petco live rock

night_blade · 08/18/2008, 08:46 PM

i know petco is outlawed by reef entusiests but i was wondering if anyone has experience of using their live rock, it looked good at the store and was a really good value (a little more than 2$ a pound)

night_blade · 08/18/2008, 09:01 PM

um.... anyone?

Sk8r · 08/18/2008, 09:04 PM

The honest truth, no: I'd be afraid what might arrive with it. Bargains in reefing rarely are unless between two honest reefers.

night_blade · 08/18/2008, 09:07 PM

well i would cure it, so any unwanted hitchhikers would be taken care of

garyw68 · 08/18/2008, 09:10 PM

I have always heard nothing but bad things with live stock bought from petco...good luck.

cdness · 08/18/2008, 09:35 PM

the DeathCo here doesn't seem to take good care of their stuff... always has ich. Their rock I wouldn't take a chance on though either...

mxrider210 · 08/18/2008, 10:09 PM

The petco in my town sells walt smith live rock. It's ok. Premium Aquatics has the best live rock I think.

masonicman · 08/19/2008, 05:34 AM

I have had good experiences with petco in NJ. I got my yellow tang, hawk fish and tomato clown from there. They are doing great. I've had all over a year now. I never purchase live rock or corals from there though.

atblj5 · 08/19/2008, 06:10 AM

I have about 40 lbs of their rock in my 55 and seems to be fine.

otrlynn · 08/19/2008, 06:28 AM

I have seen the fish at my local Petco infested with ich, and I would bet that their water circulates through all of their tanks., including the rock tank. But, if you cured the rocks in a fish free environment for 6 weeks, it seems unlikely that you would have any ich surviving. The thing is, we have all seen mismanaged Petco's but we really don't know what conditions most of the live rock ordered online comes from...

matthewscars · 08/19/2008, 07:16 AM

I got a 13lb LR from petco. Had some cool green buttons on it. no hitchhikers, good EXP overall. $9 a lb though

atblj5 · 08/19/2008, 07:18 AM

I don't think all their stores are equal, some are real bad, the one I go to has a great bunch of guys running the fish dept.

shuguley · 08/19/2008, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by atblj5
I don't think all their stores are equal, some are real bad, the one I go to has a great bunch of guys running the fish dept.

Agreed, I like my local Petco, there are two guys there that are actual hobbyists and know their stuff, they also keep the tanks in the store at 1.025 SG, which I love, because it makes acclimation easier. I have been around to all my LFS and the Petco saltwater section is the cleanest and most attractive of all. I have purchased 2 clowns, some snails and a cleaner shrimp and all are doing great.

Not all LFS are great, there are some real idiots working at some of my LFS, so I don't really understand the hate towards Petco, when the guys working at my Petco seem smarter than the guys working at my LFS.

08/18/2008, 08:46 PM	#1
night_blade Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, TN Posts: 80	petco live rock i know petco is outlawed by reef entusiests but i was wondering if anyone has experience of using their live rock, it looked good at the store and was a really good value (a little more than 2$ a pound)

08/18/2008, 09:04 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	The honest truth, no: I'd be afraid what might arrive with it. Bargains in reefing rarely are unless between two honest reefers. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/18/2008, 09:10 PM	#5
garyw68 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 648	I have always heard nothing but bad things with live stock bought from petco...good luck. __________________ My grandmother is over eighty and still doesn’t need glasses. Drinks right out of the bottle. Current Tank Info: 180 gal AGA reef - 55 gal sump/refuge - 235 lbs of LR - 3x250 14k MH w/ 4x96 blue actinic PC's - SRO 5000ext skimmer - 2 Vortech MP40w/es

08/18/2008, 09:35 PM	#6
cdness Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Fargo, ND Posts: 870	the DeathCo here doesn't seem to take good care of their stuff... always has ich. Their rock I wouldn't take a chance on though either... __________________ 125G Reef, 40G sump, Marineland 4500 returns, Dart Closed Loop, OM 4-way, LED and Apollo LED Red River Valley Reefers - Fargo, Moorhead, Grand Forks Reef Club -http://redrivervalleyreefers.com Current Tank Info: 75G display, 20G sump, Additional 10G Fuge, drilled, Ocean Runner 6500 for closed loop, Catalina Aquarium CA4000 Return pump, MSX 160 Skimmer

08/19/2008, 05:34 AM	#8
masonicman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NJ Posts: 1,313	I have had good experiences with petco in NJ. I got my yellow tang, hawk fish and tomato clown from there. They are doing great. I've had all over a year now. I never purchase live rock or corals from there though. __________________ It is better to ask for forgiveness then to ask for permission.......... Current Tank Info: 75 gal mixed reef, 216w LED, Remora Pro skimmer, HOB fuge, 400w htr, ATO RO/DI, 90lbs LR and 1" SB.

08/18/2008, 09:01 PM	#2
night_blade Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, TN Posts: 80	um.... anyone?

08/18/2008, 09:07 PM	#4
night_blade Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, TN Posts: 80	well i would cure it, so any unwanted hitchhikers would be taken care of

08/18/2008, 10:09 PM	#7
mxrider210 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 36	The petco in my town sells walt smith live rock. It's ok. Premium Aquatics has the best live rock I think.

08/19/2008, 06:10 AM	#9
atblj5 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N.H. Posts: 382	I have about 40 lbs of their rock in my 55 and seems to be fine.

08/19/2008, 06:28 AM	#10
otrlynn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chester County PA Posts: 1,508	I have seen the fish at my local Petco infested with ich, and I would bet that their water circulates through all of their tanks., including the rock tank. But, if you cured the rocks in a fish free environment for 6 weeks, it seems unlikely that you would have any ich surviving. The thing is, we have all seen mismanaged Petco's but we really don't know what conditions most of the live rock ordered online comes from... __________________ Lynn 1 horse, 1 dog, 2 cats, small pond with a few koi. The fish tank is gone.

08/19/2008, 07:16 AM	#11
matthewscars Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Astoria, NY Posts: 657	I got a 13lb LR from petco. Had some cool green buttons on it. no hitchhikers, good EXP overall. $9 a lb though __________________ A plane passed silently overhead, the streetlights, and the buds on the trees and the night, were still. Current Tank Info: 90g Reef/35g Sump with Foam Rock Wall. 10g Propagation Reef. 55g Goldfish Tank.

08/19/2008, 07:18 AM	#12
atblj5 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: N.H. Posts: 382	I don't think all their stores are equal, some are real bad, the one I go to has a great bunch of guys running the fish dept.