buying live rock online

bradjenny · 01/24/2010, 11:32 PM

anyone buy liverock online? is it a good idea? what do you have to do to it when you get it? where and how much? i could use prob 50 pounds.... ihave been using figi rock now but is very expensive at the pet store. i heard you can buy it online

hondo3 · 01/25/2010, 12:25 AM

Bought mine from LiveAquaria.com. They stock a few different kinds. You have to cycle it when you get it before you use it. They are a reliable source.

JNicho · 01/25/2010, 12:29 AM

Dry rock from Marcorocks.com or Bulkreefsupply.com are good options...very good quality, light and porous rock...can be seeded with a few pounds of the expensive stuff, and before you know it, it turns into live rock just like the expensive stuff. Any truly "live" rock you order online with have some die-off and well need to cycle.

bradjenny · 01/25/2010, 12:44 AM

how would you cycle it then?

JNicho · 01/25/2010, 12:46 AM

If your tank is already set up and running and you want to add more/new rock, you'll have to put it in some other container with a powerhead and heater until it's cycled...or bight the bullet and but local fully cycled rock.

saltwaterfiend · 01/25/2010, 02:12 AM

eBay has Rock for 2.50 to 4 a pound and that is ten times nicer than any rock I've seen at the pet store. Do a search on cycling your tank read read read and you'll have a nice tank

woowoodengy · 01/25/2010, 02:36 AM

get marco rock and then go find the nicest soft ball size live rock at a local fish store to seed the tank. and yes please read more and more so you dont make mistakes. dont trust anything the lfs tells you.

WELCOME TO REF CENTRAL

saltwaterfiend · 01/25/2010, 02:46 AM

That's the best advice you can ever take Do not take any advice from
( lfs )the pet store they never know what there talkin about and always point you in the wrong direction.

Flamehawk1221 · 01/25/2010, 05:02 AM

Buy uncured, ship 2nd day, and use a probiotics like Prodibio to make them cycle fast.

gdsmith56 · 01/25/2010, 06:13 AM

1) Rather than the "never trust the LFS" line, use a skeptical approach with anyone that is new to you. I have a wonderful LFS available to me but even my main POC (point of contact) there doesn't know everything, so I "Trust, but Verify" from anyone that tells me something.

2) re: the live rock - all good responses. One that I will add is make sure the seller is selling you 50# of Rock! Some will sell you a 50# box - with the weight of the box, and paper, and water included in the overall weight. Find the ones that advertise 'rock weight' and see if you like the looks of the WYSIWYG rocks.

Flatrack01 · 01/25/2010, 06:55 AM

I bought my live rock at liverockusa.com at $3/lb.

heatdissipation · 01/25/2010, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwaterfiend

That's the best advice you can ever take Do not take any advice from
( lfs )the pet store they never know what there talkin about and always point you in the wrong direction.

I have a pretty good lfs, they dont know everything and they dont claim to, I dont take their advice though, I usually end up correcting them, but they at least admit they are always learning to. They are a decent bunch, and I realize there is some that only care about the money, but in my experience the stores that only care about the money dont seem to last as long as the ones that care. Well except for petco and petsmart...

Chiefsurfer · 01/25/2010, 07:37 AM

if you are setting up a new tank, i can suggest tampabaysaltwater.com. They are great guys, and they ship their rock actually in water, and not in wet newspaper. They also ship airline freight to your nearest airport which saves you a TON of money in shipping. Where fedex might cost you $160, air freight would cost you $50(depending on what airports and airlines).

Be careful with buying LR online. There are MANY companies out there running scams for this, or at least what I would consider a scam.

KJHLCH · 01/25/2010, 07:42 AM

I bought my live rock from premium aquatics, it had several nice pieces in it at a decent price.

Chris27 · 01/25/2010, 08:18 AM

Live rock bought online tends to have a lot of die-off when you get it, so if you plan on curing it yourself outside of your DT, then you can save some money. Personally, I like to pick mine up at a LFS, that way I have very minimal die-off by the time I throw it in the tank, plus I can hand select the pieces that will work well for me. Craigslist and local reef clubs are also a good option, as there are always people tearing down tanks and selling off their rock for less then $5/lb.

schatzi · 01/25/2010, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJHLCH

I bought my live rock from premium aquatics, it had several nice pieces in it at a decent price.

I'd second a vote on them. I've been there, they have a nice setup and pretty good prices.

01/24/2010, 11:32 PM	#1
bradjenny Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 76	buying live rock online anyone buy liverock online? is it a good idea? what do you have to do to it when you get it? where and how much? i could use prob 50 pounds.... ihave been using figi rock now but is very expensive at the pet store. i heard you can buy it online

01/25/2010, 02:12 AM	#6
saltwaterfiend Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 61	eBay has Rock for 2.50 to 4 a pound and that is ten times nicer than any rock I've seen at the pet store. Do a search on cycling your tank read read read and you'll have a nice tank __________________ This hobby is gotta be worse than a crack habbit Current Tank Info: 125g T5 HO 25g sump 125 lbs Fiji.protein skimmer UV sterilizer. Purple tang 1 pepermint shrimp 1 fire shrimp 2 cleaner blenny mandarin maroon clown hawian duster red coco worm baby starfish. Maze brain coral. Cats paw. Pink xenia. Purple anenome+.

01/25/2010, 02:36 AM	#7
woowoodengy Upgrading my 20gal Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chicago/Glenview Posts: 1,230	get marco rock and then go find the nicest soft ball size live rock at a local fish store to seed the tank. and yes please read more and more so you dont make mistakes. dont trust anything the lfs tells you. WELCOME TO REF CENTRAL __________________ Twitter is my personal customized news feed. It only tells me what I want to hear. Current Tank Info: never big enough

01/25/2010, 02:46 AM	#8
saltwaterfiend Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 61	That's the best advice you can ever take Do not take any advice from ( lfs )the pet store they never know what there talkin about and always point you in the wrong direction. __________________ This hobby is gotta be worse than a crack habbit Current Tank Info: 125g T5 HO 25g sump 125 lbs Fiji.protein skimmer UV sterilizer. Purple tang 1 pepermint shrimp 1 fire shrimp 2 cleaner blenny mandarin maroon clown hawian duster red coco worm baby starfish. Maze brain coral. Cats paw. Pink xenia. Purple anenome+.

01/25/2010, 07:37 AM	#13
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	if you are setting up a new tank, i can suggest tampabaysaltwater.com. They are great guys, and they ship their rock actually in water, and not in wet newspaper. They also ship airline freight to your nearest airport which saves you a TON of money in shipping. Where fedex might cost you $160, air freight would cost you $50(depending on what airports and airlines). Be careful with buying LR online. There are MANY companies out there running scams for this, or at least what I would consider a scam. __________________ Chief Current Tank: 20 Gallon tall, 4-bulb t5 HO, Eshopps psk75H, ac-70 fuge. So far, green clown goby, striped goby, more gorillas than I wish I had, 5 SPS frags, 3 LPS Frags, 1 Softee, Turkey Wing Clam. Plan for the future: 120 gallon 4ft glass tank. Current Tank Info: 20 gallon tall Reef Tank

01/25/2010, 12:25 AM	#2
hondo3 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: potomac, md Posts: 49	Bought mine from LiveAquaria.com. They stock a few different kinds. You have to cycle it when you get it before you use it. They are a reliable source.

01/25/2010, 12:29 AM	#3
JNicho Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 180	Dry rock from Marcorocks.com or Bulkreefsupply.com are good options...very good quality, light and porous rock...can be seeded with a few pounds of the expensive stuff, and before you know it, it turns into live rock just like the expensive stuff. Any truly "live" rock you order online with have some die-off and well need to cycle.

01/25/2010, 12:44 AM	#4
bradjenny Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 76	how would you cycle it then?

01/25/2010, 12:46 AM	#5
JNicho Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 180	If your tank is already set up and running and you want to add more/new rock, you'll have to put it in some other container with a powerhead and heater until it's cycled...or bight the bullet and but local fully cycled rock.

01/25/2010, 05:02 AM	#9
Flamehawk1221 Moved On Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: South Florida Posts: 20	Buy uncured, ship 2nd day, and use a probiotics like Prodibio to make them cycle fast.

01/25/2010, 06:13 AM	#10
gdsmith56 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Harpers Ferry, WV Posts: 122	1) Rather than the "never trust the LFS" line, use a skeptical approach with anyone that is new to you. I have a wonderful LFS available to me but even my main POC (point of contact) there doesn't know everything, so I "Trust, but Verify" from anyone that tells me something. 2) re: the live rock - all good responses. One that I will add is make sure the seller is selling you 50# of Rock! Some will sell you a 50# box - with the weight of the box, and paper, and water included in the overall weight. Find the ones that advertise 'rock weight' and see if you like the looks of the WYSIWYG rocks.

01/25/2010, 06:55 AM	#11
Flatrack01 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 17	I bought my live rock at liverockusa.com at $3/lb.

01/25/2010, 07:42 AM	#14
KJHLCH Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: SE INDIANA Posts: 50	I bought my live rock from premium aquatics, it had several nice pieces in it at a decent price.

01/25/2010, 08:18 AM	#15
Chris27 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 4,452	Live rock bought online tends to have a lot of die-off when you get it, so if you plan on curing it yourself outside of your DT, then you can save some money. Personally, I like to pick mine up at a LFS, that way I have very minimal die-off by the time I throw it in the tank, plus I can hand select the pieces that will work well for me. Craigslist and local reef clubs are also a good option, as there are always people tearing down tanks and selling off their rock for less then $5/lb.