dry live rock

[BigBadBlenny]

there are some sites that sell dry rock a lot cheaper then live rock is sold.
my question is how safe if it to use. I have seen a few build threads stating there maybe something in the rock that leaches out and causes problems in the tank even fish/coral deaths.

what's the general consensus on the use of this rock. how many people have had problems and do we think its safe to use?

[Reefmedic79]

It is true that dry rock can release phosphates if not cured properly. Purchasing Dry/Base rock from a reputable dealer and you should be ok. Lots of good things are mentioned on the following sites can be found in RC forums.

bulkreefsupply.com
marcorocks.com
reefrocks.net

I've used reefrocks.net for my current display and have had no complaints and no issues with phosphates.

[Drew11]

I plan on using dry from reefrocks.net. I'm just not that comfortable with the REAL live live rock b/c of the unwanted hitch hikers, and all that live rock like you mentioned can get expensive.

[ca1ore]

I don't think dry rock is a good substitute for live rock. Sure, you don't get the unwanted hitchhikers, but you also don't get all the good stuff either. Dry live rock is an oxymoron, btw. If it's really dry, then its not live!

[BigBadBlenny]

i am upgrading to a 150 gal tank i ordered last week. i have 50 lbs of old dried Fiji i had in my last tank. i planned on getting 100 or so lbs of dried and 20 of actual live.

[Reefmedic79]

i am upgrading to a 150 gal tank i ordered last week. i have 50 lbs of old dried Fiji i had in my last tank. i planned on getting 100 or so lbs of dried and 20 of actual live.

That is what I did with my tank. I used 40lbs of dry base rock and added 10lbs of base rock. This way I was able to limit unwanted hitchhikers. The LR didn't have a lot of nooks and crannies for them to hide in.

[Meglovin]

I was given about 20 pounds of dry rock from a neighbor, and he had it sitting in his backyard for months. I sprayed the rocks with a high-blast hose to try and remove the matter stuck in the crannies, then placed the rocks in a bleach solution for 48 hours. After, I sprayed the rocks again and placed them in fresh water with a bit of Prime. I let them sit for another 48 hours, then let them sit out in the sun for a week. Some people think I did a bit too much, but I was satisfied that my rock was as clean as possible before putting it in!

[Jaffy]

Dry rock will be seeded overtime and be no different than live...takes a while, but will become just as live

[ca1ore]

Dry rock will be seeded overtime and be no different than live...takes a while, but will become just as live

I completely disagree. Dry rock might eventually become as good a biological filter as live rock, but it will never provide the same diversity of life. Without the occasional replenishment, the biological diversity of every reef tank declines over time. So unless you are adding worms, brittle stars, etc. dry rock will not be the same.

I certainly appreciate the cost factor involved, so using dry for the reef base and live for the exposed layer is fine, but if you can swing all lve I think it provides a better start. All IMO and IME.