Walt Smith 2.1 vs Realreefrock?

[burtbollinger]

not to resurrect an old thread, but my Walt Smith 2.1 is flaking paint. this was mentioned elsewhere but i hoped it was isolated.

I soaked it for over a month and scrubbed it, ect, prior to entering my display. i thought everything was good but a quick turkey basting of the rocks proved me wrong. dozens of pieces of paint flaking off and landing in the sand bed.

 

[sneub]

BRS uses Walt Smith 2.1 for their 52 weeks of reefing series videos, I use it as well, no issues and like the way it looks in water.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video/view/week-11-simple-ways-to-create-the-perfect-aquascape/

 

[FLSharkvictim]

I just checked tampa bay's website since people keep mentioning it, and they do not sell dry rock that is man made.

Can anyone comment on the aquascaping abilities of Walt Smith 2.1 vs Realreefrock? For example, is one much more brittle than the other and hard to drill or cut without unintended fractures? Do they both hold up over time compared to real rock? Are they both dyed throughout? Has anyone ended up having trouble with either rock?

@TylerS - Why are you going man-made rock? You should go with Tonga Branch Fiji Premium or Manado Live Rock which basically like old school Marshall Island.

I have tired about 20 lbs of reel reef rock and I like it a lot. Anyway, when I SET up my new SC 150, going to go with this Center Piece that @AquaRocks made me and use VidaRock for my Two Pillars that will be built on each end of the tank and then the rest will be filled in with my Tonga Branch.

Tank Info:
Mixed Reef tank info/ Skimz Skimmer / Apex Controller Incl. ALD, FMM, PM2, PM2, PM1 Mods / 4 Tunze 6055 / KALK Reactor / AI Hydra TwentySix HD LED's

 

[reefwiser]

Really Tamp Bay stuff is best when you get the rock that has been in the ocean for a couple of years. Sadly real live rock has not bee available for 20 years now. What is called live rock now is "not" live rock.

 

[FLSharkvictim]

@reefwiser - Sorry, I live on the Tampabay and I would not stick any gulf rock in my system, just my opinion. Getting closer to my center pcs being completed for my new 150....What I love about the material that is being used will not leach po4 back into your system.

@Aquarock

 

[reefwiser]

I have a a ceramic piece from alternative reef in my tank now. The problem is that the ceramic pieces do not harbor bacteria like “real” live rock. That was made by coralline algae bonding pieces of dead coral together