What’s the best Rock?

[boisblancboy]

So I noticed finding Pukani rock is not an easy things now a days and thought it was known as the best. What would be the next best rock to get?

 

[Quintin]

Best rock in my humble opinion is TBS rock.

 

[CBonito]

Best rock in my humble opinion is TBS rock.

I second that and admittedly regret not starting my tank with REAL live rock.
I think it's dumb not to and doing it eliminates so much hassle down the road.

 

[JGT]

Live rock FTW. KP Aquatics has great stuff as well. Get the premium shipped in saltwater. Will save yourself all the headaches that dry rock brings.

 

[specsgirl]

I ordered some of the Australian live rock and it’s positively my new favorite rock.

 

[boisblancboy]

I second that and admittedly regret not starting my tank with REAL live rock.
I think it's dumb not to and doing it eliminates so much hassle down the road.

What are the hassles you are talking about?

 

[Quintin]

What are the hassles you are talking about?

Ugly stage for one battling GHA, diatoms and PH swings among other things.

Zero ugly stage in my experience with TBS live rock and sand, plus loads of critters and micro fauna and flora.

 

[Doctorgori]

you can no longer get the best rock unfortunately
(that would be FRESH Marshal Island or Fiji branch)

But yeah I got decent rock from KP Aquatics which is similar in composition to TB rock or the same thing

 

[CBonito]

I ordered some of the Australian live rock and it’s positively my new favorite rock.

From KP? What does it look like?

I love the look of branch, but honestly it's not the best amount of surface area. I need some fiji rock or something.

What are the hassles you are talking about?

Oh god, forget it man...algae blooms dinos, all kinds of stuff happen as the tank struggles to find an equilibrium. With live rock, that equilibrium is already there to begin with.

 

[boisblancboy]

Thanks for all the pointers. It’s going to take me a long time before I actually get the tank set up so I’d like to just get some dry rock. I can let it cure for months! So any recommendations for the dry rock would be appreciated still?

But for sure I’ll end up getting a few pieces of LR to help seed and add some biodiversity.

 

[Gundy]

I ordered some of the Australian live rock and it’s positively my new favorite rock.

I would imagine this rock from Australia has to be double the cost of the rock from Florida, thus making the cost outrageous if your need large quantities. However I have heard it is awesome rock.

 

[fish farmer]

I would imagine this rock from Australia has to be double the cost of the rock from Florida, thus making the cost outrageous if your need large quantities. However I have heard it is awesome rock.

It's around $25 a pound.

 

[X-37B]

Thanks for all the pointers. It’s going to take me a long time before I actually get the tank set up so I’d like to just get some dry rock. I can let it cure for months! So any recommendations for the dry rock would be appreciated still?

But for sure I’ll end up getting a few pieces of LR to help seed and add some biodiversity.

If you are going to cure for several months then add a couple pieces of live rock with the dead to start. No need to add bottled bac, but you can if you want.
Throw a light on it for 8hrs a day and keep temp and alk stable with a powerhead for flow.
Feed it with some good pellets every week.
Your dead rock will have all the bio it needs to get your system up and running when you are ready.

 

[specsgirl]

From KP? What does it look like?

I love the look of branch, but honestly it's not the best amount of surface area. I need some fiji rock or something.

Oh god, forget it man...algae blooms dinos, all kinds of stuff happen as the tank struggles to find an equilibrium. With live rock, that equilibrium is already there to begin with.

I received mine from Pristine Marine Aquariums. It is super light and porous, not like the old iron tonga branch we used to be able to get. I received a mix of branch and fiji type pieces. I don't have any pics on this computer, but I did post in the new vs old thread some pics. It was spendy, but absolutely NO pests and I had none of the uglies that you are talking about.

 

[specsgirl]

I would imagine this rock from Australia has to be double the cost of the rock from Florida, thus making the cost outrageous if your need large quantities. However I have heard it is awesome rock.

It was 25 a pound. I will say however that it is super lightweight and porous, making the need for less amount than you would think, but yes... still spendy

 

[Ernie Mccracken]

It's around $25 a pound.

Take me back.

 

[CBonito]

I received mine from Pristine Marine Aquariums. It is super light and porous, not like the old iron tonga branch we used to be able to get. I received a mix of branch and fiji type pieces. I don't have any pics on this computer, but I did post in the new vs old thread some pics. It was spendy, but absolutely NO pests and I had none of the uglies that you are talking about.

This is what I really need. Right now, I am fighting with Dinos because against all of my better judgement and a lack of a good REAL live rock resource, I bought some fake branch rock that was run in a big system for a while. Fake rock is garbage. It is not anywhere close to good fiji or tonga branch in porosity, or even softness that would allow animals to bore into it and colonize it, so as a result there is no surface area either. Just junk. I might as well get some plastic acro colonies, or dog turds or whatever to go along with it.

Anyway, some changes are in order and I think I need to start swapping out rock in my tank. But for now, I bought some mud from floridapets to add to my ecosystem refugium and do a slurry to HOPEFULLY seed the sand with some life.

I have never had a problem before getting a tank into a "sociable" state pretty fast starting it with live rock.
I miss how you could kick up a bunch of silt and in a few minutes the rock would clear everything up because of all the little bivalves embedded in it.

 

[JoJosReef]

I got some old Fiji and Marshall islands rocks that were dried out in another guy's garage for 5 years. Put it in the tank with about 33% Tampa Bay Saltwater live rock. This rock is amazing. I occasionally get a light brown dusting on the sand that is gone next day as my conches vacuum it up. Rocks are covered in coraline, both the TBS and the old reef rock. Bubble algae is the only problem I've got so far.

 

[specsgirl]

This is what I really need. Right now, I am fighting with Dinos because against all of my better judgement and a lack of a good REAL live rock resource, I bought some fake branch rock that was run in a big system for a while. Fake rock is garbage. It is not anywhere close to good fiji or tonga branch in porosity, or even softness that would allow animals to bore into it and colonize it, so as a result there is no surface area either. Just junk. I might as well get some plastic acro colonies, or dog turds or whatever to go along with it.

Anyway, some changes are in order and I think I need to start swapping out rock in my tank. But for now, I bought some mud from floridapets to add to my ecosystem refugium and do a slurry to HOPEFULLY seed the sand with some life.

I have never had a problem before getting a tank into a "sociable" state pretty fast starting it with live rock.
I miss how you could kick up a bunch of silt and in a few minutes the rock would clear everything up because of all the little bivalves embedded in it.

I 100% agree.

Previously I tried a tank with the fake rock and absolutely hated the battle every step of the way. I tore that tank down (stayed out of reefing for quite a few years) and vowed to never again set up a tank without finding a source for the "good stuff." While the pocketbook cried a bit, in the grand scheme of things when we look at what we pay for all the other equipment it was completely worth it for me.