Dry vs Live

[drewcrew22]

Like the title shows, do you prefer Dry Rock and seeding it or buying live rock that’s already got everything? Im trying to figure out my best route to go I feel like with dry rock id be able to achieve a more “decorative” scape then I could with flat live rock. What would you say the pros vs cons of each are besides HH on the live rock. Id honestly rather go live rock but id really like a unique scape, If there is a way it could be done with LR im open and all ears for advice. Thanks guys & Gals

 

[vetteguy53081]

Like the title shows, do you prefer Dry Rock and seeding it or buying live rock that’s already got everything? Im trying to figure out my best route to go I feel like with dry rock id be able to achieve a more “decorative” scape then I could with flat live rock. What would you say the pros vs cons of each are besides HH on the live rock. Id honestly rather go live rock but id really like a unique scape, If there is a way it could be done with LR im open and all ears for advice. Thanks guys & Gals

live rock has its advantages although more costly with natural look, live organisms and beneficial bacteria already established

 

[mfinn]

Live rock come in all different sizes and shapes.
Right now there seems to be Gulf live rock and Australian live rock.

 

[TylerHaworth]

I think a very popular way to do it nowadays is to run true live sand from somewhere like tampa bay saltwater and use dry rock, this gets you all the live beneficial bacterias and microfauna without getting the bigger nastier hitchhikers.

 

[13rodo]

Like the title shows, do you prefer Dry Rock and seeding it or buying live rock that’s already got everything? Im trying to figure out my best route to go I feel like with dry rock id be able to achieve a more “decorative” scape then I could with flat live rock. What would you say the pros vs cons of each are besides HH on the live rock. Id honestly rather go live rock but id really like a unique scape, If there is a way it could be done with LR im open and all ears for advice. Thanks guys & Gals

You could always go live and grab a few dry shapes that you like to make the decorative parts. The dry might just go through some uglies.

 

[Subsea]

“I feel like with dry rock id be able to achieve a more “decorative” scape then I could with flat live rock.“

I have used diver collected live rock for many years. It comes in all sizes & shapes. I have not seen “flat live rock”.

What is HH on live rock?

Because I value biodiversity, I always start tanks with it. Using dry rock is a recipe for 1 year with the UGLIES.

 

[drewcrew22]

“I feel like with dry rock id be able to achieve a more “decorative” scape then I could with flat live rock.“

I have used diver collected live rock for many years. It comes in all sizes & shapes. I have not seen “flat live rock”.

What is HH on live rock?

Because I value biodiversity, I always start tanks with it. Using dry rock is a recipe for 1 year with the UGLIES.

I don’t mean flat live rock as in the shape sorry I was meaning just like already cured live rock just the regular LR you get from LFS

 

[vittpsu21]

I started about a year ago with all dry rock, my takeway, if money is no object I would have done mostly dry with some live. Say I used 200lbs of dry I would have made about 40-50 lbs of that live. Dry was easier to scape, had some of its own drawbacks during this process but required a bit of patience to get to where I am now.

 

[exnisstech]

I've had good luck using dry to make my scape and putting as much live rock as I can fit in the sump. I've started two systems this way things went pretty smoothly. If I had to choose one or the other it would be live. Sometimes it's nice to build a scape with a particular look or structure for certain inhabitants which is difficult with live only. I did one dry rock only start up and it was a struggle. I have no plans tonso another but many have great luck.

 

[Subsea]

I started about a year ago with all dry rock, my takeway, if money is no object I would have done mostly dry with some live. Say I used 200lbs of dry I would have made about 40-50 lbs of that live. Dry was easier to scape, had some of its own drawbacks during this process but required a bit of patience to get to where I am now.

For those that have a concrete idea of structure, I see using dry rock to achieve that aquascape. I do caution reefers on the danger of cementing a fixed aquascape and when pest arrive, some of which require treatment outside of tank, can’t remove rock from tank.

“Dry was easier to scape, had some of its own drawbacks during this process but required a bit of patience to get to where I am now.”

 

[PPBlimpy]

to me it depends on aquascape style.

Do you want to build a nice fancy aquascape or stack rocks.

Fancy custom scape usually means dry rock.

I prefer Live rock which mostly leaves me to stacking rock.

Now there are exceptions but take time. currently planning another tank but I am starting now, at least 6 months from when i want to set the tank up.

I am currently building a scape for a future tank from dry rock.
That scape will fit in a large tote from Homedepot. Once the scape is done I will use salt water from water changes of my main tank, heater, powerhead and live rock from the sump of my main tank to start dark curing this scape. I Will add bacteria from a bottle, and when I do a water change on my main tank the tub will get a water change using the old water for the next 3 months.

I also have ceramic media in 2 local friends tank that I will put in this tub also eventually for more diversity.

The last 3 months will get freshly mixed salt water acting as a fallow period. When the tank does get set up my Scape will be well seasoned and will also order some ocean rock from one of the florida vendors to ad to the tank / sump also.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I’ve done both in two different tanks

The tank I used live rock with I never had any sort of algae issues. If you wanted to you could use dry rock for the “aesthetic” and put some live rock in there to give your tank and increased microbiome

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Live rock come in all different sizes and shapes.
Right now there seems to be Gulf live rock and Australian live rock.

And TAMPA BAY SALTWATER