Best rock to use is new tank

[damsels are not mean]

Hi thanks for your reply, what’s wrong with the rock bins like the one attached at my lfs?

I got rock from my LFS that was fine, even had a coral on one piece. But you never know what's in there. It's not as good as fresh rock from the ocean but still carries all the same risk of pests. I distinctly remember a gorilla crab falling off the first rock I picked up at the LFS and looking back I dodged a bullet (at the time I had no idea what that was). That LFS had aiptasia all over their tanks which I didn't know much about at the time either. It's hit or miss.

 

[polyppal]

Hi thanks for your reply, what’s wrong with the rock bins like the one attached at my lfs?

nearly $20/lb kg?!? And it looks like dead junky old ‘man made’ rock not real Fuji. I’d pass

 

[Idech]

I’m a beginner but real dry rock has served me well so far.

 

[Jcar]

Florida live rock and some marco

 

[FishTruck]

I like dry rock and to take my time building the aquascape. The disadvantages of dry rock are well described in this thread - but an aquascape that is easy to clean and allows modification (for boredom - infestations etc...) pays off in the long run.

 

[Ghost25]

I decided to buy a small piece of live calcified rock to get my carolline algae going. I dipped it which showed a parasite. The rock is half a pound. I cant imagine what 50 pounds of live rock would have in parasites. I used Seachem Dip.

That's not a parasite, it's an amphipod which is part of a healthy tank ecosystem.

I like live rock from the ocean. It's more expensive, yes there can be some pests, but I love all the hitchhikers and diversity.

 

[Midrats]

Hi thanks for your reply, what’s wrong with the rock bins like the one attached at my lfs?

This picture answers your question. That rock looks like they found it in the car park.

 

[alanh10]

This picture answers your question. That rock looks like they found it in the car park.

Fair point!

 

[tharbin]

There is no real "problem" with the reclaimed rock from your LFS. Most of it is shaped pretty much like most of the "damp" rock we used to get unless we were lucky enough to score some branch rock. Just understand what you are buying. Live rock has many types of life attached or within its structure; sponges, macro algae, tunicates, bivalves, worms, amphipods, crabs, shrimp, copepods, anemones (mainly "bad" ones), even corals. The cured rock at your LFS may have a few of these but mainly it will be like buying dry rock with some bacterial load which can seed your startup cycle but it will still need to cycle as the bacterial load is probably fairly light. You also run some risk of the same pest species you can get with live rock but to a smaller extent. Chances of finding "pods" is actually pretty good, and you want pods. Chances of good coral, sponge, tunicates, etc., not so much.

I always used live rock in the past (except my current build--which I am looking to rectify) and strongly suggest it unless you are running a coral farm instead of a reef tank. The reef thrives through diversity.

 

[narkicu187]

Ordered their dry rock and came in not too broken and quickly. Seems to be great rock.

Aquarium Aquacultured Live Rock Supplier Archives

Are you looking to add some more authenticity to your aquarium? Contact KP Aquatics who offers aquarium aquacultured live rock to give it a unique style!

www.kpaquatics.com

 

[alanh10]

There is no real "problem" with the reclaimed rock from your LFS. Most of it is shaped pretty much like most of the "damp" rock we used to get unless we were lucky enough to score some branch rock. Just understand what you are buying. Live rock has many types of life attached or within its structure; sponges, macro algae, tunicates, bivalves, worms, amphipods, crabs, shrimp, copepods, anemones (mainly "bad" ones), even corals. The cured rock at your LFS may have a few of these but mainly it will be like buying dry rock with some bacterial load which can seed your startup cycle but it will still need to cycle as the bacterial load is probably fairly light. You also run some risk of the same pest species you can get with live rock but to a smaller extent. Chances of finding "pods" is actually pretty good, and you want pods. Chances of good coral, sponge, tunicates, etc., not so much.

I always used live rock in the past (except my current build--which I am looking to rectify) and strongly suggest it unless you are running a coral farm instead of a reef tank. The reef thrives through diversity.

Brilliant info thanks for explaining that to me.

 

[alanh10]

Ordered their dry rock and came in not too broken and quickly. Seems to be great rock.

Aquarium Aquacultured Live Rock Supplier Archives

Are you looking to add some more authenticity to your aquarium? Contact KP Aquatics who offers aquarium aquacultured live rock to give it a unique style!

www.kpaquatics.com

I’m in the uk so struggling to find proper live rock because of shipping.

 

[Screwgunner]

I would use dry rock as your base and stack live rock on top to seed the dry rock !!!

 

[srobertb]

Hi
Just wanted to know what route to go down when starting new tank, either wet live rock or dry man made rock?

I have used all of the sustainably harvested live rock suppliers in the United States.

I have had mixed-to-poor results with all of them except gulfliverock so that’s who I use. The only negative I can speak to is a very large Eunice Worm that hitchhiked in. After that I went with dead rock (one time)

Designer/dead rock is easy to rock scape with and can be cemented before adding water. Unfortunately to go from new tank to stable reef takes 3-6 months of blooms, algae, and nitrogen-cycle instability.

With gulfliverock it takes about a month.

 

[tharbin]

I’m in the uk so struggling to find proper live rock because of shipping.

Your best bet may be to turn to your local reefing groups. Getting rock from an established tank will have lots of good and little bad diversity on it. It won't have the diversity of fresh live rock but it will be much better than "filter rock" from the LFS. Lots of tanks get rebuilt every year and many reefers would be able to sell you a little chunk of their reef.

 

[_sludgefactory]

I used Carib Sea Life Rock Shapes and Reef Tree. Tank had been up for a year and I never had an ugly phase or any startup issues. Plus they have unique shapes.

 

[tharbin]

I used Carib Sea Life Rock Shapes and Reef Tree. Tank had been up for a year and I never had an ugly phase or any startup issues. Plus they have unique shapes.

You must live right I used Life Rock in a 15 gallon and I will never use it again. I am actively pursuing removing it from the tank. The "finish" is flaking off of my Life Rock and what is underneath is disappointing to say the least. It is shiny white and non-porous. It actually looks like painted on layers of aragonite mixed with some kind of binder.

Some of the other designer rocks may be better, in fact a couple of them may be worth a try, but I can't recommend Life Rock based on my experience with it.

 

[Willhersh34]

You must live right I used Life Rock in a 15 gallon and I will never use it again. I am actively pursuing removing it from the tank. The "finish" is flaking off of my Life Rock and what is underneath is disappointing to say the least. It is shiny white and non-porous. It actually looks like painted on layers of aragonite mixed with some kind of binder.

Some of the other designer rocks may be better, in fact a couple of them may be worth a try, but I can't recommend Life Rock based on my experience with it.

Funny, I have some Real Reef rock pieces that are sort of doing the same. Supposedly higher quality and I'm not unhappy with it but when it flakes off its shiny white underneath. Cured it exactly the same, even though with Real Reef you shouldn't have to, my brain felt better doing it that anyway. In my case it wasn't for the benefits of Real Reef per se, more for the aesthetic.

I always felt like Life Rock is waaaaay overpriced to begin with. I'd rather see whatever my base is get a nice coraline coating on it since that's..........natural? Yeah, that. Granted, that takes months or longer depending on your system. But in this hobby, be patient. Then be patient some more. And when you're done being patient, be patient some more. Lol.

 

[_sludgefactory]

You must live right I used Life Rock in a 15 gallon and I will never use it again. I am actively pursuing removing it from the tank. The "finish" is flaking off of my Life Rock and what is underneath is disappointing to say the least. It is shiny white and non-porous. It actually looks like painted on layers of aragonite mixed with some kind of binder.

Some of the other designer rocks may be better, in fact a couple of them may be worth a try, but I can't recommend Life Rock based on my experience with it.

Mine did lose color like immediately. So that purple whatever they put on there is trash. But it's pretty entrusted with coraline now. Plus to be honest, I'm not real careful with the epoxy putty and I just use JB Waterweld so there are a few white blobs around my reef. It'll crust over some day.

 

[Rhino]

Marco has severe me well on several builds.