Let's ROCK! What type of rock do you have in your reef tank and do you love it?

How much do you like liverock in your tank? Not the aquascape, but the rock itself!

  • Love it and wouldn't change it

    Votes: 356 61.8%
  • Like it ok but would try something different

    Votes: 169 29.3%
  • Don't like it at all

    Votes: 31 5.4%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 20 3.5%

  • Total voters
    576

Timfish

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1# FIrst of all I certainly make a distinction between wild and maricultured live rock and rock that just has nitrifying bacteria added to it, this later is a waste of money IMO. I still have some Florida Worm Rock from the 90s. Best stuff I've gotten is Walt SMith's wild collected fiji rock. Have been pretty happy with GulfLiveROck.com.

2# I back in the 90s I liked it because it was great for starting reef systems and like Delbeck and SPrung said in their book with seasoned (QTed) live rock a system can be set up that can have corals added immediatly. Now, after reading current research on Microbial processes, DOC and sponges it's essential to get the sponges that deal with not only the hydrophobic stuff but also the hydrophyllic stuf that promotes pathogenic microbial shifts in coral microbiomes/holobionts. And it does it 1000X faster than the bacterioplankton removed by skimmers.
 

Ozonic

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I started my tank September 2020 with only Marco rock and live sand. I haven't had any bad cycling stage. Coralline is growing, but be prepare for the long long wait for a mature tank. The ONLY advantage with this type of rock is, better aquascape.
IMG_20210326_231751_074.jpg
 
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Low Tech Reefer

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My live rock is quite old. The current system is over 25 years old. I have Tonga, Marshall Island, some from Australia and Fiji. I've had lots of cool hitch hikers and some not so cool. Every plate coral I have or have given away (dozens over the years) were a hitch hiker from one particular piece of Fiji live rock I bought during my first reef tank build and they're still reproducing to this day. Pretty cool stuff right there.
 

galantra

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I have mix of pukani, Marco, and 10% KP Aquatic rock to seed.

I love the shapes pukani and Marco provide specially pukani but I had this rock sitting for a while and held on to Phosphate during a dry rock only start-up. Way too much work so added the KP Aquatic rock 15lb and helped correct most of my tank situations. I must say KP rock the sponges, and the grown of algae was amazing to see and watch. Quality stuff
 

Gogol_frag

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1. What type of rock do you have in your reef tank?


I use CaribSea LifeRock

2. What do you like or dislike about it?


I like that it comes pest-free and is painted to look like it has coraline algae on it. I also like that it has no impact on the world's reefs. It's also much cheaper than Real Reef Rock.

IMG_0244.JPG IMG_0243.JPG
I use Carib Sea Shelf rocks and used Nyos Reef Cement to hold them together. I would definitely use both again. Attaching a snap of my tank with Reefbrite XHO's on them.

IMG-20210412-WA0019.jpg 20210421_001138.jpg 20210412_212253.jpg 20210328_193437.jpg
 
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Idoc

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Pukani

Looks pretty early on, but I would use something else the next time. The rock is super light and actually slowly shifts and slides around with the flow on the tank. I don't mean easily... but over time, the rock moves with constant pressure from the flow hitting it.
 

M Stein

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1# FIrst of all I certainly make a distinction between wild and maricultured live rock and rock that just has nitrifying bacteria added to it, this later is a waste of money IMO. I still have some Florida Worm Rock from the 90s. Best stuff I've gotten is Walt SMith's wild collected fiji rock. Have been pretty happy with GulfLiveROck.com.

2# I back in the 90s I liked it because it was great for starting reef systems and like Delbeck and SPrung said in their book with seasoned (QTed) live rock a system can be set up that can have corals added immediatly. Now, after reading current research on Microbial processes, DOC and sponges it's essential to get the sponges that deal with not only the hydrophobic stuff but also the hydrophyllic stuf that promotes pathogenic microbial shifts in coral microbiomes/holobionts. And it does it 1000X faster than the bacterioplankton removed by skimmers.
You mean you use sponges instead of a skimmer? Is there a specific kind of sponge to use?
 

TDEcoral

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Just collected about 120 lbs of Hawaiian rock. Curing it now after bleaching it. Too many unwanted hitchhikers. Going into a new 210 gallon build. Really nice stuff. Looking forward to it's developement.
Live rock.jpg
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it illegal to collect rock in Hawaii if it has any marine life attached to it?
 

Butcher333

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80lbs Carib sea Life rock
30lbs KP Aquatic
98CAC73B-DB68-4797-BE1D-B37BEED06E99.jpeg
6C912A7C-810D-4823-B7F0-AA0798BD7D9E.jpeg
3F600D00-5677-42D0-91A8-2B0180A0687D.jpeg

The life rock is finally starting to encrust with real coralline. The burgundy colored coralline has mostly been replaced with pink.
DFDAD172-528D-4335-A2D4-C67F9924DBB3.jpeg
 

WallyB

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- All Very Old Aged Live Rock when I did a tank upgrade 65G->110G but not the look I wanted,

110GSideView.jpg



Then I tried adding Two CaribSea Tonga Pieces at bottom. (Nope, no quite right)
2018-06-16-110G-SPS-Mounted-THEbegining.jpg



Next I tried adding 1 CaribSea Arch addition on the right side. Caribsea Arches are a perfect Shape/filler.

IMG_0233.JPG


Tried the same Arch on Left Side. Looked better on the left side

IMG_9744.JPG


Heck. Why not 2 CaribSea Arches.

2019-01-25_AfterArch.jpg

That finally looked right.


To compliment the Final Rockscape, this all around video....

 

Wayne Kruger

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I have a combo of Live rock from Indonesia and some synthetic rock I bought from a pet shop.
I basically had a cycled tank by the time I added the Live rock into my system.

20210312_081233.jpg


You can check out my build here :)
 

D4jack

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I love my live rock. I got 10lbs from Gulf live rock and 40 lbs from a local guy. Plus some dry rock from the lfs. The gulf rock was full of brittle stars, a few bivalves, and sponges galore.
20210319_190546.jpg
 

Gup

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I have 90 percent Caribsea liferock and I hate it. I cannot get any coraline to grow on it for 2 1/2 years. Grows everywhere else in the tank just not where I'd like it.
I'm very sorry Caribsea liferock it's not working out for you. Tho it's good info for me because I went with Marco rocks. I was just afraid of taking a chance with live rock hitchhikers
 

Naso110

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Two years ago but they are still around. They are still stuck in the past, both with regards to advertising and their web page.

Agreed. I saw the website. Still the same, they were always good ppl. Just not "business" ppl
 

Gup

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I started a 55 gal high with 100% Marco Rock. Base, Shelf and Rubble. Tank has been up and running since the first of the year. I had a bout of brownies that I contained using DinoX. Work out wonderfully. So the tank crashed, just as it was beginning, nearly two months ago when I had a serious injury. Brandon gave me a heads up to restructure and things are back on track. I'm just in the beginning stages of coralline growth.
 

Dburr1014

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I have all different types of rock. Homemade, some I got off the beach in Jamaica, some dark red really light rock, blue ridge, Tonga branch, some others I don't even know. Diversify!
 

Timfish

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You mean you use sponges instead of a skimmer? Is there a specific kind of sponge to use?

Skimmers are not needed. Steve Tyree has been extolling the benefits of cryptic sponges for over 25 years. More recent research is showing the roles of cryptic sponges in recycling the labile DOC, both hydrohobic and hydrophylic. I can't see a reef system being successful without them and their establishment (along with fungii) are what I would consider essential to mature a reefs system.

Here's de Goeij's thesis work showing cryptic sponges remove labile DOC 1000X faster than bacerioplankton (Ch. 3)

Here's some additional research:





Here's some skimmerless systems:

90 Gallon Mixed Reef


500 gallon


Mixed Reef started in 1997, 10-07-19


220 Rimless 450 view


World's funniest fish
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 65 37.1%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.7%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.3%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
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