Should I get dry or live rock for my new salt water aquarium?

[Alice81216]

I got a new tank like a week ago and I put reef sand and saltwater in my tank with a filter and I want to get a live rock or dry rock for my new aquarium I've never had a saltwater aquarium before so I want to know if live or dry rock is better for a beginner?

 

[GatorGreg]

It’s nonsense for new reefers because hardly any of them grasp the concept of the nitrogen cycle and there’s countless posts of them losing their minds over cycling a tank. Look at the posts. Don’t take my word for it. There’s 100s of threads.

 

[GatorGreg]

His question was. What is better for new reefers.

if he uses dry rock and your method. His post history will be this.

* why is my cycle stalled.

*is my tank cycled.

*what is this algae.

*is this Dino’s

*please ID this Dino

Disappear and no longer post. Probably tear down tank.

Go through the threads and it will back up my theory. Dry rock gives most new reefers trouble. I’ve lived it

 

[BeanAnimal]

His question was. What is better for new reefers.

if he uses dry rock and your method. His post history will be this.

* why is my cycle stalled.

*is my tank cycled.

*what is this algae.

*is this Dino’s

*please ID this Dino

Disappear and no longer post. Probably tear down tank.

Go through the threads and it will back up my theory. Dry rock gives new reefers trouble. I’ve lived it

What is better for new reef aquarists is to take their time, learn the process and get a feel for tank husbandry - a lump of TBS and fish on day 2 does not teach that.

I don't care what "method" is used... there is a reasonable protocol for any method. Most of the recent advice is to short circuit most of the learning process in favor of quick and easy. Nothing in a reef aquarium good happens quickly (Mike Paletta?).

So no Greg there is not a "best way" - there are many ways. You don't like dry rock, then don't use it. You want to use TBS then use it.

 

[GatorGreg]

That was not his question dude.

His question is what is more beginner friendly.

 

[BeanAnimal]

I gave my opinion, but I think you were too busy looking for a fight to actually see it.

Any method can be beginner friendly as long as a good protocol and sound advice are followed.

Each path has pros and cons - but all of them require patience and learning. They all end up in the same place in the end.

Some people are not equipped to cure rock or deal with hitchhikers. Some people may want to avoid that hassle simply as a matter of preference. Some people do not have the luxury of spending money on LR to begin with and other people may want to see life take hold from bare rock to a full reef.

I think LR is a wonderful way to start an aquarium, but only for those willing to do the work curing/checking the rock and willing to pay for it, as well as STILL take their time (months) before trying to populate a fully stocked reef. LR is not guarantee of success either.

Dry rock is also certainly a viable route and has been used by countless people over decades. It is cost effective, allows a slow natural learning process and a pest free starting point.

The proper answer to his question would be to layout a solid plan with milestones and tell him what he needs to learn, but alas you didn't because you were more interested in a cheap argument and quoting nursery rhymes.

?Dude? - what are you 12?

 

[Jason_MrFrags]

Dry rock, you never know what will end up in your tank from "live" rock

 

[BeanAnimal]

Dry rock, you never know what will end up in your tank from "live" rock

Aiptasia
Eunice worms
Other Evil worms
Fire worms
Various Nudibranchs
Mojano's
Evil Crabs
Evil Snails
Evil Shrimp
Evil Limpets
Various harmful parasites or larva
Flat worms of numerous variety
Poisonous or invasive sponges
Invasive or nuisance algae
etc.

Some of this may or may not come out in various dips or curing methods and some of this stuff can be very latent and require extreme eradication measure weeks, months (or years) into an established system.

Real LR is great stuff - but it is not the "easiest" or "best" method depending on the criteria applied.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Aiptasia
Eunice worms
Other Evil worms
Fire worms
Various Nudibranchs
Mojano's
Evil Crabs
Evil Snails
Evil Shrimp
Evil Limpets
Various harmful parasites or larva
Flat worms of numerous variety
Poisonous or invasive sponges
Invasive or nuisance algae
etc.

Some of this may or may not come out in various dips or curing methods and some of this stuff can be very latent and require extreme eradication measure weeks, months (or years) into an established system.

Real LR is great stuff - but it is not the "easiest" or "best" method depending on the criteria applied.

If a new reefer takes his time, study does his do diligence he will be successful with dry rock and bacteria in a bottle. Imo more successful than with live rock. I spent months as I was saving money studying and getting advice for people before I put one drop off water in my tank. I still got hitch hikers and because I had studied I was ready or knew where to look. It's sad that someone needs to be so rude and looking for a fight. Bean animal is right imo, but everyone is entitled to there options, but I'm living proof this method works. Mr. Gator needs to take a step back. I started July 4th this is Less than a year no salt water experience. Dry rock

 

[GarrettT]

Ok chicken little

PESTS!!! ThE sKy Is FaLLiNg!!!!!!

Aptaisa is the only bad thing my TBS rock has presented

Ok..... I once got in a car wreck and wasn't injured. Am I being overly paranoid by wearing a safety belt?

I got turf algae (red & green), bryopsis, bubble algae, pistol shrimp, aptaisa, curly que, and 10 gorilla crabs from just 25lbs of live rock. It was an absolute PITA to remove. Live rock is not without its own set of issues. No rock is beginner friendly....

 

[Alice81216]

even a mix of both is good, there is no right answer to this. Everyone has their own opinions about having live vs dry. I have both.

Oh ok thank you

 

[Alice81216]

If you can find it and afford it live rock is always best .
A combination of both dry and live could work .
Do your research …. Ideally you want on average 1lb per gallon volume of nice porous live rock for biological filtration
Too much will only take away from the swimming space for livestock and too little will potentially not have the nitrifying capacity .

purchase a
Rodi water system ( assigning you already filled the tank with saltwater ( was it atore bought , or did you mix the water yourself ?

what size tank ?
Fyi . We always enjoy pictures of new tanks and upgrades . Feel free to post pictures

Thank you for answering
I bought the saltwater from my local store
my tank is 10 gallons should I have about 10lbs live and dry rock?

 

[Snoopdog]

I personally did a mix, yes I got some real nasties from my live rock.

I had ...

Leopard Polyclad Flatworms
Gorilla Crabs
Vermetid Snails

Would I do it again? Likely yes. The flatworms were the biggest PITA because I had no idea why I was losing snails. Why would I do it again? Well because I am a pro at removing all these critters now and it is a skill I will not lose, knowledge is power. I think the diversity was worth it. I mean I think part of our wonder with our current tank is just seeing some new thing in the tank that we never purchased. Is live rock a pain, yes it is, definitely but I think it is worth it in the long run.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Thank you for answering
I bought the saltwater from my local store
my tank is 10 gallons should I have about 10lbs live and dry rock?

You don't need to go by weight.


Build your aquascape so that it looks good. If that is 4 pounds or 15 pounds.. it will not matter.

 

[Alice81216]

You don't need to go by weight.


Build your aquascape so that it looks good. If that is 4 pounds or 15 pounds.. it will not matter.

Okay thank you

 

[2Wheelsonly]

If a new reefer takes his time, study does his do diligence he will be successful with dry rock and bacteria in a bottle. Imo more successful than with live rock. I spent months as I was saving money studying and getting advice for people before I put one drop off water in my tank. I still got hitch hikers and because I had studied I was ready or knew where to look. It's sad that someone needs to be so rude and looking for a fight. Bean animal is right imo, but everyone is entitled to there options, but I'm living proof this method works. Mr. Gator needs to take a step back. I started July 4th this is Less than a year no salt water experience. Dry rock

Sorry dude, the corals I'm seeing in your tank will survive in old cereal milk and pee water. If you want to run unique colored acros with dry rock it will take years upon years for that thing to balance out.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Sorry dude, the corals I'm seeing in your tank will survive in old cereal milk and pee water. If you want to run unique colored acros with dry rock it will take years upon years for that thing to balance out.

Do you think a new reefer will be growing your super man caral? Didn't think so, nice try

 

[2Wheelsonly]

Do you think a new reefer will be growing your super man caral? Didn't think so, nice try

They probably will within a year of having success with said corals you're displaying in your tank and then they will face the harsh reality that dry rock only sucks.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Sorry dude, the corals I'm seeing in your tank will survive in old cereal milk and pee water. If you want to run unique colored acros with dry rock it will take years upon years for that thing to balance out.

I have a ~20 year old reef that was started with Dry rock and dry southdown sand, a dead shrimp for a few days and a few weeks later, a 1/4 cup of sand from a club member.

Lights out for a month - then full 150 DE Halides - then a PILE Of acro frags from a club members tank move. Yes, I had diatoms - no I did not have to deal with hitchhikers.

6 months into the tank, I had coralline algae covering everything and a year in a full blown reef that was growing too fast for the 75 gallon tank that it was contained in.

The "dry rock" misinformation that is rampantly spread here as gospel is stunning.

Yes, it can take a year or two for your "dry rock" to look and behave like "Live rock" that was pulled from Fiji but that does not mean that you can't have a stable and successful reef that matures with the rock.

Your "dry rock" becomes "live rock" within days and continues to mature as time passes. Once coralline starts to grow (a month or two) on it, it is "stable".

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

I used caribesea life rock for my redsea.its not live rock in any way shape or form & I'm highly dubious of the claims it contains any useful bacterial spores.cycling took a long time but I was in no rush.i favoured it purely because I liked the look & the only supply of live rock I could find in my somewhat rural location was from a very neglected tank & not worth the risk of critters & phos.if I had ideal scenarios I would have gone live rock but the caribesea gets compliments for its looks from the wife lol.

 

[2Wheelsonly]

I used caribesea life rock for my redsea.its not live rock in any way shape or form & I'm highly dubious of the claims it contains any useful bacterial spores.cycling took a long time but I was in no rush.i favoured it purely because I liked the look & the only supply of life rock I could find in my somewhat rural location was from a very neglected tank & not worth the risk of critters & phos.if I had ideal scenarios I would have gone live rock but the caribesea gets compliments for its looks from the wife lol.

It does look good, that's why I went with it but 100% of it in a large system makes for a very, very very long time before it's fully mature and stable.