nickkohrn Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 I have made a mess out of my BRS Reef Saver dry rock by trying to break it into smaller pieces for a pillar-ish look in my IM 10g. Now, the rock is very crumbly, and I can't create a scape that I like. I was looking at BRS' Pukani Rock, as I don't have an established tank, I am not opposed to letting it cure and cycle for as long as necessary, which will also give me time to save for a few pieces of optional equipment that I really want. Then I saw Walt Smith's Reef Rock 2.1, which looks beautiful, and it's also not harvested, which is pretty cool. Does anyone have a recommendation for which rock would be nicer to use? Keep in mind that I have a 10g cube-ish tank, and that I would love to have a pillared look to keep the bottom of the tank freely accessible for coral placement. I will be going bare bottom because I move often, and I really enjoy the easier cleanup with having no sand. I plan on mostly softies and LPS. But since I'm going sand-less, would the seemingly more-porous Pukani be a better bet? I'm really struggling here and could use some insight! Link to comment
rfalk Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 If you not worried about curing the rock id def go Pukani and you will need much less than you expect. I bough 15 pounds for a Nuvo 30L and probably ended up using half. I would cure the rock first in a bucket because it is very dirty. Link to comment
nickkohrn Posted May 20, 2016 Author Share Posted May 20, 2016 If you not worried about curing the rock id def go Pukani and you will need much less than you expect. I bough 15 pounds for a Nuvo 30L and probably ended up using half. I would cure the rock first in a bucket because it is very dirty. Awesome! Thanks for the reply! I was hoping that I would get nudged in the Pukani direction, as it's much cheaper than WS' 2.1. Link to comment
rfalk Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 Sign up for the BRS group buy this weekend and get 10% back in rewards. Just put in the notes when order you want a pillar look they usually do a nice job picking out the pieces. Link to comment
spectra Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Yep just had 35lbs delivered today and got 3 rocks.......Nice looking stuff and getting ready to clean and cure it. Link to comment
StinkyBunny Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Just make sure you scrub that Pukani well. It has a lot of dead dry sponges on it. I'd also keep a small filtre in the curing bucket with some GFO in it, it WILL leach phosphates. Link to comment
spectra Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 I just ordered 30 more pounds.......my original 35 is doing great in the bucket and looking good.......hopefully in the tank in a few weeks. Link to comment
Kyl Posted July 17, 2016 Share Posted July 17, 2016 Might want to give the pukani a muriatic acid bath. That will take care of any garbage that you won't be able to remove just by scrubbing what's visible. Link to comment
blkhwkz Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I did muriatic acid bath on my 75 pounds and then doing lanthanum chloride dosing every other day in the garage. Started on Memorial Day and phosphates are at .11 as of yesterday. Two days after I added them it was higher than my Hannah ULR detector could read Rock is cycled and the first water change on the brute can they are in was pretty disgusting. Have a few more weeks until I get my tank so going to see if I can get the phosphates down a little more. Link to comment
ninjamyst Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Just want to say I don't have much algae problem with my Walt Smith 2.1 dry rocks. I did nnot cure it or anything. Just dropped into tank after a quick rinse in RODI water. With Vidarock in my two nanos, I had all kinds of algae issues. Link to comment
Dylan.N Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 I love the look of the pukani. My next tank will definitely have cured pukani. Link to comment
nickkohrn Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 Just want to say I don't have much algae problem with my Walt Smith 2.1 dry rocks. I did nnot cure it or anything. Just dropped into tank after a quick rinse in RODI water. With Vidarock in my two nanos, I had all kinds of algae issues. Are you happy with the porosity if the WS rock? I feel like it's lumpy and not very porous. I went with the mini nano option, which gave me nice-sized pieces, but they don't seem very porous. Link to comment
StinkyBunny Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Every tank that I've seen with the Real Reef rock has been chock full of hair algae, I just had someone come buy new rock for their tank because they had been fighting GHA since they started the tank. I love the idea of it being a cultured, not collected rock, but I don't think it has the porosity of live or collected rock. Pukani is VERY porous and light. I can get a box of Tonga branch and there's 3-4" in the top, a Pukani box is full to the top. Link to comment
MainelyReefer Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Cure your pukani! It's my biggest lesson I have learned so far In this hobby. My tank has been an algae bloom for months from uncured pukani, and my pistol shrimp still dislodges clam shells and things you couldn't fathom coming out of the rock 8 months later. Luckily when I bought I got a ton so I have some in the LC stage of curing, also really been wanting to try the live rock from KP Aquatics that stuff looks great and I had good luck with their corals so feel like they are trustworthy. Link to comment
squamptonbc Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Real Reef rock is horrible. I made the mistake of using it as its all that was available locally, but its ugly, doesn't seem porus at all, and nothing but trouble. Some companies aquaculture live rock in the ocean and I think that is the best solution to avoid destroying reefs. I also used some marco dry rock, and it seems okay, but nothing seems to like it including algae....lolCall me not a fan of this artificial and dry rock thing going on now. Every tank that I've seen with the Real Reef rock has been chock full of hair algae, I just had someone come buy new rock for their tank because they had been fighting GHA since they started the tank. I love the idea of it being a cultured, not collected rock, but I don't think it has the porosity of live or collected rock. Pukani is VERY porous and light. I can get a box of Tonga branch and there's 3-4" in the top, a Pukani box is full to the top. Link to comment
ninjamyst Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Is Real Reef the same as Walt Smith Reef Rock 2.1???? I am looking at Real Reef website http://realreefrock.com/product-lineand my Walt Smith Reef Rock 2.1 looks different than those. Link to comment
StinkyBunny Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Is Real Reef the same as Walt Smith Reef Rock 2.1???? I am looking at Real Reef website http://realreefrock.com/product-lineand my Walt Smith Reef Rock 2.1 looks different than those. Yes, it's just the latest generation. Link to comment
squamptonbc Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 I don't think they are the same, there is no mention that I can see of Walt Smith being affiliated with the real reef rock.com people. Is Real Reef the same as Walt Smith Reef Rock 2.1???? I am looking at Real Reef website http://realreefrock.com/product-lineand my Walt Smith Reef Rock 2.1 looks different than those. Link to comment
Tamberav Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Real Reef rock is horrible. I made the mistake of using it as its all that was available locally, but its ugly, doesn't seem porus at all, and nothing but trouble. Some companies aquaculture live rock in the ocean and I think that is the best solution to avoid destroying reefs. I also used some marco dry rock, and it seems okay, but nothing seems to like it including algae....lol Call me not a fan of this artificial and dry rock thing going on now. Dry rock works but requires more time to look pretty. My older reef cleaners rock is alllllllll purple and pink. I do love the hitchhikers on the aquacultured/live rock stuff though. Gulf Live rock comes with some seriously cool corals, the shape of it isn't as nice though. I ended up with a mix of gulf live and reef cleaners dry. This was once reef cleaners dry rock. pink pink pink Link to comment
squamptonbc Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 I just didn't like the look of the Marco rock that I used which is all I had available semi local and the real reef rock tank stuff. The Fiji rock I ended up with has better shape and look more to my liking but nothing like some of the rock you all have access to on the southern side of the border. Lol What most considered pests on live rock, I liked and would design the tank around the life on the rock. Every Coral I had in my last tank came in on the live rock...lol Dry rock works but requires more time to look pretty. My older reef cleaners rock is alllllllll purple and pink. I do love the hitchhikers on the aquacultured/live rock stuff though. Gulf Live rock comes with some seriously cool corals, the shape of it isn't as nice though. I ended up with a mix of gulf live and reef cleaners dry. This was once reef cleaners dry rock. pink pink pink Link to comment
reefist Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 TBS 2.1 = Instant reef tank Link to comment
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