Dipping live rock

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by don.ald

The rock from the ocean is old but it is treated by Mother Nature and doesn't exist in a glass box in artificial salt water.
IMO

Exactly. Anyone that's ever been swimming around a reef knows the force of flow that the rock gets flushed with. This just doesn't compare to flow in a sump.
I agree that tossing rock out isn't for everyone, and there are things you can do to extend the life of rock. Minimize blockage in rock scaping, allow lots of flow all around the rock. Blast it weekly with a baster or small power head. Make sure you keep nutrients low so that no algae covers the rock, blocking the pores.

As for the OP adding more rock for more coral. Sometimes you just have to accept you have no more room That's exactly how I ended up with a 150g with 250 pounds of rock. Added more rock, got more coral. Repeat. When I tore that down, I was so disgusted with what was under the rock, I swore I'd never build like that again. I have a much nicer tank now than I did then.