Dry rock tank now the new home of "Diver Dan"

[debbeach13]

I ordered 5 lbs. and requested 2 pieces if possible. I received 8 lbs. in 3 pieces. They let you order by the pound at just $2.99 a lb. a common eye dropper in one picture for size.

[debbeach13]

Placed in a dirty old 10 gallon for another size photo. I will rinse off out side tomorrow. Too hot out there right now.Even with just 3 pieces you have a lot of choices. 

[Tired]

Oo, that's some nice stuff. Good to know.

[Reefkid88]

Yeah that is definitely nice !!! When I ordered from them (5lbs of rubble rock) it was GARBAGE. So I am glad you got more than you asked for. 

[debbeach13]

It is marco rock. Dusty but no visual organics to pick off. I am very happy with it. Wrapped up tight / sort of fitted together in the plastic bag with a ton of peanuts no broken pieces. 

[jservedio]

Yep, it's great stuff, and super cheap! I always order twice what I think I'll need for more variety. Just be prepared for nutrients - even though it's visibly clean, it's still loaded. Without fail, I get GHA on their dry rock for a month or two while it burns through the nutrients then disappears without a trace forever.

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

Maybe your scale is off, and always weighs everything heavier than they actually are?! 

 

 

[Reefkid88]

Never talk to ladies about scales..🤐

[debbeach13]

Maybe I should get on the scale next time I go to Publix so I can compare.

59 minutes ago, jservedio said:

Just be prepared for nutrients - even though it's visibly clean, it's still loaded. Without fail, I get GHA on their dry rock for a month or two while it burns through the nutrients then disappears without a trace forever.

Thanks for the heads up on the algae. Some other have mentioned that also in different threads.

[Tired]

If you want to put this in an established tank, you could always stick it in a bucket with a pump and some amount of light, let the hair algae burn through the nutrients, then give the rock a quick scrub to remove the worst of it and pop it in your tank. Your cleanup crew should tackle the leftover algae. 

[growsomething]

Debbeach, are you fixing to spring another tank on us again?

[debbeach13]

Not sure about running another tank. Probably just cycle this and add it to the stuff I am collecting for the extra 20L sitting in the garage. My oldest son the procrastinator. Is supposed to take it some day. He still isn't ready. Mostly can not decide where to put it! Plus he and his girl friend have not visited for a couple months since she came in contact with someone who tested positive. Even though she goes once a week and so far always negative. She like many on here is a nurse. He has worked from home for about 6 or 7 years and now almost never leaves the house. Of course you never know the wheels in my little brain are spinning, what could I put in there?

[debbeach13]

The ten fits in the stand under the Evo 5.

[debbeach13]

I washed the rock with the hose and swished it in a bucket. Did a WC on the 20L. Using that water to cover the rock in a bucket. Pump, heater and piece of LR. Should be ready in a couple months.

[reef-luva]

Looks good...NRS is cool. I would weigh myself then again holding the rock. My experience with scales like that which are meant to weigh humans, like 50 lbs and up...not too accurate less than 20 I have seen.

[debbeach13]

Too late in the bucket now. It doesn't matter I am happy with the pieces I got. The good news is when I go to the doctors I am usually a little lighter there. Weighing your self is like testing your tank approximate. Your either gaining weight or your not.

[FISHnChix]

21 hours ago, debbeach13 said:

Thanks for the heads up on the algae. Some other have mentioned that also in different threads.

Just for another experience I had zero problems with nutrients when I used the brs rock... didnt even get diatoms on the rocks really.. used about 60 pounds of it in my reefer😊.

 

 

[mcarroll]

First wanted to address some points others have added.   I will get around to the rock in your bucket at the end.  😃

 

Nutrients and Algae

I see a few folks re-promoting the old "nutrients cause algae" meme.  Are we trying to restart the ULNS trend?!?  🤫

 

Dead, bare rock is just an excellent place for algae to settle and grow.  Plain and simple.

 

It has little (maybe even nothing) to do with nutrients.  (I'd say nutrients just determine which algae.)

 

It has more to do with the lack of bacteria to use up their primary food source (ammonia) and the lack of other organisms growing on the rock and the lack of algae predators.  I.e.

 

Competition of all kinds are missing from dead rock.

 

Saving Money On Dead Dry Rock Is Like Saving Money By Using Tap Water

Actual live rock wouldn't cost any more than $10 a pound or so – about $80 total for the amount pictured.

 

$80 to have a stable reef full of actual reef life seems really cheap.  

 

In the long run that's like ($80 / 5 years worth of days 😃 4¢ a day for real live rock!

 

Pumps often cost more than that and last nowhere near as long as rock.  

 

Food costs can easily be 4 or 5  times that amount per day.

 

I've had my reef so long that the rock was essentially FREE, although I paid about $9 a pound for it back in 2006 or so.

 

Buying dead rock is more equivalent to buying Sintered Glass bio-media, or a bag of dry gravel.  It would be helpful to think about dead rock that way rather than thinking about it as "cheaper live rock".  

 

I know it's sold as a live rock replacement...

 

...but comparing dead dry rock with live rock is comparing apples to oranges.  Dry = Dead which is the literal opposite of Live.  That marketing is kind of deceitful....or at least an oxymoron.

 

On a practical level, this is equivalent to cheaping out by using tap water.  

 

"Yes, you can do it." 

 

And "yes, tap water is cheaper than an RODI system". (Even cheaper than dead rock vs dry rock!!!!).

 

But RODI only costs a few cents per gallon in the long run!

 

Live rock and RODI water both just make sense if you're going to the bother of keeping a reef tank.  And both are very inexpensive in the long run.

 

Plans For The Rock

@debbeach13....now to the rock in the bucket...

 

IMO the best bet (assuming the rock is as clean as advertised) would be to put it into your most established tank (whatever that is), and cover it with the existing rock and corals as completely as you can.  The more exposed, lighted area there is on bare rock, the more likely algae is.

 

"Cooking the rock" outside the tank, as you're doing, is (historically speaking) usually reserved for rock with a ton of dead material on it.  Shouldn't be necessary.

 

With clean rock like this, any ammonia it does release should be just trace amounts....which would just a little more food for an established reef tank.  Should not be a big deal.  (Keep a bottle of BioSpira and an ammonia test around just in case if you're nervous....though by now you should know for sure whether it's releasing ammonia at all.)

 

With clean rock, you really want to get it growing as quickly as possible.  Whatever is growing on the rock in the bucket probably isn't very reefy....so not sure it's making the rock "better".  It's definitely not turning it into live rock.

 

$0.02

[TerraIncognita]

54 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

First wanted to address some points others have added.   I will get around to the rock in your bucket at the end.  😃

 

Nutrients and Algae

I see a few folks re-promoting the old "nutrients cause algae" meme.  Are we trying to restart the ULNS trend?!?  🤫

 

Dead, bare rock is just an excellent place for algae to settle and grow.  Plain and simple.

 

It has little (maybe even nothing) to do with nutrients.  (I'd say nutrients just determine which algae.)

 

It has more to do with the lack of bacteria to use up their primary food source (ammonia) and the lack of other organisms growing on the rock and the lack of algae predators.  I.e.

 

Competition of all kinds are missing from dead rock.

 

Saving Money On Dead Dry Rock Is Like Saving Money By Using Tap Water

Actual live rock wouldn't cost any more than $10 a pound or so – about $80 total for the amount pictured.

 

$80 to have a stable reef full of actual reef life seems really cheap.  

 

In the long run that's like ($80 / 5 years worth of days 😃 4¢ a day for real live rock!

 

Pumps often cost more than that and last nowhere near as long as rock.  

 

Food costs can easily be 4 or 5  times that amount per day.

 

I've had my reef so long that the rock was essentially FREE, although I paid about $9 a pound for it back in 2006 or so.

 

Buying dead rock is more equivalent to buying Sintered Glass bio-media, or a bag of dry gravel.  It would be helpful to think about dead rock that way rather than thinking about it as "cheaper live rock".  

 

I know it's sold as a live rock replacement...

 

...but comparing dead dry rock with live rock is comparing apples to oranges.  Dry = Dead which is the literal opposite of Live.  That marketing is kind of deceitful....or at least an oxymoron.

 

On a practical level, this is equivalent to cheaping out by using tap water.  

 

"Yes, you can do it." 

 

And "yes, tap water is cheaper than an RODI system". (Even cheaper than dead rock vs dry rock!!!!).

 

But RODI only costs a few cents per gallon in the long run!

 

Live rock and RODI water both just make sense if you're going to the bother of keeping a reef tank.  And both are very inexpensive in the long run.

 

Plans For The Rock

@debbeach13....now to the rock in the bucket...

 

IMO the best bet (assuming the rock is as clean as advertised) would be to put it into your most established tank (whatever that is), and cover it with the existing rock and corals as completely as you can.  The more exposed, lighted area there is on bare rock, the more likely algae is.

 

"Cooking the rock" outside the tank, as you're doing, is (historically speaking) usually reserved for rock with a ton of dead material on it.  Shouldn't be necessary.

 

With clean rock like this, any ammonia it does release should be just trace amounts....which would just a little more food for an established reef tank.  Should not be a big deal.  (Keep a bottle of BioSpira and an ammonia test around just in case if you're nervous....though by now you should know for sure whether it's releasing ammonia at all.)

 

With clean rock, you really want to get it growing as quickly as possible.  Whatever is growing on the rock in the bucket probably isn't very reefy....so not sure it's making the rock "better".  It's definitely not turning it into live rock.

 

$0.02

What’s your thoughts on mix and matching.

 

just started the 45 JBJ with 60/40

[debbeach13]

Hi mcarroll

 I agree with you that there is nothing like starting with live rock. Purchasing this rock with no actual purpose was a hey I am so bored and sick of staying home I guess I will watch some BRS videos. Which lead to guess I will check out the web site and see what inexpensive items I might try. I am retired and have a very limited amount of income. Maybe but very unlikely I could have gone to a LFS and found a new coral for $15.00 to amuse myself. I do not remember if the rock said any thing about being LIVE dry rock I would have to go back and look at the web site but I do not think it did. 

 I actually have been running a Fluval EVO 5 gallon tank since March coping the pico AIO contest with tap water and Prime. In the thread for this tank I repeatedly do not recommend this approach to any one reading / following it. I do these silly little inexpensive things to keep my self amused. Although I have spent more than originally intended on equipment and livestock for the EVO I have not gone crazy.

 I also have a 20 Gallon reef which I do try to maintain in a more tradition manner of reefing. Again Thanks for your input. I hope you are not upset. I am just trying to check out different ways to do things. Happy Reefing.

[TerraIncognita]

4 minutes ago, debbeach13 said:urchasing this rock with no actual purpose was a hey I am so bored and sick of staying home I guess I will watch some BRS videos. Which lead to guess I will check out the web site and see what inexpensive items I might try......

Isn’t that anyone ever on the internet 😛 It’s a trap 

[debbeach13]

OK I just had to go look and it does say "live dry rock" which is just silly.

[growsomething]

Yeah, that is deceptive advertising.   I remember a good while back in a different reefing era that phosphates were thought to leach from dry, mined rock for a while.  Has that been disproven?

 

"$80 to have a stable reef full of actual reef life seems really cheap."

 

I believe that.  Haven't had any algae to speak of in my nuvo 10 since Feb, and 40% of the rock was dry bcs of my desire to cut/glue certain pieces flat to the back wall.  

 

 

[debbeach13]

If you have a LFS that has some LR or can afford the shipping it is great. Many people are now starting with dry the reasons vary, money especially for a large tank, no critters, no impact on reefs. I say to each his own. A mix makes sense. Dry or base rock  with some LR for Biodiversity. Like I said no idea yet what I am even going to do with this bucket of rocks. 

[debbeach13]

Last week I moved the rock from the bucket into the 10 gallon tank. It is on the kitchen counter where the fluval used to be. Added more LR, a little sand and a couple pieces of Kenya Tree. Only sun light hits the tank part of the day. No tank light or testing yet.