What would be your preference for aquacultured live rock?

[innovusaquaculture]

If someone were to offer aquaculture live rock by the pound would you prefer that it were to be cultured in a fish-less environment even if that meant that there was less bio-diversity on that rock?

Assuming that the fish, invertebrates and coral in the system were properly quarantined and that quarantine process were laid out in precise detail. The advantage of adding fish, invertebrates and coral to a system is greater bio-diversity on the rock. Small invertebrates like mini brittle stars and filter feeders could possibly be cultured on the rock with a fully functioning QT'd system culturing the rock.

Rock ONLY acculturating would not allow ANY possibility of fish borne pests that might possibly escape even the best QT protocol.

Would you only start a system with dry rock and not pay an additional few dollars more per pound for cultured live rock?

 

[ubasu]

I would rather buy dry rock if the "live rock" was in a fish less system. But maybe offer both?

Also what about sand?

 

[fryman]

Why would adding fish be a source of biodiversity?

I expect there's a market for cultured live rock, but customers are likely to be very concerned about fish parasites. If the goal is just making live rock, why not just use a cuc? This avoids the possibility of fish parasites, although not all pests.