caribsea life rock

[anthonyt987]

I havent seen much aquascapes with caribsea life rocks, particularly this one https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/liferock-dry-live-rock-caribsea.html

I was able to get a good deal and theyre all kinda just round boulders.

anybody every use this? please post your aquascapes

 

[Hydrored]

I have it in my tank and I hate it, it’s solid concrete. Compared to from the ocean live rock it’s not porous at all. I will be replacing all life rock in my new build and keeping the ocean live rock. Been 3 years in water and life has nowhere near grown on it like other rock in the tank.

 

[kittenbritches]

It's most of what's in my tank, aside from a few pieces of real rock. You can see it in my build thread. I don't have any complaints so far.

 

[Supa]

I bought that rock and I have a reef build thread you can see what it looks like after I busted it up and glued etc.

 

[MaxTremors]

Here’s mine, it’s about 60% Caribsea life rock. I absolutely hate it, I will never do dry rock again. If you’ve already bought it, I would definitely seed it with some quality live rock. Hard to see with the lighting, but there are the two boulders on the right and one on the left in the back with one of the arches kind of hanging out over the boulder on the left. And then there are several pieces of real live rock mixed in (with a piece of Tonga branch rock helping to hold up the arch).

 

[muggle0981]

Guess i’m in the minority here

when i upgraded in january i added about 80lbs to my existing live rock, but most my pieces were arches and a couple of their shapes.

i love the mega arch,

i’ve been happy with it and no worries about anything else creeping in…couple pics when tank was transferred and most recent.

about 8 months between pics

no co

 

[muggle0981]

pics

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I just can't see man made rock being very porous,. I think Marco rock would be much better.

 

[ScottB]

I am not a fan. It is dead and dense. It looks fine and is easy to work with. If you mix it with real live rock and build some nice shapes and wait 18-24 months then it is fine. As mentioned, at least Marco is more porous. Still, uber patience is required.

 

[muggle0981]

Hobbys all about patience

 

[jhuntstl]

This is my liferock scape. You can check my build thread or this one for more recent pics. I'm 5 months in.

I read some comments about how terrible this stuff was and it's lack of porosity. In response, I did add some seachem matrix to a back chamber of my AIO. If I could go back, I probably would have gone with aqua-cultured live rock.

I've had no issues, though. I'm not so sure about the 18-24 month statement above. I would consider extra biological filtration since it is man-made.

 

[BWV]

I was disappointed by the way it was sold. I felt it was misleading marketing.
I thought I was buying "Live rock" ... I got "Liferock".
My bad... I should have researched more and known what I bought...but I didn't know anything about saltwater tanks yet and thought Carib-sea a trusted brand.

I bought an arch first... that is like concrete for sure.
Then I bought a 20lb box of chunks (I did this knowing it was "fake" "liverock"..but wanted it to match the arch I feel I had been tricked on). Those are soft, almost like chalkboard chalk, maybe a little harder.. and they have a lot of channels and holes. I would call it porous.
I believe the two items to be different material (The arch and the boxed rock)

Overall, I am very happy with the product. It's easy to drill, shape, and easy to make chunks of, and looks good to me.
I don't yet know about the biology relation, but am learning.

Here's my tank now. (Fluval 13.5 Evo vii)

Here's my tank with just the arch...

 

[rhostam]

Some arches will help. You can make some cool stuff with just the roundish rocks, but easier with some of the foundation pieces like shelf and arches.

I have a few pictures on my build thread as well. Second page.

 

[BWV]

I do believe the Arch is "man made" and that the other "rock" is real "rock" (argonite - natural calcium carbonate) that was mined inland.

 

[Jeffcb]

I like it. I used it on my Reefer250. I used arches on top.

 

[CrossXchaos]

80 pounds regular life rock + 20 pound shapes

 

[ScottB]

I've had no issues, though. I'm not so sure about the 18-24 month statement above. I would consider extra biological filtration since it is man-made.

I should have qualified that comment. That kind of patience is NOT required for MOST reef inhabitants. Fish, softies and LPS can getup & running in no time. Many acropora species on the other hand require a much more "mature" biome that can take many months to a couple years.

I spend most of my time in the SPS forum, and the dead rock start struggle is very real there, with several posts per day. "Why are my acros dying?"

 

[jhuntstl]

I should have qualified that comment. That kind of patience is NOT required for MOST reef inhabitants. Fish, softies and LPS can getup & running in no time. Many acropora species on the other hand require a much more "mature" biome than can take many months to a couple years.

I spend most of my time in the SPS forum, and the dead rock start struggle is very real there, with several posts per day. "Why are my acros dying?"

I hear ya, thanks for clarifying. I do share the same concerns as you. I am always looking to add more bio-diversity.

I am using this liferock in an SPS system and it's still quite young(5mo). I did make it a point to only purchase the classic, hardy, been around the hobby for decades frags. Monti caps, digis, stylo, etc. I did struggle with a couple acros early on, but I've again purchased some hardier ones that are encrusting and branching now. Maybe it's all gonna come crashing down on me, but I sure hope not.

 

[Zach B]

I've had good luck with this. Mixed around 100lbs of life rock with 75lbs or so well established live rock. Coralline algae is now starting to cover the life rock very nicely

 

[ScottB]

I hear ya, thanks for clarifying. I do share the same concerns as you. I am always looking to add more bio-diversity.

I am using this liferock in an SPS system and it's still quite young(5mo). I did make it a point to only purchase the classic, hardy, been around the hobby for decades frags. Monti caps, digis, stylo, etc. I did struggle with a couple acros early on, but I've again purchased some hardier ones that are encrusting and branching now. Maybe it's all gonna come crashing down on me, but I sure hope not.

Once you can keep some acros alive for a while, you are well on your way. And each piece you add brings with it some additional biome diversity.

I do some PT project stuff for my LFS. He buys LifeRock that has been seeded wet for >6 months from a wholesaler three or four times per year, 800lbs at a time. We stuff it into all the fish and coral system sumps (vats, essentially) for use in new customer reef builds. The minimum recommendation is 50/50 live versus dead rock. Really helps avoid so much of the uglies, and you can add any livestock you want VERY early. The last project I did is documented in this build thread. I had Bali green slimer within a few weeks of being wet. 200lbs of live rock.

Large Build - Welcome to all the fun: setting up a 12 foot reef tank

Firstly, this system is not my own. I am merely an assistant to the building, stocking, and maintenance process. I will list my functions later in the thread for anyone who gives a fish-poo about it. Spoiler alert: I only have to do the fun/interesting parts. Mostly, anyway. Second, it is not...

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