Will not do this again!

[DesertReefT4r]

Tanks started with dry rock have always been more challenging with sps corals. They lack all the proper bacteria and micro fauna that so many corals seem to need. Bottled bacteria is no where near close to what came on rock from a reef, its mostly just nitrifying bacteria. It will cycle a tank and is fine for a FOWLR tank but a reef needs more. Adding a decent amount of live rock, adding frags with small pieces of rock attached, live sand from an established tank or the ocean or rock from an established tank will help add the needed things that sps need. It does help to keep the water "dirtier" earlier on as well. The added nutrients help things get going and stay healthy.

 

[Leicobra]

So it’s funny because I set up my tank right after watching that same video so I was trying to find live rock but it’s just not practical. It’s a 100 gallon SPS only, still only three or four months old so I knew I had to try to create an ecosystem that wasn’t there yet so I seeded itwith pods, I add Phyto, I feed reef roofs, and I also dosed po4 and no3 from the start. I actually had really good growth right out of the gate. I ended up having flukes and against my better judgement I used prazipro. It’s supposed to be one of the safest medications. I think what happened is that it shocked my acros and they stopped growing. Also I’m using a CaRx. So my all went from solid 9 up to 11 for a day or two and it burned my tips etc and ever since then it basically is acting like the dreaded new SPS tank. I’ve been trying to turn it around but I think it’s gonna take time and I’m gonna loose most of the sps that was there. Sad because I have 20 very high end frags like home wrecker, orange passion, Walt Disney etc so I’m pretty ****** lol.

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A few years back, I got some live rock from them once. They are expensive, but you can get live rock rubbles.

 

[SeaDweller]

Tanks started with dry rock have always been more challenging with sps corals. They lack all the proper bacteria and micro fauna that so many corals seem to need. Bottled bacteria is no where near close to what came on rock from a reef, its mostly just nitrifying bacteria. It will cycle a tank and is fine for a FOWLR tank but a reef needs more. Adding a decent amount of live rock, adding frags with small pieces of rock attached, live sand from an established tank or the ocean or rock from an established tank will help add the needed things that sps need. It does help to keep the water "dirtier" earlier on as well. The added nutrients help things get going and stay healthy.

This may be true, but I think it depends on the skill set of the reefer too. Look at @bubbaque

 

[bubbaque]

It’s nothing to do with the dry or live rock. You will notice everyone said their tanks turned around when they fed more and removed filtration to allow more food to stay in the tank. The key to success really comes down to feeding and making sure there is always available nutrients.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

You believe there is no difference between the use of live rock or dry rock? And everyone having issues with dry rock just needs to feed more and remove filtration?

 

[SeaDweller]

You believe there is no difference between the use of live rock or dry rock? And everyone having issues with dry rock just needs to feed more and remove filtration?

I think his point is with a sterile tank and sterile looking rock that has no abundance of diverse life on it, often times people are afraid to feed their tanks and allow nutrients to be available because they fear algae growth, etc. So this lack of nutrients to keep a tank looking nice means nothing available for SPS or whatever you want to keep.

 

[AngryMike2016]

I started with dry rock, and continually had issues with SPS. Once I listened to guys like Rakie/Bubbaque, and started feeding heavily, my misfortunes turned right around.

 

[Leicobra]

Although I have started tank with just dry rocks, it had great results over time. Just takes longer for me personally. I also had sps tank where I only used siporax. Live rock seem to work best for me. When I want more coloration, rising no3 and feed more always the way to go. Whatever method we choose, the result is what we looking for. Growth and corloration.

 

[bubbaque]

I think his point is with a sterile tank and sterile looking rock that has no abundance of diverse life on it, often times people are afraid to feed their tanks and allow nutrients to be available because they fear algae growth, etc. So this lack of nutrients to keep a tank looking nice means nothing available for SPS or whatever you want to keep.

Well said.

Most people who start with all new dry rock are new reefers. If they look up advice most of it is old and says to try and keep a sterile tank.


My tank is just shy of 3 months old and is doing very well and I started with 100% dry rock and all new equipment.

 

[bubbaque]

And this was the tank 3 months ago with all new rock.

 

[Joedubyk]

What do you folks do for nuisance algae?

 

[bubbaque]

What do you folks do for nuisance algae?

Mexican turbo snails. I have a lot of them that will devour algae.

Here is just a few of them.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

Well said.

Most people who start with all new dry rock are new reefers. If they look up advice most of it is old and says to try and keep a sterile tank.


My tank is just shy of 3 months old and is doing very well and I started with 100% dry rock and all new equipment.

Amazing, How did you get such great coraline growth in a short period if time? Did you add it from an established tank?

 

[bubbaque]

Amazing, How did you get such great coraline growth in a short period if time? Did you add it from an established tank?

It came in on the snails. I think coralline is similar to corals. If you don’t have many nutrients going in the tank it grows slowly.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

It came in on the snails. I think coralline is similar to corals. If you don’t have many nutrients going in the tank it grows slowly.

I have 3 tanks 2 started with live rock that I've had for in previous tanks over the last 13 years so it's well established, and they both ha e loads of coraline algae. The 3rd tank I started with all dry rock over a year ago and only have a couple spots of coraline, I'm tempted to take a piece of rock from either tank and see if that helps speed it up a bit.

 

[Leicobra]

It came in on the snails. I think coralline is similar to corals. If you don’t have many nutrients going in the tank it grows slowly.

I agree with what you said there 100%! Did you start with dry sand also? Your tank looked awesome! What do you to export and balance your N & P?

 

[bubbaque]

I agree with what you said there 100%! Did you start with dry sand also? Your tank looked awesome! What do you to export and balance your N & P?

I started bare bottom but didn’t like the look of coralline on the bottom so added dry sand a few weeks ago.

I’m only using a skimmer paired with an auto neck cleaner.

I have a build thread in my signature if you’d like to follow along.

 

[TangoTang]

Has anyone tried the lighting schedule mike talked about? Makes sense but I’ve never heard of it before.

Also does anyone in here leaves their blues on all night? I have mine turn off at 12am but curious.

 

[Leicobra]

I started bare bottom but didn’t like the look of coralline on the bottom so added dry sand a few weeks ago.

I’m only using a skimmer paired with an auto neck cleaner.

I have a build thread in my signature if you’d like to follow along.

I will be checking it out for sure.

 

[Leicobra]

I started bare bottom but didn’t like the look of coralline on the bottom so added dry sand a few weeks ago.

I’m only using a skimmer paired with an auto neck cleaner.

I have a build thread in my signature if you’d like to follow along.

I will be checking it out for sure.