Good sources for local LR?

[bageling]

Note - I'm not sure if this is 100% the right spot for this, but the rules for vendor experiences seemed not to allow for an open ended question like this. If there's a more appropriate spot, I'd appreciate if a mod could move it. Also, I realize this has been asked before but it was quite a long time ago and I'm curious about the current state of options.

Hey there,

I'm in the midst of setting up a 45g SPS tank, and I've got all the equipment bought/ordered/decided on, and the only real question mark left is regarding live rock. I'd like to go through a local source rather than having it shipped, and would ideally like something that is well cured and has low numbers of undesirable hitchhikers.

Previously, I've gotten LR from Tropic Isle, and I can say it was well cured and they had a good selection. It certainly had some good hitchhikers, but also some bad ones such as digitate hydroids, some aiptasia, vermetid snails, etc. I realize that no LR that has good hitchhikers is going to be free of any bad ones, but certain ones I'd like to avoid. The hydroids seem to be the biggest pain to actually get rid of, whereas most of the others disappeared after a while either on their own or through attempts to combat them.

I wouldn't necessarily avoid going to them for the next tank, but I'd like to know other people's experiences or knowledge about the stock at other LFSs.

Thanks
Joel

 

[Platehead]

My recommendation is to buy dry macro and let it cycle.

 

[bageling]

I realize some of the benefits of cycling from dry rock, but for this tank I'm looking to get it going pretty quickly and I do like having hitchhikers to discover, even if they're bad. The only ones I really want to try to avoid are things that are near impossible to get rid of, like the digitate hydroids. Of course, this problem could probably be solved via treatment prior to putting the rocks in the tank, but I imagine I'd be losing a lot of the things I would have gained.

While I'm not 100% on the LR route, the purpose of this topic is mainly to ask for the sources locally for LR. Even a list of places with decently cycled LR will do, if anyone has the experience.

Thanks for the help!

 

[PSU4ME]

I believe there are 4 additional places "locally" to look at. Love the reef, underwater world, unique aquaria and Krystal aquarium. None of them are the corner but all are just a short ride.

I've seen many tanks work well with dry Marco and others worked with Cured LR so there is no right or wrong. Personally I'd never go with dry rock cause my first two experiences were bad (look and leaching nutrients) so I'm all cured LR from here on out! I really like Marco because it doesn't hurt the reefs though..... Pros and cons to each.

 

[JohnK]

To add, keep in mind that no live rock is of the quality (life/diversity that is) that LR used to be 10-20 yrs ago. Today's LR is usually well cured base rock to use the older terms.

Also note that there is some "LR" available these days that's partially painted purple. If you see really purple LR in a store that at a glance seems to be covered in coralline, chances are that "coralline" is really paint. IIRC the stuff gets sold under the brand name "real reef rock".

 

[delta]

There is always the BRS marketplace lots of spring sales

 

[bageling]

Shipping that much rock just seems like a pain Definitely not going to be going for the real reef rock, no matter how hard they thing it looks "real". I have to check out LTR and UA

 

[bageling]

As an update, checked out Unique and LTR and both had good, cheaply priced LR. LTR seeds / cures dry rock so it is totally pest free, while the UA LR was a mix of stuff. Not sure what to do yet since I do like hitchikers when they are the good ones, but a guaranteed pest free system when going for SPS is tempting. Anyway, thought I'd share my findings

 

[P-Nut]

I would either get rock from someone that seeds dry rock, or get rocks from a forum member.

I got mine from a 5 year old tank, and someone that really cared about his tank. It was pest free, and there was no cycle.

 

[JimmyMac]

Check out aqua dreams too

 

[ro_nicu]

if you take it slow you can easily get away with using 1/2 good live rock and 1/2 dry; you can't tell them apart in a couple of months. if you tend to overstock and such I would used live only - the dry tends to get algae on it as soon as something is out of whack.

 

[wpeterson]

If you can handle the drive to Salem, NH - Oceans in Glass has a great coralline live rock tank. They cure rock and let it grow under proper lighting. I got some of this to combine with Marco rock for the most recent tank I set up. Zero pests but a lot of coralline and feather dusters.

 

[bageling]

If you can handle the drive to Salem, NH - Oceans in Glass has a great coralline live rock tank. They cure rock and let it grow under proper lighting. I got some of this to combine with Marco rock for the most recent tank I set up. Zero pests but a lot of coralline and feather dusters.

Do you recall their pricing and how long has it been since you've added them?

I'm thinking a few good coralline pieces with beneficial hitchhikers like dusters, good bristles, stomatellas, etc., along with mainly LTR's cured dry rock could have optimal results, and probably little cycle to speak of too.

 

[saltwaterB]

To add, keep in mind that no live rock is of the quality (life/diversity that is) that LR used to be 10-20 yrs ago. Today's LR is usually well cured base rock to use the older terms.

Also note that there is some "LR" available these days that's partially painted purple. If you see really purple LR in a store that at a glance seems to be covered in coralline, chances are that "coralline" is really paint. IIRC the stuff gets sold under the brand name "real reef rock".

John,
The "Real Reef Rock" is not painted at all...the Carib Sea stuff might be, but the "Real Reef" is most definitely not painted in any way. There product is completely aragonite based...I am actually waiting for some literature from Mark (the owner of Real Reef Rock) that scientifically breaks down their rock, as well as several types of other commonly used rock (Fiji, Walt Smith Man Made, Marco/Florida quarried, and Real Reef) This study also breaks down the internal composition and elements within the rock itself. I am trying to get Mark to come out and be a speaker at one of the BRS meetings in the fall. He has a ton of great info on the Live Rock game....

sorry for the hijack...I just had to make it clear that the Real Reef Rock is not painted in any way at all....

 

[dz6t]

Real Reef Rock is not painted, they mix the color into the aragonite sand and adhesive (such as Portland cement). Then they cure it in fresh water and then in saltwater in a green house. Also land based ancient reef (such as Marco rock) can be grounded up as part of the material.

I don't understand since we can get Marco rock for $2 a lb and they are real rock without environment impact already, why pay $7 to $10 /lb to buy aragonite sand mix with cement?

 

[saltwaterB]

because much of the quarried rock has a very high amount of Phosphate within the rock itself...

and from the study I have seen, natural Fiji Live rock has very little amount of Ca and carbonates left in it....from hundreds of years of buffering in the ocean....and the WS man made rock actually contained copper in it....

we actually get a dry rock that is quarried, that is very much like the old dry rock from Fiji...has a much lower amount of Phosphate, and much better structure and porosity than the mentioned quarried dry rock.

 

[JohnK]

Apparently I was misinformed. Curious to hear more.

So am I reading it right that the "real reef rock" is essentially DIY rock with color mixed in?

 

[dz6t]

I am not sure how the study was conducted and who conducted the study. If I can see those studies will be great if you have a link to them.

 

[lex_lutha111384]

I got my 60 cube to cycle in just a few days pretty much with the LR out of underwater world's lagoon tank. Pest free too. Beautiful rock at a good price.

 

[saltwaterB]

Dong,

the studies were completed by an independent lab in California, and I believe the results are being printed in one of the major Aquarium trade magazines coming out in the next few months. I can put you in touch with Mark if you would like, he has the results now and we spent an hour or so last week going over some of them. I am trying to set something up for the fall to get him out here to do a presentation....some very enlightening info about live rock....especially some things I have learned about the Fiji Rock we have all been using for the last 30-40 years...