Real Reef vs live rock?

[Phranque]

Title pretty much explains the question..... I've had a FOWLR, but this will be my first run at corals, so there will be a bunch of questions.

Just picked up a 28g JBJ 89w LED Nano, and I'm probably going to get started on the cycle next week. LFS has both live rock and the artificial "Real Reef" rock. Any opinions between the two?? The Real Reef is a couple bucks cheaper per pound..... they have a few coral tanks set up with it, and I have to say, they look pretty good. They claim they like it better because it pretty much guarantees a pest-free start, but when I fishless cycle, wouldn't the high ammo nuke any pests in the live rock anyway??

 

[Animal-Chin]

Live rock comes with good stuff and bad. I like it cause the good bacteria and coraline is in there but it could come with some hichhikers you dont want. I started a tank with live and had anemonie problems so for my upgrade i went with the dead rock and it turned live in about 6 months. Id go mostly dead with a piece of live to jumpstart the coraline...

 

[Readingexcalibur]

Remember, hitchhikers work both ways. You may get something like aiptasia anemones, maybe some bristle worms, but you also may land some small polyp corals in the process. I did half live and half base in mine. my base rock is pretty live with creatures and coralline all over it in about 2 months time.

I have the jbj nano-601-led professional. I believe we may have the same model. If yours is not the standard, then you are in great shape. I am growing sps close to the sand bed without any problems. This is great in a stock unit, even if it retails for 750$. Thank god for Craigslist tho!

 

[crister13]

Bristle worms are very beneficial actually. They're some of the best scavengers out there.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

Bristle worms are very beneficial actually. They're some of the best scavengers out there.

+1 but they are still considered a bad hitchhiker. Odviously its the fire bristle worms we need to look out for. I was moving some LV in my tank and got a bunch of bristles under my skin from one hiding. I personal chose to get rid of all the ones I could find in my tank.

 

[crister13]

It's all a matter of opinion whether they're bad or not. It's free cuc and in my book that's a very good hitchhiker. I almost bought some a week ago. If you don't like yours send em to me!!!!!!!!! Lol

 

[Phranque]

Thanks for the input, guys... I think I'll start off "sterile" for the cycle with about 25lbs of Real Reef, and once that's complete, probably add another 10lbs or so of live rock to get things seeded.

I have the jbj nano-601-led professional. I believe we may have the same model. If yours is not the standard, then you are in great shape. I am growing sps close to the sand bed without any problems. This is great in a stock unit, even if it retails for 750$. Thank god for Craigslist tho!

Yup.... picked up a 601 off CL with a bunch of extras for $500.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/birthday-score-jbj-28g-213989.html
JUST got done putting together the stand, got the tank out of the box & tested the lights. I've got RODI running right now, and will probably get things rolling on Wednesday.

 

[Readingexcalibur]

I am extremely excited for your build. I haven't found anyone with the same tank as me. I found this hobby to be allot more enjoyable if you don't cut corners. You have a solid product and you'll enjoy this tank for years!

 

[Phranque]

I'll probably start a build thread this weekend. My stock plan with this tank is a few fish for some activity (thinking ocellaris or two, purple firefish, and maybe pygmy wrasse), but the primary purpose is to learn coral husbandry. I have a 150g sitting down in the basement, and my eventual plan is an in-wall reef with a basement sump/fuge/frag system, but that's a few years down the road yet. This will tide me over, let me learn, and hopefully give me some good seed corals for the bigger system.