Ocean Live rock fans

[Eric Cohen]

Back to the topic at hand, I’m wondering what people’s thoughts are on maricultured rock? Is is really ocean live rock in the traditional sense of the hobby? The process is clearly different, dry reef rock, mined and rejuvenated. I’ve never used it so am interested to hear thoughts on how comparable it is to the unobtanium old school Pacific Island or Aus product? Pro and cons?

Yes it’s good and gonna be live like any other live rock. Even if it’s mined and placed in the ocean for say a year or two…..it’s gonna look awesome. Cons would be that it’s still a heavier base and the shapes might not be to your liking. Personal preference plays a huge role but mined rock that’s been in the ocean is darn good.

 

[Jrain904]

doubleshot00 just asking questions and trying to learn new things. I value your opinions and thoughts did not mean to start controversy.

I feel like you have been receptive and respectful to the conversation. I think he just saw one of your earlier posts and didn’t see the constructive convo we had. Thanks for being open minded!

 

[jabberwock]

I want to give a shout out for Tampa Bay Saltwater (TBS aka @liverocksrock). Check out my build thread to learn about my experience.

Amazing!

 

[lopez052308]

I feel like you have been receptive and respectful to the conversation. I think he just saw one of your earlier posts and didn’t see the constructive convo we had. Thanks for being open minded!

Definitely Haven’t been in the hobby for the past 15 years like some people so I don’t know everything. So I do enjoy hearing all of these wonderful educated reefers opinions and learning new things from them, one of my favorite things about the hobby!

also nice thread creation definitely got a lot of attention and is a very interesting topic.

 

[JCM]

Tampa Bay Saltwater Live Rock

We will be at Reef-A-Palooza Orlando next weekend, come by and say Hello! Will have a few tanks set up, some merch, free stickers and of course, the candy we include with every order.

New Beds-
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Select Harvesting-
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A Year of Growth-
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1.5 Years-
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Nano from 30 Year Old Bed-
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This is why we ONLY ship rock submerged-
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All ocean rock is great, but having it shipped submerged is 10x better! Very worth the extra cost.

 

[jabberwock]

All ocean rock is great, but having it shipped submerged is 10x better! Very worth the extra cost.

Local pick up rules!

 

[Acroconut]

But then we’re taking it out right? Along with all the living thing on it.

But aren't we taking all the living things out of the ocean originally? All the sps that are farmed came from the ocean originally even though we buy frags. All the LPS were originally from the ocean. My tank is FULL of mini brittle stars that came in with the farmed live rock from the Gulf.
We would not have aquarium systems at all if something wasn't taken from the ocean or the tropical rivers. May I ask if you have a reef or saltwater tank? What's in it? If you do it came from the ocean. When you can show me another way to do this hobby.....I'd be happy to listen.

 

[JCM]

Local pick up rules!

I bet!

 

[C4ctus99]

Local pick up rules!

Your thing says you’re from in front of your computer… I’m guessing your computer is close to Tampa?

 

[C4ctus99]

I ordered some stuff from @sbreefco back in January w/shipping, ended up picking it up myself and asked if I could turn the shipping into some coralline base rock… I think it was like $4/lb and I got a free sea star, crab, and a crap ton of amphipods with it

Definitely looking to get more of either that or live rock, just need a free Saturday to make the drive for local pickup

 

[lopez052308]

But aren't we taking all the living things out of the ocean originally? All the sps that are farmed came from the ocean originally even though we buy frags. All the LPS were originally from the ocean. My tank is FULL of mini brittle stars that came in with the farmed live rock from the Gulf.
We would not have aquarium systems at all if something wasn't taken from the ocean or the tropical rivers. May I ask if you have a reef or saltwater tank? What's in it? If you do it came from the ocean. When you can show me another way to do this hobby.....I'd be happy to listen.

Yes I should have clarified that post, I do 100% understand in order to have reefs in our homes we do need to take from the ocean and I definitely agree with you. I just was talking about how dry rock doesn’t go through this. It may not do much or have a large impact on the environment but it’s just a very minor downside of live rock. Sorry for the confusion I value your opinion fully.

I know all aquacultured coral can be traced originally from the ocean but I try my bet to buy aquacultured coral because I’m sure you can tell our reefs aren’t doing so hot but hopefully we can change that.

 

[Cuse89]

Just to add to discussion what is the advantage to using ocean live rock vs say dry rock seeded with microbacter7, and dr Tim’s etc..? Wouldn’t that be technically the same outcome for porosity and beneficial bacteria? What other microorganisms are we looking to add that are not available to the hobby, but only available with ocean live rock? Just trying to see what people know or think about this part of the topic?
I am currently setting up a 500gallon DT and looking at the options/benefits of each

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

Just to add to discussion what is the advantage to using ocean live rock vs say dry rock seeded with microbacter7, and dr Tim’s etc..? Wouldn’t that be technically the same outcome for porosity and beneficial bacteria? What other microorganisms are we looking to add that are not available to the hobby, but only available with ocean live rock? Just trying to see what people know or think about this part of the topic?
I am currently setting up a 500gallon DT and looking at the options/benefits of each

It’s all about the microfauna mate.

 

[Reefing102]

Just to add to discussion what is the advantage to using ocean live rock vs say dry rock seeded with microbacter7, and dr Tim’s etc..? Wouldn’t that be technically the same outcome for porosity and beneficial bacteria? What other microorganisms are we looking to add that are not available to the hobby, but only available with ocean live rock? Just trying to see what people know or think about this part of the topic?
I am currently setting up a 500gallon DT and looking at the options/benefits of each

From what I’ve been told, most of those bacteria’s have only a set number of strains compared to the thousands of strains in the ocean. As for porosity, I think you’d be surprised if you broke open a wild rock and then broke open a piece of dry rock. I think you’d find the dry rock to be quite solid by comparison.

For me it’s mostly about the bacteria diversity but As for micro organisms, there’s the ones you see are the immediate fun (be it starfish, urchins, crabs, etc) and then the ones you discover later (such as that one hitchhiker coral, or colorful sponge or macro algae).

I will always say, even if you don’t want to buy all live due to cost, I’d probably try to get about 20% of your rock as live (even if you just put it in your sump, that bacteria will spread).

 

[ILikeFish!]

When we say "cultured live rock" we are most often referring to rock that has been cultured on farms that are actually in the ocean. They still come with everything "wild" rock could come with.
The hobby has taken a huge turn to calling anything they didn't add to their system a pest, when in reality everything serves a purpose and there are only a few things you'd find on rock, wild or cultured, that could truly be considered a pest.

Gorilla crabs, mantis, bobbit worms, and aptasia’s only purpose is to stress you out. I’m lucky I only got a couple of gorilla crabs but I only got 30 pounds of rock. imagine the amount of pest you would get on 150 pounds of rock.

 

[doubleshot00]

Didn’t mean that in any argumentative way.

Non taking; i like to pic

 

[jabberwock]

Your thing says you’re from in front of your computer… I’m guessing your computer is close to Tampa?

Yeah, I am a bit secretive. I am in the Atlanta area. Made a long weekend of the trip with my fam.

 

[jabberwock]

Just to add to discussion what is the advantage to using ocean live rock vs say dry rock seeded with microbacter7, and dr Tim’s etc..? Wouldn’t that be technically the same outcome for porosity and beneficial bacteria? What other microorganisms are we looking to add that are not available to the hobby, but only available with ocean live rock? Just trying to see what people know or think about this part of the topic?
I am currently setting up a 500gallon DT and looking at the options/benefits of each

In addition to what others have said, in my experience, ocean live rock does not have available real estate for nuisance algae to take a foothold. When I started my most recent tank, I got a little bit of nuisance algae, but it only grew on my return pump nozzles and power head and power head chord. Nothin bad grew on the live rock itself.

 

[zoomonster]

In addition to what others have said, in my experience, ocean live rock does not have available real estate for nuisance algae to take a foothold. When I started my most recent tank, I got a little bit of nuisance algae, but it only grew on my return pump nozzles and power head and power head chord. Nothin bad grew on the live rock itself.

Indeed, problem with dead rock is the first thing that's going to start growing is nuisance algae about cycle time. Not to say you might not get some but the coralline algae out competes the bad for the most part in a maintained tank. IMO one of the biggest things that leads to people throwing up their hands and leaving the hobby is a failed tank which starts with nuisance algae including all the stuff like mat, hair and related diatom, dino and cyano outbreaks. Don't get me wrong there are those that have started with dead, put in the effort and have nice tanks. But that usually involves bottle products like bacteria and coralline and/or at least a few pieces of actual live rock.

 

[kevgib67]

Late to the party as usual! I have only used live rock in my 17-18 years of reefing, always will. Back in the mid 90’s when I started every piece of coral I bought came on a new piece of live rock. After lights out I could sit with a flashlight for an hour checking out all the cool hitchhikers, it fascinated me. I don’t recall if I ever had dinos, I didn’t have algae ID info back then. I haven’t had any in my 17 month tank , excuse me while I knock on some wood. I do appreciate the awesome rock scapes created with dry rock but the esthetics do not outweigh the biodiversity of live rock in my opinion.