Quick Live Rock vs Dead Rock Question

bradenr · Mar 16, 2014

OK im starting up a new 29 gallon reef system and wanted to know if i should use Live Rock, Manmade rock or dead live rock. Im not worried about the price of the rock so $4/lb or $8/lb not worried about that. It will be a new system so if i have bad spikes im not worried about that i wont have anything in the tank but rock. Which ever you choose please link a good place to buy the rock form Thanks

fhd · Mar 16, 2014

Yes man if you can buy live rock is better or you can buy mix live and dead rock they will be all live in future. But live rock looking better in the tank there is more benefits then dead but again you can mix them dead and live to save you money. I think you will need 29lbs of rock in your tank.

Reefing Madness · Mar 16, 2014

Dry Rock would save you from unwanted hitch hickers

SmoothSmoke · Mar 16, 2014

I'm in the same conundrum. Use dry rock, you get phosphates. Use live rock, you get pests. I went with 30lbs of dry rock. I will also look for 3-5lbs of live and dose with a bit of ammonia too.

Reefing Madness · Mar 16, 2014

Use the dry rock, dose the tank with seaklear phosphate remover until stabile, then use GFO.

SmoothSmoke · Mar 16, 2014

Reefing Madness said:
Use the dry rock, dose the tank with seaklear phosphate remover until stabile, then use GFO.

Thanks never heard of Lanthanum chloride till now! I suppose this technique is much easier/safer than using muriatic acid?

OP, I got my dry rock from reef cleaners.

bradenr · Mar 16, 2014

I see using GFO everywhere. do i need to always dose that or just for cycling

Reefing Madness · Mar 16, 2014

I got Macro Rocks, and the phosphates went through the roof, GFO would have cost me a bloody ton of $$$, so I used SeaKlear, and still use it today.

booth2010 · Mar 16, 2014

I would go with dry rock and buy a small live rock to seed the tank. That way you can have a little help with bacteria and coralline but not have to worry about potentially hazardous hitch hikers.

bradenr · Mar 17, 2014

Thanks for the help guys. im going to get 25lbs of dry rock and 5lbs of good clean live rock to seed the tank.

booth2010 · Mar 17, 2014

Sounds like a good plan.

fhd · Mar 18, 2014

I had just start from 10 day my 200g tank with 180 or 200 lbs dead rock and I add just 10 lbs live rock now just from 3 days I start see green algae in some diy rock and sealing silicone but now my alklinaty too hight about 195.4 is it normal cuz I am in cycling? ?