coraline algae - real reef rock

[Teenreefer15]

I just bought some real reef rock for my tank and it looks nothing like what i was expecting. Ill attach a photo of it and what i thought it would look like. Can someone explain why that is?

 

[tanksfishtank]

It looks like the cheap man made purple rock.

 

[JammyBirch]

Is it live rock that was shipped wet? If so it has a bunch of die off, once you set it up it will come back. If it is dry rock then there is no life on it you will have to seed it with real live rock or just let it seed from the livestock.

 

[pugcrush]

There's several versions on the market. The earlier versions came in a single color. The newer stuff looks great with the multiple colors of red/purple like in the 2nd pic. It'll also depend on the manufacturer, so you'll want to do a little research.

 

[kknd12312312312]

Does it smells bad? doesnt look like very fresh ones

 

[Teenreefer15]

it smells fine but it looks like it almost as if they painted it on there. But the guy who sold it to me got it from realreefrock.com so i know its real. When he gave it to my it was dry.

 

[whosurcaddie]

If it was dry when he gave it to you then it was painted on. Dry coraline turns white.

 

[toothybugs]

That's painted rock.

Taken from the page: Whether in a reef or fish only aquarium, Real Reef stays purple dead or alive. The product is pigmented with non-toxic colors to duplicate the most beautiful encrusting coralline algae mother-nature has produced.

 

[inetmug]

The painted stuff is there because people do not want to wait for the color. It can take a long time, or go pretty fast. It all depends on your chemistry and lights. Get the right chemistry and lights, and seed the tank properly, and it will move out.

Plenty of posts on the chemistry and seeding, and lights.

Find a nice rock from the LFS loaded with natural color. Periodically scrap off some coraline into a strong flow, it will come pretty quick.

 

[shesacharmer]

Real Reef Rock is a trade name that's pretty misleading. If you google those three words you will find their website. Here is a quote from it: "Real Reef Rock is a made of 100% natural marine friendly ingredients. Its components are made of the same building blocks which wild coral and living reef rock are composed of. The ingredients are not taken from the ocean and as a result there is zero environmental impact to the world's coral reefs or marine habitat." Obviously if you were looking for natural Live Rock that is not what you received. However, given time in your tank it will become live rock and do the same job...but it will never be natural stone.

 

[rlm2005]

I have to say it looks better than the first stuff they put out. It's not what I would put in my tank but they have improved it. The name is really misleading.

 

[Coelli]

2/3 of my rock is this stuff because I didn't know the difference when I bought it. It's been in my tank for almost 2 weeks. I didn't buy it dry, picked it out from tubs with other LR, so it has a bunch of feather dusters and I don't want to take it out and kill them. I figure in a couple of years it won't make a difference. It does have a TON of caves and holes through it, at least. If I could go back I'd buy something else but I'm just going to stick it out.

 

[DSMpunk]

reelreef rocks is a misnomer. Why they charge live rock prices for dry rock that has been painted is beyond me.