What are some things new (or old) reefers do that they should avoid trying?

[livinlifeinBKK]

Not much going on guys so just thought I'd discuss a little with you guys instead of just sitting around...like the title says, what are some things a lot of people do early after starting that they should probably just stay away from?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Dry Rock.

IMO, the benefits of starting with ocean live rock, then curing out any possible pests is a Much more user friendly start to a tank that sets new (or old) reefers up for success.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Dry Rock.

IMO, the benefits of starting with ocean live rock, then curing out any possible pests is a Much more user friendly start to a tank that sets new (or old) reefers up for success.

I agree 100%!

 

[mindme]

Dry Rock.

IMO, the benefits of starting with ocean live rock, then curing out any possible pests is a Much more user friendly start to a tank that sets new (or old) reefers up for success.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I'm curious...are you saying there's a benefit to starting with dry rock or just that it doesn't make a difference?

 

[mindme]

I'm curious...are you saying there's a benefit to starting with dry rock or just that it doesn't make a difference?

Yes, it is a benefit to start with dry rock. You don't introduce a bunch of pests.

You can also take your time and sculpt a nice aquascape, rather than just stack the rocks as best you can because you are worried about things dying off.

The only real benefit to adding live rock is that you get good bacteria diversity. But it's not 10-15 years ago, there are so many bacteria you can buy now, that it just doesn't really give that same benefit.

But, some of that bacteria is bad. There are people who are getting live rock now, and then having coral die because it's carrying in a disease.

So that leaves you with live rock that has "other life" on it. Some of which may be nice hitchhikers, but most of which you could buy separately, or as I said above, is a pest. Best case scenario is you might get something like a rose coral which is otherwise impossible to get, and even that is not guaranteed or probably even likely.

If people want to go that route, more power to them. But to go in the opposite direction and say dry rock is bad is just straight up wrong.

 

[undermind]

If people want to go that route, more power to them. But to go in the opposite direction and say dry rock is bad is just straight up wrong.

But nobody said dry rock is bad

 

[mindme]

But nobody said dry rock is bad

It was said people should avoid using it.

 

[FoolishWizard]

Ive had nothing but success with dry rock... Love the ability to take as long as I want with a scape outside of the tank... Love having zero pests and have always started with Dr. Tims One and Only. Def takes patience but Im a patient guy.

I see the benefit in live rock in supplying more diverse and natural bacteria but I dont think dry rock is something the hobby should stay away from...

Different paths to get to the same destination really.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Yes, it is a benefit to start with dry rock. You don't introduce a bunch of pests.

You can also take your time and sculpt a nice aquascape, rather than just stack the rocks as best you can because you are worried about things dying off.

The only real benefit to adding live rock is that you get good bacteria diversity. But it's not 10-15 years ago, there are so many bacteria you can buy now, that it just doesn't really give that same benefit.

But, some of that bacteria is bad. There are people who are getting live rock now, and then having coral die because it's carrying in a disease.

So that leaves you with live rock that has "other life" on it. Some of which may be nice hitchhikers, but most of which you could buy separately, or as I said above, is a pest. Best case scenario is you might get something like a rose coral which is otherwise impossible to get, and even that is not guaranteed or probably even likely.

If people want to go that route, more power to them. But to go in the opposite direction and say dry rock is bad is just straight up wrong.

I would never say it's wrong for someone to set up their tank with dry rock...there are some benefits as you stated above. Personally I think live rock is the better choice for me because of certain inverts that I really like such as my Fromia starfish that naturally feeds off of benthic biofilm and encrusting sponges which live rock from the ocean give you a great head start with...as for the bacterial diversity, realistically you just can't replicate that with bottled bac imo partly due to the intricate symbiotic relationships between bacterial strains and countless other microorganisms...just how I see it

Love my Fromia to death btw!

 

[exnisstech]

Freaking out over some diatoms and algae. Also dosing and chasing numbers early in the game. I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination but I believe it's best to just be patient and let the tank settle in instead of freaking out. Also wait before adding livestock. I can't believe how many time I read about people having ammonia in their tanks and fish not doing well. I have never added livestock untill ammonia was gone. But then again once I'm cycled and no ammonia or nitrates are present I never test for them again so maybe I'm just lucky?

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I'd say using too many supplements when you're just starting out should be avoided...I think it's important to get a feel for the natural biology first

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Growing corals with Metal Halides. Thems fighting words.

 

[mindme]

I would never say it's wrong for someone to set up their tank with dry rock...there are some benefits as you stated above. Personally I think live rock is the better choice for me because of certain inverts that I really like such as my Fromia starfish that naturally feeds off of benthic biofilm and encrusting sponges which live rock from the ocean give you a great head start with...as for the bacterial diversity, realistically you just can't replicate that with bottled bac imo partly due to the intricate symbiotic relationships between bacterial strains and countless other microorganisms...just how I see it

You can buy that starfish. Encrusting sponges aren't so good when they start encrusting your coral.

I currently have 2 tanks, but I'm adding in a 3rd(actually redoing my original DT, 24g). I'm moving my 29g RBTA tank into the 24g tank.

I looked into live rock quite a bit as an option for the newer tank. And in the end, it was a big nope from me. Too much risk for no real reward. I was considering going back and using live rock on the 29g that I am moving into the 24g, but then I read about people getting a disease from the live rock that killed their coral, so I'm not even sure I am going to do that. I'm planning on turning that one into a softie tank, and thought the biodiversity would be fun, but the risks are just really hard for me to get over.

Dry rock in the 24g, and most likely dry rock again in the 29g.

 

[mindme]

All this talk of rocks and such made think of this:

People spend too much time on how their aquascape looks today, rather than how it's going to look in the future when it has coral all over it.

Most common problem here is people put their aquascapes entirely too high in the tank, which doesn't leave much room for coral to grow.

 

[EricR]

All this talk of rocks and such made think of this:

People spend too much time on how their aquascape looks today, rather than how it's going to look in the future when it has coral all over it.

Most common problem here is people put their aquascapes entirely too high in the tank, which doesn't leave much room for coral to grow.

Yep -- I finally did an in-tank break up and scatter of one of my ill-conceived, tall rock piles recently.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

You can buy that starfish. Encrusting sponges aren't so good when they start encrusting your coral.

I currently have 2 tanks, but I'm adding in a 3rd(actually redoing my original DT, 24g). I'm moving my 29g RBTA tank into the 24g tank.

I looked into live rock quite a bit as an option for the newer tank. And in the end, it was a big nope from me. Too much risk for no real reward. I was considering going back and using live rock on the 29g that I am moving into the 24g, but then I read about people getting a disease from the live rock that killed their coral, so I'm not even sure I am going to do that. I'm planning on turning that one into a softie tank, and thought the biodiversity would be fun, but the risks are just really hard for me to get over.

Dry rock in the 24g, and most likely dry rock again in the 29g.

Well yeah, you can buy the starfish but encrusting sponges are a little more difficult to find to feed. Besides, Id be planning for the future when deciding what piece I wanted and it would be somewhere I'd expect the star to eat it long before it ever became an issue.

It just really is worth it for the microbiome you get from my point of view and experience. I'm sure there are negatives as well as you stated.

But I don't hate dry rock or anything...just a preference.

 

[FoolishWizard]

All this talk of rocks and such made think of this:

People spend too much time on how their aquascape looks today, rather than how it's going to look in the future when it has coral all over it.

Most common problem here is people put their aquascapes entirely too high in the tank, which doesn't leave much room for coral to grow.

Isnt that the point of spending time on the aquascape? To make sure it will look good when there is coral all over it? Make sure proper flow / no dead spots. Proper high light, mid light & low light areas for coral and equally as important, adequate protection/refuge for fish... I think time should be spent up front on aquascape to ensure it all still looks good and serves its purpose in the future. AKA... Not just a pile of rocks leaning on the back glass.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

You can also take your time and sculpt a nice aquascape, rather than just stack the rocks as best you can because you are worried about things dying off.

I'm perfectly capable of scaping with wet rock. If you aren't, that doesn't make my OPINION stated above wrong.

The only real benefit to adding live rock is that you get good bacteria diversity. But it's not 10-15 years ago, there are so many bacteria you can buy now, that it just doesn't really give that same benefit.

You will never even get close to the natural bacteria of the ocean, buying every bottle to bacteria on the market.

But, some of that bacteria is bad. There are people who are getting live rock now, and then having coral die because it's carrying in a disease.

Righttttt..

If people want to go that route, more power to them. But to go in the opposite direction and say dry rock is bad is just straight up wrong.

Please show me in my post above, or ever that I said dry rock was bad. I'll save you some time because it didn't happen.


There are a hundred live rock versus dry rock threads already if you want to debate it. I have no desire to.

The prompt was what do you think reefers should avoid. So what do You, think they should avoid?

 

[mindme]

I'm perfectly capable of scaping with wet rock. If you aren't, that doesn't make my OPINION stated above wrong.

Well I probably don't aquascape the same way you do. I break my rock up into pieces and then sculpt them with lots of overhangs.

This was my aquascape in my 180g, which took about a week with the rocks out of water on the counter, because it all needed to dry. You just can't do this with live rock.

You will never even get close to the natural bacteria of the ocean, buying every bottle to bacteria on the market.

You don't need all the bacteria in the ocean. And if I did want all the bacteria in the ocean, you can just order some mud from somewhere like ISPF. Or in my case, drive 5 miles down to the beach.

Righttttt..

It's called SCTLD.

Please show me in my post above, or ever that I said dry rock was bad. I'll save you some time because it didn't happen.

The topic of the thread is things new or old reefers should avoid trying. Your response was dry rock.

There are a hundred live rock versus dry rock threads already if you want to debate it. I have no desire to.

Well this just isn't true. You are the one who brought up live vs dry rock. And now you are the one debating it further.
What you apparently mean to say is you just want to say whatever and not have anyone question it.

The prompt was what do you think reefers should avoid. So what do You, think they should avoid?

Well I obviously don't think dry rock should be avoided.