Curing Dry Rock

[pseudonym]

Well.. I am going to ask an obvious question that it seems no one has thought of.. or maybe I am missing something.

Why buy dead rock manufactured rock and then seed it for the same cost as already live manufactured rock??

http://www.ecoliverock.org/

Not only is it cheap, but all profits go to reef conservation. It is Canadian and shipping is even free and included in the cost. Unless dead rock is waaay cheaper than $2.80/lbs with shipping, there doesn't seem to be a point in using it.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

Why buy dead rock manufactured rock and then seed it for the same cost as already live manufactured rock??

Pests. I don't want live rock. Ever. Not under any circumstance. I did start my first tank with live rock as I wasn't aware of any other options. I won't use it again: aqua-cultured or not.

I have introduced some pests through corals. That's just the way it is. Live rock can be a really significant source, however. It freaks me out putting a coral that is on a rock in my tank. I wish I could remove the coral first, but that isn't always possible.

[Coasting]

I like the fact that with dry rock, I know what "critters" are in/on the rock. My dry rock was still cheaper.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Coasting

I like the fact that with dry rock, I know what "critters" are in/on the rock. My dry rock was still cheaper.

What I like about live rock is that after 6 months, I'm still finding new critters. And reading this thread now, I'd never use dry rock. Sounds like a bit of a hassle. "IF" there was something in/on a rock that was going to eat my head, it sounds a lot easier to remove that rock than to go through all this "curing" for dry....no? And honestly, in all my years of live rock use, I had "pests" once that took 20 minutes to deal with, and was kinda fun doing it.

I guess I just don't get the dry rock crowd

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I guess I just don't get the dry rock crowd

That's because you're clearly a "go with the flow" type of guy. I'm an uptight, anal-retentive, class-A personality type of gal.

My blood pressure is fine, thank you.

(that doesn't mean ALL folks who use DR are uptight, anal-retentive, class-a personalities)

[pseudonym]

interesting responses! I can understand not wanting pests, but not being able to play the "Live rock lottery" would be a real disappointment for me! I love the little critters I am finding. Several banded brittle stars, a serpent brittle star and what appears to be two orange co-co worms! (those could also be from my co-co worm). I guess I also have a different view on "pests".. I kind of look on having a pest as having a self renewing food supply for something cool that eats it!

[molotov]

I cured mine with normal tap water. It worked very well for me. Why would you use ro/di water? I don't see a benefit.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by molotov

I cured mine with normal tap water. It worked very well for me. Why would you use ro/di water? I don't see a benefit.

So that impurities from the tap water are not absorbed into the rock.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by pseudonym

interesting responses! I can understand not wanting pests, but not being able to play the "Live rock lottery" would be a real disappointment for me! I love the little critters I am finding. Several banded brittle stars, a serpent brittle star and what appears to be two orange co-co worms! (those could also be from my co-co worm). I guess I also have a different view on "pests".. I kind of look on having a pest as having a self renewing food supply for something cool that eats it!

You still wind up with a lot of stuff using the dry rock, as things come in from other places. I have a huge amphipods, a bunch of mini brittle stars, feather dusters everywhere, bristleworms, spaghetti worms . . . the list goes on and on.

The dry rock really just slows the speed at which the life appears, as it is introduced more slowly along with corals.

I've also brought in debersia, red turf algae, green bubble algae, bryopsis (perhaps two strains of the bryopsis). Aiptasia has hitched rides into my system on corals, as have colonial hydroids, and one majano. I've caught these things very quickly each time.

[Skimmerking]

Shelley:
I see it this way if you take the Rock and run it in RO/DI water with the Salt, hook up a strong batch of GFO and runn it strong to suck out the PO4 from the rock, raising and lowering the temp with force the PO4 to leech faster. I read it some where on line.

its a pretty good thing to do, and with nothing in the tub /bin you are GTG


does that help you out any


Mike