Whats YOUR opinion on Live Rock?

[KingTideCorals]

Hello reefers!

Recently I picked up some beautiful live rock from @uniquecorals this rock was harvested from Australia and is easily some of the finest rock I have seen in some time! I wanted to share my experience of unboxing and getting this rock with you all and also start a discussion on here about reefers opinions on whether to live rock or not to live rock! Cheers and happy reefing all!

 

[ReefGeezer]

Live rock... well... rocks! Check out the link below. It is my article about nutrient processing pathways and food webs. Live rock play an important role in both. Live sand and rubble rock from the same sources can also be super beneficial to a system. For me, it is about the diversity of life it brings to the system like sponges, pods, tube worms, and particularly the microbial life it seeds. There is a risk of hitchhikers and die-off. That can be mitigated by properly preparing the rock before it goes in the tank.

 

[Tamberav]

I love live rock. KPA is my favorite.

My first rock In the hobby (long ago) was live tonga rock. It was absolutely incredible and I miss those days so much. It had so much that life I still don’t know what it was… and so many interesting creatures like abolones and even corals growing off it.

There is nothing like it available today. Not even the Australian stuff comes close.

It is probably a good thing it isn’t available anymore but newer people in the hobby won’t get that experience which is a shame.

 

[KingTideCorals]

Live rock... well... rocks! Check out the link below. It is my article about nutrient processing pathways and food webs. Live rock play an important role in both. Live sand and rubble rock from the same sources can also be super beneficial to a system. For me, it is about the diversity of life it brings to the system like sponges, pods, tube worms, and particularly the microbial life it seeds. There is a risk of hitchhikers and die-off. That can be mitigated by properly preparing the rock before it goes in the tank.

Well said! The preparation of the rock is key in my opinion too! A holding tank for the rock can help mitigate a lot of problems/issues in the end!

 

[JCM]

Using real live rock is the best thing you can do for your tank. You'll never match the biodiversity starting with dry rock.

 

[JGT]

If you don’t want to deal with the uglies, Dino’s, cyano, GHA, phosphates leaching, start your tank with live rock.
I also used KPA premium exclusively in my 240. The biodiversity and beauty of the live rock is also a big advantage as well. Far better than any dry rock, even after the dry rock gets some encrusting.
Peoples concern about pests is also way overblown. Put the rock in your tank and watch it for a few weeks. Remove anything that you see is undesirable.
The advantages far outweigh any due diligence you may have to do and while pricey, the amount of time, effort and money in dealing with dry rock issues quickly makes it a non-issue.

 

[BanjoBandito]

I'll never start a tank from dry rock again without it being "cured" or "cultured". I've had live rock introduce unwanted pests, but they seem to get a tank stable faster. I started a nano with dry rock and it was a DINO ADVENTURE worthy of jurassic park. Yeeeeeesh.

 

[Miami Reef]

I had Dinos in a 20 gallon tank even though I had 2 pounds of KP rock mixed with dry.

The tank was covered in coralline algae and dinos. My nutrients kept dropping no matter how much phosphates I dosed.

Live rocks will contain everything: dinos, coralline, green algae, bubble algae etc. It’s your job as the reefer to maintain nutrients to prevent dinos, and manual remove/add CUC to deal with the algae.

Dry or live: both work long term. That’s my opinion.

 

[kaylajoy]

I used dry rock to avoid unwanted critters. I eventually had to deal with a lot of them anyways. And I've paid money for things that could have come on good live rock for free.

If I could do it again, I'd probably just start with live rock and enjoy the variety it brings.

 

[Oldsman]

I'm planning a 75 g build later this yr, and decided live rock was being used. I'd love to add pieces from all the available shops, just for the diversity. Ill deal w the pests as needed, but feel imo will create the tank our family will enjoy.

 

[galantra]

I am also another user of KP aquatics live rock. I use this rock just to even help reseed my tank specially with my recent transfer. For the price of a 10-15lb next day ship the amount of sponges and critters is pretty amazing.

 

[Eric Cohen]

Here’s some live rock we just got in and is available. What I like about this batch is the lightness and shape of it. I’m calling it “decorative” because it’s really best used as a filler rock and not so much for block building. Hope ya’ll like it too!

 

[Waters]

All the hate for dry rock I believe is unwarranted (if used correctly).....but I agree, you can't beat the diversity of live rock.

 

[Mark Novack]

I used only a few pieces of living live rock but it seems to have diversified the entire tank just as well as with all live rock.

 

[OldRed1]

I love live rock. KPA is my favorite.

My first rock In the hobby (long ago) was live tonga rock. It was absolutely incredible and I miss those days so much. It had so much that life I still don’t know what it was… and so many interesting creatures like abolones and even corals growing off it.

There is nothing like it available today. Not even the Australian stuff comes close.

It is probably a good thing it isn’t available anymore but newer people in the hobby won’t get that experience which is a shame.

Is there a reader’s digest on why the Tonga rock is no longer available?

 

[92Miata]

All the hate for dry rock I believe is unwarranted (if used correctly).....but I agree, you can't beat the diversity of live rock.

I disagree.

Starting a tank with dry rock is way harder than starting a tank with live rock, and it takes way longer for the tank to mature.

 

[Waters]

I disagree.

Starting a tank with dry rock is way harder than starting a tank with live rock, and it takes way longer for the tank to mature.

That is correct....if you don't know how to use dry rock, live rock will be easier. If you do, there is nothing "harder" doing one over the other. My current setup is all dry rock and it has been the easist/most successful SPS tank I have ever set up, including multiple live rock tanks. You just have to know the needs and requirements of each and adjust accordingly.

 

[Ghost25]

No way I would pay the $26/lb (!!!) for that Australian live rock Unique corals is selling. Shipped from Australia, then shipped domestically damp in paper, most of the life is will be dead by the time it gets to you. Of course some will survive, but you'll get much more bang for your buck buying from a domestic supplier like KP Aquatics or Tampa Bay Saltwater, plus its more than 50% cheaper.

 

[92Miata]

That is correct....if you don't know how to use dry rock, live rock will be easier. If you do, there is nothing "harder" doing one over the other. My current setup is all dry rock and it has been the easist/most successful SPS tank I have ever set up, including multiple live rock tanks. You just have to know the needs and requirements of each and adjust accordingly.

It has nothing to do with "Knowing what to do" - it has to do with dry rock having no surface competition, not being phosphate stable, and not having heterotrophic organisms to immediately start outcompeting nitrogen bacteria. Coralline is a stabilizing presence. So are sponges, tunicates, worms, and the copious amounts of other organisms on live rock that are constantly eating and pooping and fighting on the surface of the rock.


You don't have to "know how to use" healthy live rock. You put it in the tank and grow corals.

 

[Jeffcb]

I have had a little bit of live rock....

125 Lbs. of KP Live Rock on airplane now.

Its been years since I have done this. Last time I got rock it was wrapped in wet news paper and was a long cycle. Smelly. This is shipped in water and weighs 285 pounds with water. Freight was high but supposedly better. Its going in my Reefer 900 (240gal) which was has been full and running...

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