Artificial Live Rock (1 Viewer)

[cstewart79]

Has anyone had experience with using synthetic rock as a base rock for setting up their tank? I would like to avoid using as much harvested live rock and go with aquacultured or synthetic.

 

[MurseJB]

Welcome back! My experience is with caribsea dry rock, and I've liked it. It takes longer to mature for sure, but is easier to aquascape dry. Many have had success with Marco as well. Cornerstone rock seemed interesting because visually it looks nice and is super light weight.

 

[Erin]

Has anyone had experience with using synthetic rock as a base rock for setting up their tank? I would like to avoid using as much harvested live rock and go with aquacultured or synthetic.

"Harvested live rock" for the most part is actually maricultured on a lease in the ocean where dry limestone is deposited and allowed to mature.

Essentially the same process as aquacultured but not in a tank.

Are you wanting to avoid hitchhikers or just be conservation-minded?

Fwiw, my experience with Caribsea Life Rock is that it's very non-porous and difficult to frag... It's basically cement.
If you want to use dry rock, I'd recommend limestone like Marco Rock or similar.

*Edit - I don't know if Caribsea has more than one kind of rock, but the "life rock" is the one I'm not fond of.

 

[MurseJB]

"Harvested live rock" for the most part is actually maricultured on a lease in the ocean where dry limestone is deposited and allowed to mature.

Essentially the same process as aquacultured but not in a tank.

Are you wanting to avoid hitchhikers or just be conservation-minded?

Fwiw, my experience with Caribsea Life Rock is that it's very non-porous and difficult to frag... It's basically cement.
If you want to use dry rock, I'd recommend limestone like Marco Rock or similar.

*Edit - I don't know if Caribsea has more than one kind of rock, but the "life rock" is the one I'm not fond of.

yup, they have more than 1 type of rock. The liferock is the purple stuff. I prefer the non purple stuff from them.

 

[Erin]

yup, they have more than 1 type of rock. The liferock is the purple stuff. I prefer the non purple stuff from them.

Definitely!!

 

[foos]

I used Reef Saver and I like it.

 

[decimal]

Stax rocks are interesting.

 

[Subsea]

I have purchased GulfLiveRck for many years. It is dense bryozoan limestone that was mined dry in quarries and shipped to the coast where it is barged offshore. Initially set up with 7 million pounds that were scattered on bottom in 1995. Current Florida state regulations requires hand placement of all new rock near established colonies.

Gulf Live Rock.com

gulfliverock.com

This past summer I visited PaulB with his 51 year set up tank. His rock is all synthetic and the tank aquascape is magnificat.