Final Answer: 40B!

[Chew_Magna]

Is that sealife inc?

I believe so. That's where I plan on ordering any rock if I ever need more. Uncured. Rawr.

[llama roadkill]

KP Aquatics has some of the nicest, most 'lively' live rock I've ever seen.

 

I've read some reviews that its just corraline algae.

 

And that is sealifeinc, right?

[Chew_Magna]

I've read some reviews that its just corraline algae. And that is sealifeinc, right?

They probably got the cured stuff then.

[llama roadkill]

Does anyone think using dry rock and Tim's One and Only will work?

[Sunar357]

I used mostly dry rock from Reefrocks.net with probably 6-8lbs of LR from local and I hucked in Dr Tim's for the hell of it. Cycle took me about 2 1/2 weeks or so.

 

The KP aquatics stuff looks nice. 1sttime got some of that for her new tank. It came with mantises and sponges and all that jazz I believe...very 'live'.

[Tamberav]

Does anyone think using dry rock and Tim's One and Only will work?

 

Work for what? What are you trying to accomplish? You're not making any sense.

[llama roadkill]

I used mostly dry rock from Reefrocks.net with probably 6-8lbs of LR from local and I hucked in Dr Tim's for the hell of it. Cycle took me about 2 1/2 weeks or so. The KP aquatics stuff looks nice. 1sttime got some of that for her new tank. It came with mantises and sponges and all that jazz I believe...very 'live'.

Really? Now I'm deciding between KP (sealifeinc), Tampa Bay, and Gulf.

 

Work for what? What are you trying to accomplish? You're not making any sense.

To cycle the tank. I may only have dry.

[llama roadkill]

Total Prices: (For 35 lbs)

 

KPAquatics (Sealifeinc)

 

~$150

 

Tampa Bay Saltwater:

 

~$185

 

Gulf Live Rock:

 

(No 35 lb package, so lets do 50)

 

~$200

 

Is there better quality in higher prices? I've read really good reviews about KP. Any experiences or suggestions?

[Chew_Magna]

 

Is there better quality in higher prices?

I doubt that.

[llama roadkill]

I doubt that.

 

I'm reading reviews. KP's seems the best for the price but people say there are some pests and the pieces look weird.

[Chris!]

I'm reading reviews. KP's seems the best for the price but people say there are some pests and the pieces look weird.

 

Pests and pieces looking weird dont seem best to me lol

 

Both are things you will find with live rock, also not all live rock is equal..... where is it from. Some different rocks weigh more for smaller pieces, and 35lbs of rock from different locations can have a pretty big difference in size as well

 

FWIW, when I end up setting up my "final tank/ ideal" in a few years I will likely go with dry pukani as it is light and very porous...... the only "live" pieces will be the ones I have now and even that will get picked over and mostly mixed into the base and sump.

 

 

Dr. Tims and some of the other bacterias you can dose will work to help speed up the cycle, but it still won't make it so you should add a leopard any quicker lol

[llama roadkill]

Pests and pieces looking weird dont seem best to me lol

 

Both are things you will find with live rock, also not all live rock is equal..... where is it from. Some different rocks weigh more for smaller pieces, and 35lbs of rock from different locations can have a pretty big difference in size as well

 

FWIW, when I end up setting up my "final tank/ ideal" in a few years I will likely go with dry pukani as it is light and very porous...... the only "live" pieces will be the ones I have now and even that will get picked over and mostly mixed into the base and sump.

 

 

Dr. Tims and some of the other bacterias you can dose will work to help speed up the cycle, but it still won't make it so you should add a leopard any quicker lol

 

I just like all of the life, flora AND fauna, all over the rocks. Plus being in Florida will allow faster delivery and less die off during shipping (according to some websites). My other option is ReefCleaners dry rock...but it just doesn't look as good. If the LR pieces looked nice, I'd be all for them.

[Chris!]

Why is reefcleaners your only dry option?

 

Also, having to battle/ remove/ kill all that flora and fauna could be make it alot less worth it in the long run..... do you really want to spend money for rocks that already have pest algae/ pest critters?

[Tamberav]

I'm reading reviews. KP's seems the best for the price but people say there are some pests and the pieces look weird.

 

All live rock is most likley going to have some sort of pests.. weather it be a mantis shrimp and crabs, or bryopsis and aiptasia.

 

That is part of the reason dry rock has become so popular.

 

Reef-cleaners rock looks very nice. Why don't you think it looks good? Looks better than most live rock but not as good as tonga or pukani dryrock but those sometimes have problems with being dirty and phosphates.

 

You just have to choose your battle.

[Chris!]

All live rock is most likley going to have some sort of pests.. weather it be a mantis shrimp and crabs, or bryopsis and aiptasia.

 

That is part of the reason dry rock has become so popular.

 

Reef-cleaners rock looks very nice. Why don't you think it looks good? Looks better than most live rock but not as good as tonga or pukani.

 

+1000000000000000000000

[Chris!]

but those sometimes have problems with being dirty and phosphates.

 

You just have to choose your battle.

 

But can be easier to remove then aptasia that seem to always pop back up, or a mantis you don't realize is in there until fish start disappearing and you have to break the scape that you took days/ weeks/ months to get how you wanted down to catch it.............. or that unknown algae that nothing will eat lol

[llama roadkill]

All live rock is most likley going to have some sort of pests.. weather it be a mantis shrimp and crabs, or bryopsis and aiptasia.

 

That is part of the reason dry rock has become so popular.

 

Reef-cleaners rock looks very nice. Why don't you think it looks good? Looks better than most live rock but not as good as tonga or pukani dryrock but those sometimes have problems with being dirty and phosphates.

 

You just have to choose your battle.

 

I'm sorry, I meant it won't look at good as good because it doesn't have sponges and corals and from what I have read is very white. Plus, again, it will take a long time for micro fauna to grow. I may get about 10 lbs from my LFS to seed it.

 

But can be easier to remove then aptasia that seem to always pop back up, or a mantis you don't realize is in there until fish start disappearing and you have to break the scape that you took days/ weeks/ months to get how you wanted down to catch it.............. or that unknown algae that nothing will eat lol

 

I guess you're right. If I really want something then I need to buy it. Sure, I may get a sick sponge, but along with it I'll probably get a mantis and a devastating algae.

 

Plus I couldn't even keep a sponge alive!

 

 

[Chris!]

I'm sorry, I meant it won't look at good as good because it doesn't have sponges and corals and from what I have read is very white. Plus, again, it will take a long time for micro fauna to grow. I may get about 10 lbs from my LFS to seed it. I guess you're right. If I really want something then I need to buy it. Sure, I may get a sick sponge, but along with it I'll probably get a mantis and a devastating algae. Plus I couldn't even keep a sponge alive!

 

Yeah thats the big thing for me, getting stuff you don't want.

 

Also, with good parameters and lighting it won't take long for coraline to grow on it making it not white until the corals take over and fill it all in anyway

[Tamberav]

But can be easier to remove then aptasia that seem to always pop back up, or a mantis you don't realize is in there until fish start disappearing and you have to break the scape that you took days/ weeks/ months to get how you wanted down to catch it.............. or that unknown algae that nothing will eat lol

 

ya it depends which hitchhiker you get. If you get an invasive algae or dino then your life will suck, the other hitchhikers are cool. I want more mantises!

 

 

I'm sorry, I meant it won't look at good as good because it doesn't have sponges and corals and from what I have read is very white. Plus, again, it will take a long time for micro fauna to grow. I may get about 10 lbs from my LFS to seed it. I guess you're right. If I really want something then I need to buy it. Sure, I may get a sick sponge, but along with it I'll probably get a mantis and a devastating algae. Plus I couldn't even keep a sponge alive!

 

Yah, after about 9months to a year, the white rock will be purple with sponges and worms, ect. Not quiet as many but over time it will have more and more unless the fish eat them. My rock is mostly purple Coraline now.

 

I love hitchikers too though, I plan to at one point QT some live rock just to see what I get and I figure in a QT I can remove/battle what I don't want there easily enough and keep the good stuff.

[jedimasterben]

If you get it from your LFS, you're more than likely paying $70-100 for boat rock.

[llama roadkill]

Yeah thats the big thing for me, getting stuff you don't want.

 

Also, with good parameters and lighting it won't take long for coraline to grow on it making it not white until the corals take over and fill it all in anyway

 

Yay! You're making me feel better about getting dry!

 

Also, random question.

 

Clams like high nutrient environments and SPS like low, right? So ideally SPS or Clams?

[Tamberav]

Yay! You're making me feel better about getting dry! Also, random question. Clams like high nutrient environments and SPS like low, right? So ideally SPS or Clams?

 

Clams like low nitrates too but they need some nitrate. You can have both.

[llama roadkill]

If you get it from your LFS, you're more than likely paying $70-100 for boat rock.

Maybe, but it'll still probably cycle. The rock I got for my first saltwater came from the worst store, pest wise, which introduced all the pets in the world to my tank, via coral and fish. It still had nice life and cycled, if not ill use Dr. Tim's One and Only. Seems nice and works for others.

 

Clams like low nitrates too but they need some nitrate. You can have both.

Cool. So how many ppms of nitrate would be ideal?

[Tamberav]

Maybe, but it'll still probably cycle. The rock I got for my first saltwater came from the worst store, pest wise, which introduced all the pets in the world to my tank, via coral and fish. It still had nice life and cycled, if not ill use Dr. Tim's One and Only. Seems nice and works for others.

 

Cool. So how many ppms of nitrate would be ideal?

 

You don't have to add anything and it will still cycle even if you start with only dry rock and add nothing. It will just take longer.

[jedimasterben]

Yah, after about 9months to a year, the white rock will be purple with sponges and worms, ect.

9 months is a bit of a stretch IMHO. Before I killed my rock the first time, it had been in the tank for over a year and no rock was more colorful than brown or black.except for the rocks purchased with coral on it.