Live Rock Questions

[Cheney12]

Could someone share with me which live rock would be reasonably priced and good to start with. The live rock that I like is 200 for only 25lbs and I would like to get more for the money but still get a quality product.

[spankdog]

Check out www.marcorocks.com

[uncleof6]

It depends on your definition of "live rock". If getting from a farmer such as Dale Barger, that price is not at all unreasonable. However, if you call cured, or dry rock "live rock" then macro is the ticket.

[Cheney12]

Which would be better for filtration?

[Jocko]

What I did was get a bunch of dry Marco rock and then supplement that with pieces of live rock from multiple sources including from fellow reefers. The more types you add, the more biodiversity you're going to introduce which will eventually spread throughout all of the rock. Although you do need to watch out for pests, so if getting from a fellow reefer, make sure it's someone very experienced that you know you can trust their system.

[danil]

I would strongly recommend to not rushing things and get dry rocks. Check BRS (sponsor). They have variety of rocks you can choose from. They are much cheaper and you will save on shipping. Take your time curing them well, think through your aquascaping.. you can drill it, curve it, glue it with no rush. On the saved money you can get better equipment or some life stock later. Then everything in your tank and your are happy with the look and cycle is over - check with your fellow trusted reefers for small pieces of their live rocks for seeding most likely they will give it to your for free. Then rocks are cycled there is no 'difference' in filtration they work the same.

[uncleof6]

Originally Posted by Cheney12

Which would be better for filtration?

Well this is a very complex question. For the most part, any rock that you can obtain easily, will merely be aquascaping and a place to attach your corals. This includes both dry "macro" rocks, and fully cured rock. With the cured rock you will mostly get some algae, and maybe some left over dead fauna, within the rock--not such a good thing. Fauna, or rather infauna, to make the cured or dry rock truly "live," is not likely to develop with in the confines of a home aquarium, but this rock will be very good for completing the first part of the nitrogen cycle. Once, this rock has coral, and what have you, stuck to it, and is covered with coraline, the biological "filtration" potential is moot.

Live Rock, on the other hand, contains both surface fauna, and infauna (burrowing worms and the like,) have the potential for completing the nitrogen cycle. Of course that depends on the 'base rock' itself. It is not readily available within the hobby, either from established tanks, or from sources locally--unless you are fortunate enough to live in Florida. This is the type of rock, that performed miracles in tanks, back in the day, before it became illegal to collect it from the wild. Such rock is not cheap, and must be moved rapidly from the ocean to the tank, without "curing", save for the removal of the sponges (which die almost invariably in collection and transit.) One name to look for is Dale Barger, though there are a couple others in Florida.

FWIW, and just another opinion, many of the most stunning displays I have seen, have been started with dry rock (never in the ocean--homemade,) and as many pieces of cultured live rock as your budget will allow.

[Cheney12]

I appreciate everyones suggestions. Thanks!