Do I need live rock?

[Bdrake]

Real live rock is the best part of setting up a reef tank. Problems and pests are grossly exaggerated. Dry rock comes with its own host of problems. It's completely devoid of life and an ideal site for the colonization of unwanted algae which is inevitable in the run in phase of a new tank. It looks like there's icebergs in your tank for a year. I just don't have the patience. Definitely get some real live rock.

+1.
I've cycled dry rock for nearly a year with nitrifying bacteria and still came across all of your typical dry rock issues. In thousands of pounds of live rock the only unwelcome hitchikers I've come across were vermetids. With the way people talk about live rock on here, I'd assume there was a mantis shrimp in every square inch.

 

[George Villasenor]

Did the same thing, the cycle went by quickly and I don’t have to worry about pests.

 

[anthonys51]

George you qt everything you put into your tank for months I mean everything If so and you indirect carefully every coral , snail hermit , Fish. Then maybe then you can say you don’t have to worry about pest. If you do congrats. I

 

[Dickeybrazil]

Yes, you need LR