Dead Live Rock Mixed with Live Rock
 

A friend at aquarium illusions told me it would be cheaper to go to big als and buy the majority of my rock there (dead rock) and just mix it with a few pounds live rock! Would this work? Does big als actually have dead fiji live rock?

Thanks!
SeaSerpant

Yea that would work......although it would take time for the dead rock to become live.

That's a good way to go.
Your initial cycle might take a little longer than it would if you used all new live rock but you have a larger measure of control if you use dry/dead stff since you have a better undertsanding of where it's been.

There are also no guarantees that just because you buy wet rock from a lfs that is is aywhere near fully cured or fully cycled.

FYI dead rock at LFS can still be more expensive then what most people sell live rock for here in the buy/sell section. Since it would take at least 3-4 months for the dead rock to start to get life on it (from using a few pieces of live rock with it to cure it) I'd wait until some live rock came up for sale in Edmonton from someone's tank.

Thats a couple of good pointe right there.

For the best combination of cost and time to cycle, buying your LR from a reefer with a healthy and established system is the way to go.

I sell LR for 3-4$ lb, I'm sure you can find an Albertan who's prices are comparable.

i have 30lbs of dry rock which i got raped buying from aquarium illusions. at 4.99lb and i have 10lbs of live rock in my tank right now that i purchased for 7.50lb no tax from a fellow in edmonton who has alot.

Next time i will go all live rock forsure!

some people like dry rock because then you know you are starting out "pest free". this is definately the way I am going next time I set up a system. I lost 3 sandsifting gobies and 2 fish to nasty crabs I couldn't find. $4.99/lb is a deal, especially when all is said and done the dry rock will be close to twice the weight when its cured, so when you buy 30lbs dry its probably close to 60lbs cured live rock. I did this last year with stuff from BRS and couldn't believe the weight of it now that it is cured.

I'm going to go with your suggestion! It makes more sense to get cheap live rock from canreef and wait a month for the tank to cycle than new dead rock and wait 4 months for the tank to cycle! If you think about it your going to spend a lot of money on it anyway, why not buy the best you can!

Thanks
SeaSerpant

Just noticed it looks like someone in edmonton is trying to unload 80 lbs of live rock

Live rock is the way to go IMO. I've bought rock from fellow canreefers as well as a few fresh uncured pieces from stores just to get the biodiversity that you don't get with a chunck of dead rock. I think seeing all the new organisms growing and getting new suprises every day is worth the risk of getting a pest and its what a reef is all about.:biggrin: