The Great Aquascaping Debate – Live Rocks vs. Dry Rocks.

Is your reef tank boring? When you gaze into this underwater universe, are you uninspired?

When I first dove into the world of reef aquariums, I was obsessed. My desire to create a healthy habitat was surpassed by my will to manifest a slice of the ocean that’s just for me. Aquarists aren’t just admirers of the sea. We’re dreamers. We’re environmentalists. We’re artists.

Being the marine artists we are, there’s few situations as frustrating as an unimaginative tank. So, how can you transform a tank from dull to delightful? Unlock your creativity, and aquarium beauty, with a little help from rocks.

The Rocky Terrain of Reef Tank Aquascaping - Live Rocks.

I remember the first time I heard about live rocks. To be honest, I thought it was a joke. I mean, rocks aren’t alive, right? Questioning everything I thought I knew about geology, I began a journey into the realm of underwater artistry.

First off, let’s clarify an often misunderstood topic. When we talk about live rocks, they aren’t actually living, at least in the way we comprehend life. Could you imagine if rocks were alive? Instead of dog walking parks, we’d have rock resting park, but I digress.

When we talk about live rocks, we aren’t speaking about the physical rock itself. Instead, this term references the microscopic marine life living on and in the rock. While the actual rock is an accumulation of coral skeletons, calcium carbonate and other miscellaneous materials, it serves as a home for “living” organisms.

Now that we’ve got that covered, what’s the point? Why would you put a rock covered in organisms in a perfectly balanced reef tank?

To answer this question, it’s important to understand the purpose of live rocks. Because using live rocks is a personal preference, it’s impossible to give a definitive recommendation. What I can do, however, is outline what these rocks are and how they influence your tank’s ecosystem.

Awakening the Microscopic Life of Rocks - What Are Live Rocks?

Here’s a trick question, are live rocks actually rocks? Bonus question, is there only one kind of live rock? To find these answers, let’s dig a little deeper into the multifaceted world of coral reef systems.

As you likely know, ocean coral reefs aren’t just made of coral. These essential oceanic elements are a combination of encrusting organisms, sponges and immeasurable concentrations of marine life. However, as the reef system matures and expands, bits of coral reef break off and fall to the seabed at the edge of the reef system. These broken bits are called reef rocks.

I like to think of reef rock as a marine apartment complexes for the world’s tiniest tenants. Microscopic marine life invade its interior and exterior spaces. Essentially, reef rocks are bursting with life, but just not its own.

Of course, not all coral reef pieces lands along the outside parameter of a reef system. Inshore reef rock come from inside the reef system. Typically denser than standard reef rock, it’s quickly overwhelmed by a myriad of sea creatures. Crabs, clams, shrimp, mussels and algae commonly make inshore rocks their home.

Lastly, there’s dead base rock, which we know as dry live rocks. As you can imagine, this rock is void of marine life. It’s typically found in darker areas of a reef system. In the wild, dead base rock helps form the base of a reef system. In home reef tanks, it serves the same purpose, but we’ll discuss dry rocks momentarily.

Okay, so now we’ve covered the types of live rock, what does it do for home aquariums? Let’s find out…

From Ocean to Living Room - Live Rocks and Home Reef Tanks.

Generally, aquarium live rocks serve three distinct functions:

• Natural Water Stabilizer.
• Biological Nitrification.
• Visual Design/Aesthetics.

For many aquarists, live rocks serve a fundamental purpose. These hobbyists desire an exact replica of oceanic reef system. Because live rocks introduce algae, bacteria and other organisms native to wild reefs, it literally brings a slice of the ocean into their tank.

As you’re aware, waste from tank marine life increases ammonia levels. Since live rocks are covered in an array of nitrifying bacteria, it boosts nitrogen cycle efficiency, which is the natural process of converting ammonia to nitrites and nitrates.

Have you ever felt stabilizing water chemistry is impossible? Even the most talented aquarists occasionally fight the war of stability. Live rocks are especially beneficial for unstable pH levels due to excessive calcium carbonate concentrations.

Natural biodiversity in a closed saltwater aquarium has obvious benefits, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. There’s a very serious danger associated with live rocks.

Hijacking Tank Health - Dangers of Live Rocks.

While saltwater aquarium biodiversity creates a healthy tank, it’s not without risk. Whenever foreign organisms enter this delicate underwater universe, there’s always a possibility unforeseen horrors.

The most obvious danger is killer organisms hiding in its porous structure and unwanted inhabitants. However, without taking necessary precautions, the biggest threat boils down to chemistry.

Many organisms present in live rocks die when harvested and transported. If you were to simply insert the newly acquired rock directly in your tank, these dead and dying organisms continue to decompose. As a result, ammonia levels rapidly increase. This can prove disastrous for all tanks, regardless of filtration and nitrifying systems.

Thankfully, this traumatic situation is preventable.

The Star of Your Saltwater Tank - Dry Ro​​​​​c​​​​​​ks.

My initial exposure to dry rocks changed my perception of aquascaping forever. For years, I firmly believed live rocks were the best option. While I still believe they’re beautiful additions to any saltwater tank, my recommendation leans toward the drier side of life.

As I briefly mentioned above, dry rocks are actually dead reef rocks or a product made from natural materials. For one reason or another, its organisms packed their microscopic apartments and moved on, or more commonly, died off or they are in "sleep mode".

There are obvious advantages of dry rocks, with the most notable being a lack of harmful hitchhikers. Personally, I get a specific thrill watching a calcified rock slowly reanimate with life. It’s truly beautiful.

Back From the Dead - Dry Rock Tips and Info.

You may be wondering if I love dry rocks so much, why wait to discuss them till the end? Good question, observant reader! While I could write a novel about the benefits of dry rocks over live rocks, my main reason? They’re simply simple. Yes, that's easy.

Selecting, preparing and caring for dry rocks isn’t a complex process. As long as you remember just a few tips, you’ll soon have a tank bursting with color, life and health.

While dry rocks support healthy water parameters, that’s not what attractions countless aquarists to these calcified chunks of coral.

Dry rocks and aquascaping go together like peanut butter and jelly. While live rocks deliver similar aesthetic benefits, dry rocks deliver the same visual impact without the heavy risk of contamination. Because of my propensity to talk about aquascaping in most social settings, I’m constantly asked to recommend the best dry rock made specifically for reef tank artistry.

Unlike live rocks, which are best purchased in-person, I’ve found fantastic dry rocks online. If you choose this route, I recommend going with CaribSea Life Rock or STAX from Two Little Fishies. It’s beautiful, appropriately cleaned and adds a nice visual touch to both large and nano saltwater aquariums and you don't need to cure them, but you can soak the rocks in RO/DI water for a few days, changing the water daily. It's never a bad idea. Just take a look at these amazing pieces (CaribSea Website):

The Beauty of Wild Reefs at Home.

If you’re looking to create a stunning coral reef without a doubt, the new STAX Rock Flat Aquascaping Rocks are amazing for that. Unlike the other dry rocks I recommended, these limestone rocks feature flat cuts for streamlined reef building. Very unique product on the market and super fun to use (TwoLittleFishies Website):

Enhanced Aquarium Care - What’s the Deal With Dry Rock Cycling?

If you don’t read aquarium forums, you’re missing out! While some of the information isn’t accurate, it’s an excellent resource to learn from others experiences. A few days ago, I was browsing my favorite forum Reef2Reef.com and kept reading topics about dry rock cycling.

While that’s a topic within itself, I have to point out a couple of essential elements. First, dry rock cycling is the method of cleaning aquarium water primarily through dry rocks. As we discussed above, these rocks work wonders when used to filter and stabilize water chemistry.

The most important takeaway is to start this process with a healthy dose of good bacteria. This is key for success. My personal recommendation is Prodibio Start Up. It’s worked wonders for our Frag Tank and Nano Tank here at ReefHacks. It’s easy, effective and sets the stage for a healthy, productive tank.

Sparking Life and Beauty - Final Thoughts.

As the saying goes, beauty’s in the eye of the beholder. Regardless of your ultimate goal, there’s no denying the importance of reef rocks in saltwater aquariums.

Whether you’re a novice, or an experienced aquarist, we’re here to help you create your perfect reef tank. As always, send us a message if you have any questions or comments. Here’s to your happy, healthy and gorgeous reef aquarium!

by Yuliya Ivanova for ReefHacks.

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