Whats YOUR opinion on Live Rock?

[Waters]

It has nothing to do with "Knowing what to do" - it has to do with dry rock having no surface competition, not being phosphate stable, and not having heterotrophic organisms to immediately start outcompeting nitrogen bacteria. Coralline is a stabilizing presence. So are sponges, tunicates, worms, and the copious amounts of other organisms on live rock that are constantly eating and pooping and fighting on the surface of the rock.


You don't have to "know how to use" healthy live rock. You put it in the tank and grow corals.

Well I can disagree with everyone of your statements, just based on my own personal experience. In the several tanks I have set up with dry rock, i had zero issues with keeping phospates in range without using any phosphate reduction media. There are many different strains of bottled bacteria that work. Ogranisms can be added either intentionally (pods for example) or by luck from frags/snails, etc. My current tank is all dry rock, over 1.5 years old, and has 0 nusiance algae, yet the rock is covered with feather dusters, sponges, and coralline. Yes, I agree, live rock is "easier" only because you just throw it in (kind of like comparing T5s to LEDs.....T5s are easier, but both work). Live rock does have the potential of introducing pests....which is why I said you need to know how to use it (and what to expect down the road). If you have set up both types, and had issues with only your dry rock setups, then I am guessing you were missing one or several of the things you listed.....the key is to make sure that doesn't happen. So to respond to your statement, it has everything to do with knowing how to treat a dry rock tank vs a live rock tank. If you just throw in dry rock, you will end up with issues. It isn't harder, there are just more steps to ensure a healthy ecosystem.

 

[KK's Reef]

Agree with most posters here. Live rock is the best in terms of biodiversity. The positives far outweigh the negatives.

But I wouldn't sell dry rock short. It serves a purpose. The problem is that reefers think they can insta-tank with dry rock, and that's just not the case. If you run a new tank without lights and seed with bacteria in a bottle for a couple of months, you will likely not ever go through an ugly phase. You just need time to let that biome develop.

 

[Keko21]

I started my first tank a little over a month ago and used dry rock. I had paranoia about hitchhikers etc. As a new reefer is seemed like a safer way to go as I'm still learning about all the things that may or may not have to be managed with bringing in live rock. Next tank (if my wife saw me writing about a "next tank" she would kill me) I'll probably give the live rock a go.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

It has nothing to do with "Knowing what to do" - it has to do with dry rock having no surface competition, not being phosphate stable, and not having heterotrophic organisms to immediately start outcompeting nitrogen bacteria. Coralline is a stabilizing presence. So are sponges, tunicates, worms, and the copious amounts of other organisms on live rock that are constantly eating and pooping and fighting on the surface of the rock.


You don't have to "know how to use" healthy live rock. You put it in the tank and grow corals.

While I agree that using some live rock is usually the best option, it doesn't have to be "ocean" live rock. I started my tank with mostly dry rock and added rock from 2 established tanks... No significant problems and things went 100% as I expected them to as far as the tank maturing.

 

[Eric Cohen]

No way I would pay the $26/lb (!!!) for that Australian live rock Unique corals is selling. Shipped from Australia, then shipped domestically damp in paper, most of the life is will be dead by the time it gets to you. Of course some will survive, but you'll get much more bang for your buck buying from a domestic supplier like KP Aquatics or Tampa Bay Saltwater, plus its more than 50% cheaper.

Or buy my Australian live rock and get double or triple the bang for your buck! Way lighter and shapelier (is that a word)!