Jingle bell, Jingle bell, Jingle bell LIVE ROCK !!!

[Glenner’sreef]

1. pick a side LIVE ROCK or DRY???

Me: Live rock all the way! I wish Caribsea would take their shapes, and pedestals and lease out 20 acres of ocean. 2-3 years later I’d pay anything!!!

 

[Gtinnel]

My current tank was started with all dry rock and I'll never make that mistake again. It takes way too long for the rock to mature to make a stable system.
Back when I first got into the hobby over 20 years ago almost everyone started with live rock and starting a new tank was so much easier.

 

[Brymac1]

I love all of the biodiversity that comes with live rock. I know that includes the pests but it’s still worth it to me. I used live rock from my previous tank to seed the dry rock that I used to make the kind of aquascape I wanted ( most of the live rock is behind the scape).

 

[DonTavo27]

Live rock all the way!
My live rock has gone through a few different set ups now, it’s the best way to start a new tank imo.

 

[MaxTremors]

How is this even a question or up for debate? Live rock is, IMO/E, better in every way. I have set up exactly one tank with dry rock in my reefing career, and probably 15 with live rock, and I will never use dry rock again. Besides the stability issue, all of the hitchhikers and microfauna are half of what makes having a reef tank interesting, without them I don’t even know that I consider it a reef tank, it’s a fish tank or a coral display, but it’s not a reef tank.

 

[fishguy242]

dry rock is for the yard, LIVE 100% ...

 

[TnFishwater98]

Live Rock for a Live Aquarium IMO

 

[Glenner’sreef]

dry rock is for the yard, LIVE 100% ...

“Dry rock is for the yard” lol Best line 100%

 

[Goaway]

How is this even a question or up for debate? Live rock is, IMO/E, better in every way. I have set up exactly one tank with dry rock in my reefing career, and probably 15 with live rock, and I will never use dry rock again. Besides the stability issue, all of the hitchhikers and microfauna are half of what makes having a reef tank interesting, without them I don’t even know that I consider it a reef tank, it’s a fish tank or a coral display, but it’s not a reef tank.

Some people rather go sterile because of things like this article.

Five Reasons Sponges Are BAD For A Coral Reef Aquarium | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Sponges are some of the most remarkable life forms that we can encounter in the ocean. These resilient and diverse ‘creatures’ are not quite single celled, not quite organisms, but colonies of single…

reefbuilders.com

Then, you have people who hate pests and don't want to risk it.

100% live rock. The battle against unwanted pests is worth the reward! I can't say that for those who can't capture their mantis shrimp though

Mine all arrived dead with the live rock. I was sad. I should have ordered with water. My fault.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Live rock all the way!
My live rock has gone through a few different set ups now, it’s the best way to start a new tank imo.

Been there, done that! And totally agree!!!

 

[aws2266]

While I agree live rock is the best way to go, not everyone has the means to stock their aquarium with it. I'm setting up a 120g and can't afford to stock it all with live rock. I got 30lbs of live rock for $60, then the rest is dry rock I got for $1 per lb. Got about 90lbs. I've started several tanks this way and never had an issue.

 

[MaxTremors]

Some people rather go sterile because of things like this article.

Five Reasons Sponges Are BAD For A Coral Reef Aquarium | Reef Builders | The Reef and Saltwater Aquarium Blog

Sponges are some of the most remarkable life forms that we can encounter in the ocean. These resilient and diverse ‘creatures’ are not quite single celled, not quite organisms, but colonies of single…

reefbuilders.com

Then, you have people who hate pests and don't want to risk it.

100% live rock. The battle against unwanted pests is worth the reward! I can't say that for those who can't capture their mantis shrimp though

Mine all arrived dead with the live rock. I was sad. I should have ordered with water. My fault.

IME, the benefits vastly outweigh any potential risks (which are often dramatically overstated). When I set up my current tank, this local lfs owner told me that he couldn’t in good conscience sell people live rock because of hitchhikers, and it struck me as one of the most backward and illogical statements I’ve ever heard in the hobby. This is from a guy who sells corals covered in aiptasia, planaria, valonia, and dinos. I don’t understand how an LFS could in good conscience NOT recommend real live rock, in terms of keeping a stable and healthy ecosystem for the animals we keep, live rock will achieve that goal better and much faster than dry rock, for people new to the hobby it’s going to give them a much better chance at success than dry rock will.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

Live rock all the way!
My live rock has gone through a few different set ups now, it’s the best way to start a new tank imo.

Live rock never gets old, it gets better!!!

 

[DonTavo27]

Live rock never gets old, it gets better!!!

I like to think it ages well like fine wine,
Or like a man does with age ;Oldman

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Live rock 100%.

It may come with pests, 99% of those can be run out of the rock with some club soda poured over it. Doesnt hurt a thing and if something good comes out, rinse it off and move on.

I also feel that there is no issue adding a piece or 2 of dry rock here or there, as long as the base/majority is live rock.

Cant setup a tank and throw what I throw in them in a week with dry rock.

Well you can, but they will die lol.

 

[X-37B]

I did 50/50 in my 120. It worked out well. I would do 50/50 again and expect similar results.

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I like to think it ages well like fine wine,
Or like a man does with age ;Oldman

Well said!!!!!!

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I did 50/50 in my 120. It worked out well. I would do 50/50 again and expect similar results.

Awesome growth. Corals like live rock as well.

 

[Blumy]

Did a complete tear down a year and a half ago after having it set up for 3 years. Tank was overrun with softies and I wanted to get into SPS. Used rock a guy had in his sump for 7 years. Started adding SPS including acros in 2 weeks. No way you could do that with dry rock.

 

[Solga]

All I have ever used was dry rock. Mostly because it is what I had at my disposal, and what was given to me.
But that does not mean that I would not use live rock.
For me, it's the price. I just can't see spending $250 for 15 pounds of rock, especially when I already have over 200# of dry rock now. (yes, I understand most of that is shipping, which further makes my point)