EricR]

One opinion only, based on tank transfer 1.5 years ago where I moved forward half live rock and added half dry rock...

Personally wouldn't use dry rock again just based on the fact that issues I ran into with nuisance algae, dinos, etc, only got a strong hold on my dry rock structure with never a speck on my live rock structure.

...but I get the appeal for aquascaping in advance and also price

 

[OSFF]

I made the mistake of starting a tank with only dry rock a few years back. After 2 years, I still had issues with hair algae outbreaks as well as dinos and finally just gave up and broke the tank down and restarted with live rock(zero issues with the live rock tank at 16 months). The bottled bacteria doesn’t really make a difference in my experience and I’ll never use dry rock again because even after 2 years of “establishing” it was still garbage.

 

[Cthulukelele]

IMO the only downsides to live rock are cost and pests, and usually with live rock starts pests are kept in check via competition in my experience. They only REALLLLYYY take off on rocks with way less biodiversity

 

[djf91]

Using dry rock to aqua scape before filling with water makes things 10x easier but I’m not sure if I’ll ever do it again. It’s taken me 18 months to finally mature/beat the uglies on 300 lbs. of dry rock.

 

[torchreefer]

Using dry rock to aqua scape before filling with water makes things 10x easier but I’m not sure if I’ll ever do it again. It’s taken me 18 months to finally mature/beat the uglies on 300 lbs. of dry rock.

Were you able to add fish and corals in that time?

 

[pandaparties]

Just depends on what you want. If you want a truly pest free system or want to build your own aquascape with anything that's not just stacking then dry rock is a must. Though it obviously takes absolutely forever to mature (years) and the uglies are much uglier. If you want a quicker start and don't care about pests and are fine with just stacking then live rock is the way to go.

 

[doubleshot00]

I did all dry rock in my tank but went SLOW. IMO if i didn't have a tang and foxface in my tank from the beginning i would have had more problems. I did add some live rock to the tank but that was after the tank was cycled. Did it do anything idk. If i would do it again i would at least do half live and half dry.

 

[fishybizzness]

I also started my latest tank with carisea liferock about 2 years ago. It has been a completely different experience from my previous tank with live rock. I have dealt with issue after issue. I put a few pieces of live ocean rock in the tank to help seed with more bacteria and the live rock is beautiful and never grows algea but the life rock right next to it always has some algea on it. I have snails and urchins and they keep it under control but I am definitely looking at removing the liferock and replacing it with live rock. I know some people have ok experiences with the liferock but I haven't been one of them.

 

[areefer01]

IMO the only downsides to live rock are cost and pests, and usually with live rock starts pests are kept in check via competition in my experience. They only REALLLLYYY take off on rocks with way less biodiversity

Pests, or hitch hikers, can be mitigated and/or managed.

OP - I didn't catch the timeline but if possible you could buy the rock today, toss it in a 44 gallon brute or similar container with saltwater, heater, and small power head for flow and let it establish itself. This would be in parallel to whatever you are currently doing then periodically test to make sure it is indeed cycled and then move it when ready.

Basically you are going about your business as always but conditioning rock. Before you know it the rock will be ready for you to aquascape. It won't shorten the cycle but it does allow you to pick up a rock that has some micro fauna and biological filter attached so you don't use raw.

 

[djf91]

Yes I was. Fish have been fine, but it’s been a roller coaster with corals. My SPS have everything they need to grow and actually do want to grow and color up but trying to give them what they want also ends up feeding the GHA and cyano….. You want all surfaces occupied by corraline, bacteria, other microfauna before you start focusing on coral.

All of the these issues you see in marine aquariums today rarely occurred in the past when we were using indo pacific live rock.

Ecological succession (“maturing rock”) takes a long time.

 

[docforestal]

I would also think about pre-treating your tank once cycled with pods and snails/hermits before hair algae acts up, makes a difference - and like above, biodiversity helps. all tanks will go through blooms but pods eat algae, diatoms, and other stuff so often you dont get as bad.
I had 40 pounds dry and 15 "live" cooked in a tank, used dr. tims, 4 weeks cycle done, hair algae starting to cover all rocks, 6 hermits , 6 ceriths and 4 jars of algae barn pods, rocks and sand are clean - i still expect uglies, but i think this will help, have macro in the hob filter and dosing phyto to keep the pods around and i can seem them crawling around the rocks
i prefer not actual collected live rock as possible pests
no right or wrong tho

 

[LilElroyJetson]

I would also think about pre-treating your tank once cycled with pods and snails/hermits before hair algae acts up, makes a difference - and like above, biodiversity helps. all tanks will go through blooms but pods eat algae, diatoms, and other stuff so often you dont get as bad.
I had 40 pounds dry and 15 "live" cooked in a tank, used dr. tims, 4 weeks cycle done, hair algae starting to cover all rocks, 6 hermits , 6 ceriths and 4 jars of algae barn pods, rocks and sand are clean - i still expect uglies, but i think this will help, have macro in the hob filter and dosing phyto to keep the pods around and i can seem them crawling around the rocks
i prefer not actual collected live rock as possible pests
no right or wrong tho

How’s it going with your tank? Just curious on the progress 6 months later and what your ugly stage has looked like if any. Thanks!