Real Reef Rocks

[Gil and Fin]

Good afternoon, all. I'm new to the forum and need some advice. I have a 20 gallon FOWLR and now I'm hooked. Like many of you I'm sure I have now moved furniture around and found a place for an 110 gallon reef tank.

In my 20 gallon I used Fuji live rock and had good success. I am now working with a guy who owns a local fish store. He was recommended to me by two other fish stores because he has been around a while, focuses on sustainable reefkeeping, and also does maintenance and set up. I'm comfortable with him.

He recommends Real Reef Rock rather than standard live rock. I'm not finding a whole lot of reviews. I did find a thread on this cite that was not too positive but mostly focused on the "false advertising" of the name ("Real Reef"). I'm hoping to get some input about the advisability of setting up a new tank using it over Fuji live rock.

Thoughts? Thank you in advance for your time.

 

[Eric Boerner]

Basically what this stuff is, is dead rock, put in a vat for a year, then sold at a premium. You'd get the same results if you started with dead rock, seeded it with coralline algae, and patiently waited a year.

"Quality" Deadrock = ~ $2.85 a lb.
Real Reef = ~ $6.99 a lb.

So for $4 a lb you get nice purple rock instead of waiting a year (or less) cooking it on your own.

 

[acabgd]

I would not use Real Reef rock for the simple reason it's too expensive. Your LFS is trying to make a quick buck. Real Dead rock is way more cheaper (as stated above) and apart from the color, which you will eventually get anyway, is exactly the same.

 

[shesacharmer]

Have you looked at it? I think it's ugly.

 

[oldpaddy]

That looks like the live rock I got from petco. I just grabbed a couple of pieces to seed the rock I bought from reefrocks.net. IF it's the same stuff, it looks like building rubble held together by cement. I don't mind a couple of pieces of it, but the dead rock I bought looks A LOT better.

 

[shesacharmer]

I love this stuff I got from reefcleaners.org. It is considered a 'green alternative' to live rock. http://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/florida-reef-rock-15lbs-free-shipping and comes in different quantities. Mine is coloring up just like my Figi in just a few months.

 

[murdock84]

I was looking at this too at my local LFS. They want a premium price for it. I like it cause it is cured and thought it looked pretty good (only rock I seen as shelf rock in their bins too). I want to get something that I won't have to cure when I am ready for my live rock. If I don't go with the Tampa Bay Saltwater package, I may end up with this or one of their other cured "live" rock.

 

[formsix]

I was looking at this too at my local LFS. They want a premium price for it. I like it cause it is cured and thought it looked pretty good (only rock I seen as shelf rock in their bins too). I want to get something that I won't have to cure when I am ready for my live rock. If I don't go with the Tampa Bay Saltwater package, I may end up with this or one of their other cured "live" rock.

I went with TBS after agonizing over all the "sustainable" choices out there, and I have been thrilled with my decision. Yeah, it's pricy, but you basically get a full tank set-up, complete with all sorts of critters you never even knew you wanted, and all the makings of a very healthy ecosystem. Highly, highly recommend.

 

[Xavibear]

Marco Rocks & BRS both carry good dry rock. Real reef rock is pretty ugly in my opinion. Definitely not with the price.

 

[Gil and Fin]

Thanks, all. I've decided to go with regular live rock for this set up. Maybe I'll try it in the next one. Each generation of Real Reef seems to improve on the last. I will see what they come up with in the next couple of years.