Sound like a good deal?

SWINGRRRR · 09/29/2007, 06:14 PM

There is a guy on my local GL selling Fiji live rock for $3/lb. I called and he said it has been in a garbage can with a PH for a couple of weeks. Thereâ€™s not any coralline alga on it anymore.
Does this just sound like base rock?

I was going to get 30lbs or so for my 65 I am setting up. I plan to make the rest of the rock myself.

Should I skip it and just get real live rock from the LFS?
My tank is bone dry right now. I plan to get it wet and going over the coming week. I plan to do FOWLR.

davidryder · 09/29/2007, 06:29 PM

It won't be base rock - in fact a lot of people put their existing live rock through an identical process called "cooking" to essentially clean the rock. The coralline will bounce back pretty quickly - and it can live in total darkness so I wouldn't be surprised if there was quite a bit remaining.

If the rock is in bad shape you might want to think about getting some rock online. Ebay has some great deals from big merchants.

RickySan · 09/30/2007, 02:26 AM

i dont know about base rock or "show rock" im still a newbie, however if you can find fiji rock for $3 lbs. and it looks decent, i would jump all over that deal!

SWINGRRRR · 09/30/2007, 05:09 PM

Well, I went and looked at it. Its just plain white, and I was mistaken. Its been in the tub for about a year, but it has had a constant PH on it. I saw the guys 135 that he is taking down, and all his rocks were white. I didn't see any purple coralline on it at all. He kept referring to it as live rock though... Any thoughts?
Whats the worst that can happen, I have to re-seed it? He said it was mixed Fiji, and Tonga.

davidryder · 09/30/2007, 05:52 PM

It will eventually turn into live rock...

Jocephus · 09/30/2007, 06:38 PM

Offer him 1.50 a pound. It'll rebound quickly and save you some $$

Playa-1 · 10/01/2007, 04:55 AM

I think if i were looking for a bargain i would go on ebay and get some fresh premium Fiji live rock and cure it myself. 2 or 3 bucks a pound and you might get some cool hitch hikers.

IndigoSea · 10/01/2007, 06:31 AM

Even if it has been sitting apparently dead for a year, it should either come back to life or catch life eventually. Some types of rock don't take well to becoming LR, but if it's been LR before, it'll be LR again. I'd get a few really alive bits of cheap rubble and place it around the rock to help seed it.
If it's been out of water for any period of time, it'll probably be base rock. I got my tank from a guy who had had it going for years with these three great beautiful pieces of LR, and he dumped them into a dry bucket and they completely died! ARRGH! I've had the tank since december though, and they're starting to come back to life nicely

SWINGRRRR · 10/01/2007, 06:38 AM

I think I am going to get about 30lbs or so and just seed it with some good stuff from the LFS. Thanks for all the replies. Hopefully I will be getting wet on Wednesday. Stupid work and school taking up my time for fun stuff.

3mrhythm · 10/01/2007, 09:14 PM

cheaper than going to a LFS

Norward · 10/02/2007, 02:13 PM

My LFS sells LR for 9.50/lb!

CruzinKim · 10/02/2007, 05:15 PM

In the SF Bay Area, a lot of local reefers sell excess base rock for about $1 to $1.50/lb, but they color up pretty quickly. The nicer live rocks with good coraline algae growth can be as cheap as $2/lb, but most of the time it's $3/lb. I think it just depends on your particular area and how many reefers are reselling live rock.

09/29/2007, 06:14 PM	#1
SWINGRRRR Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pcola FL Posts: 2,504	Sound like a good deal? There is a guy on my local GL selling Fiji live rock for $3/lb. I called and he said it has been in a garbage can with a PH for a couple of weeks. Thereâ€™s not any coralline alga on it anymore. Does this just sound like base rock? I was going to get 30lbs or so for my 65 I am setting up. I plan to make the rest of the rock myself. Should I skip it and just get real live rock from the LFS? My tank is bone dry right now. I plan to get it wet and going over the coming week. I plan to do FOWLR.

09/29/2007, 06:29 PM	#2
davidryder Claris or Elliot? Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nightopia Posts: 2,750	It won't be base rock - in fact a lot of people put their existing live rock through an identical process called "cooking" to essentially clean the rock. The coralline will bounce back pretty quickly - and it can live in total darkness so I wouldn't be surprised if there was quite a bit remaining. If the rock is in bad shape you might want to think about getting some rock online. Ebay has some great deals from big merchants. __________________ A rolling stone gathers no moss... Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, corner overflow (Mag 9.5), 25g refugium (Mag 5), 15g refugium, Orbit 260w pc, Pan World 50PX-X (Closed loop), AquaC EV-120 (now skimmerless)

09/30/2007, 02:26 AM	#3
RickySan Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 518	i dont know about base rock or "show rock" im still a newbie, however if you can find fiji rock for $3 lbs. and it looks decent, i would jump all over that deal! __________________ RM3 Current Tank Info: AGA 30g Reef 36x12x18, 4x39 ATI T5, 39w LED, Koralia 425, VorTech MP10wES, HOB CPR 2 Skimmer, 60lbs LS, 40lbs LR

09/30/2007, 05:09 PM	#4
SWINGRRRR Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pcola FL Posts: 2,504	Well, I went and looked at it. Its just plain white, and I was mistaken. Its been in the tub for about a year, but it has had a constant PH on it. I saw the guys 135 that he is taking down, and all his rocks were white. I didn't see any purple coralline on it at all. He kept referring to it as live rock though... Any thoughts? Whats the worst that can happen, I have to re-seed it? He said it was mixed Fiji, and Tonga. __________________ Have you ever tried to hold a monkey still if it is not drunk ~ insteng Current Tank Info: 45gal Rimless mixed reef--SWC 150BMK--2xMP10ESW--Giesemann 150W HQI

09/30/2007, 05:52 PM	#5
davidryder Claris or Elliot? Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Nightopia Posts: 2,750	It will eventually turn into live rock... __________________ A rolling stone gathers no moss... Current Tank Info: 90g mixed reef, corner overflow (Mag 9.5), 25g refugium (Mag 5), 15g refugium, Orbit 260w pc, Pan World 50PX-X (Closed loop), AquaC EV-120 (now skimmerless)

09/30/2007, 06:38 PM	#6
Jocephus Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dover, DE Posts: 995	Offer him 1.50 a pound. It'll rebound quickly and save you some $$

10/01/2007, 04:55 AM	#7
Playa-1 Moved On Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Laguna Niguel, CA Posts: 7,497	I think if i were looking for a bargain i would go on ebay and get some fresh premium Fiji live rock and cure it myself. 2 or 3 bucks a pound and you might get some cool hitch hikers.

10/01/2007, 06:31 AM	#8
IndigoSea Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 47	Even if it has been sitting apparently dead for a year, it should either come back to life or catch life eventually. Some types of rock don't take well to becoming LR, but if it's been LR before, it'll be LR again. I'd get a few really alive bits of cheap rubble and place it around the rock to help seed it. If it's been out of water for any period of time, it'll probably be base rock. I got my tank from a guy who had had it going for years with these three great beautiful pieces of LR, and he dumped them into a dry bucket and they completely died! ARRGH! I've had the tank since december though, and they're starting to come back to life nicely __________________ <-- I'm a mushroom :D Current Tank Info: 75 gallon- LR, Flame Angel, Oce Clown, Yellow Goby, Cleaner Shrimp, Anemone Crab, Cleaning crew, Zoanthids, Mushrooms. Outer Orbit MH/DA light system.

10/01/2007, 06:38 AM	#9
SWINGRRRR Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Pcola FL Posts: 2,504	I think I am going to get about 30lbs or so and just seed it with some good stuff from the LFS. Thanks for all the replies. Hopefully I will be getting wet on Wednesday. Stupid work and school taking up my time for fun stuff. __________________ Have you ever tried to hold a monkey still if it is not drunk ~ insteng Current Tank Info: 45gal Rimless mixed reef--SWC 150BMK--2xMP10ESW--Giesemann 150W HQI

10/01/2007, 09:14 PM	#10
3mrhythm Moved On Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Farmington NH Posts: 88	cheaper than going to a LFS

10/02/2007, 02:13 PM	#11
Norward Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Little Rock Posts: 407	My LFS sells LR for 9.50/lb!

10/02/2007, 05:15 PM	#12
CruzinKim Moved On Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: If Not There, Then Here. Posts: 693	In the SF Bay Area, a lot of local reefers sell excess base rock for about $1 to $1.50/lb, but they color up pretty quickly. The nicer live rocks with good coraline algae growth can be as cheap as $2/lb, but most of the time it's $3/lb. I think it just depends on your particular area and how many reefers are reselling live rock.