Where to get the best live rock, where to stay away from!

AEALOVESHERGIRLS · 01/03/2011, 07:37 PM

I want to order my live rock for my 28 gallon, where is a good place to buy, where should I stay away from?

bsg · 01/03/2011, 09:22 PM

Bulk Reef supply has amazing 'dead' rock called EcoRock. I would recommend starting with some of that and seed it with a small portion of live rock and sand from a LFS or fellow reefer. Checkout the reviews on their website;

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...-fiji-dry-rock

Sitaga · 01/03/2011, 09:31 PM

If you have a local online classified ad or a local reef club, you can usually find people that are breaking down thier tanks. That's the rock I recommend... no need for shipping and usually they are just trying to get rid of it (cheap or free).

bioreef29 · 01/03/2011, 09:38 PM

Marcos rocks !!!

Virtuoso · 01/03/2011, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sitaga

If you have a local online classified ad or a local reef club, you can usually find people that are breaking down thier tanks. That's the rock I recommend... no need for shipping and usually they are just trying to get rid of it (cheap or free).

I have been looking at rock for the past few weeks and I think this is definitely the way to go. Even with BRS "Eco" rock and Marco rock, which I think are great, you can still do better. That is dead rock and needs to be seeded.

For half the price of that dead rock (plus shipping in some cases), you can get good live rock locally. Check craigslist, check your reef clubs, etc. I have seen good live rock for as low as $1.00-1.25.

thcmusic · 01/03/2011, 10:43 PM

I have had very good experience with Tampa Bay Saltwater. They aquaculture live rock in the Ocean. They also have their own vendor forum on reef central. Their site is http://www.tbsaltwater.com/

jeff@zina.com · 01/04/2011, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thcmusic

I have had very good experience with Tampa Bay Saltwater.

+1. Though I really like the BRS rock and seeding it, for me, the look and utility of the rock is better. TBS has some great package deals though.

Jeff

Beamers · 01/04/2011, 08:43 AM

I really like the dry eco rock, you don't bring over any unwanted pests.

It also looks better for aquascaping then most of the "craigslist rock" you're going to find

Sport507 · 01/04/2011, 09:53 AM

Here is another option. I have bought alot from them. Click the livestock list to see what they have in stock

http://premiumaquatics.com/

karsco · 01/04/2011, 10:17 AM

+2 for TBS, their rock actually has life on it that you can see. My TBS rock has been in my tank(s) for about 6 years, and I still find new life that pops up on this rock. Check out D2mini's tank build he used all TBS rock, you can get a good idea of what you would get using that rock.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1757436

BigRedNole · 01/04/2011, 10:27 AM

I just went through this as well with a 90g tank. What I came to find out is "surface area" is far more important than weight. This includes all of the surface areas in the holes for bacteria to grow. It is too difficult to guess how much you need and I have no clue if I have enough (just started).

I have a 90g aquarium. I used 50Lbs of Marco Key Largo Rock. I was going to buy 30-40lbs from LFSs. However, none of their rock looked good. Much of it was almost like looking at brown covered bricks. The pieces were dense and looked brown, black, and decomposed green colors. I found someone local taking down their tank. I got ~40Lbs and it has so much purple. The rock has so much life on it as well: 100s of feather dusters, a couple baby anenomes, 5 hermit crabs, 4 starfish, a whole bunch of tiny snails. I am still waiting for an ammonia spike after a week. So far, the tank parameters have been constant. I may not even see a cycle. I still will have to wait for the bacteria to build up across the dry rock.

I recommend finding someone with an established tank looking to get rid of about 10Lbs. That would help you far more than buying it from a store or online.

Woodybass · 01/04/2011, 10:29 AM

I've got to give it to BRS on this one I just got mine yesteday and the stuff is awesome. Nice big pieces minimal breakage during shipping and it should be colonized by lots of bacteria in no time! I also need a couple of small other things so shipping was free cause I hit the $175 mark

bee505 · 01/04/2011, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bioreef29

marcos rocks !!!

+1

Tnwalker · 01/04/2011, 02:56 PM

TBS for me

01/03/2011, 07:37 PM	#1
AEALOVESHERGIRLS Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 4,514	Where to get the best live rock, where to stay away from! I want to order my live rock for my 28 gallon, where is a good place to buy, where should I stay away from? __________________ Mom of three beautiful girls, Irish dance teacher and Proud Gaelic speaker! Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon Sumpless

01/03/2011, 10:43 PM	#6
thcmusic Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Lenox, Illinois Posts: 97	I have had very good experience with Tampa Bay Saltwater. They aquaculture live rock in the Ocean. They also have their own vendor forum on reef central. Their site is http://www.tbsaltwater.com/ __________________ Todd C. Life: Dog Face Puffer, Blue Jaw Trigger, Christmas Wrasse, Coral Beauty, Pearly Jaw, Comet, Gold Bar Maroon, Engineer Goby, Mantis Shrimp, Pistol Shrimp, Cabbage Leather Coral, Golden Sea Rod, Medusa Worm, Yellow Cucs, Blue Leg Hermits Current Tank Info: 120g, TBS LR, 4"DSB, 48"SunDialT5, EshoppsPF1800, TriggerSys Ruby36E, L.G.4-MDQX-SC pump, 2-MP40wES+1-MP10wES, BlueLine Temp Controler (500w), SRO2000EXT Skimmer, TurboTwist 6x UV, Osmolator, Pinpoint pH Monitor, GEO reactor w/AC

01/04/2011, 09:53 AM	#9
Sport507 ~Just a Farm Boy~ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 1,651	Here is another option. I have bought alot from them. Click the livestock list to see what they have in stock http://premiumaquatics.com/ __________________ Sport If you do not test for it, DON'T dose it. Indiana INDMAS Member

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01/03/2011, 09:22 PM	#2
bsg Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Dublin, CA Posts: 102	Bulk Reef supply has amazing 'dead' rock called EcoRock. I would recommend starting with some of that and seed it with a small portion of live rock and sand from a LFS or fellow reefer. Checkout the reviews on their website; http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...-fiji-dry-rock

01/03/2011, 09:31 PM	#3
Sitaga Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 51	If you have a local online classified ad or a local reef club, you can usually find people that are breaking down thier tanks. That's the rock I recommend... no need for shipping and usually they are just trying to get rid of it (cheap or free).

01/03/2011, 09:38 PM	#4
bioreef29 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 19	Marcos rocks !!!

01/04/2011, 08:43 AM	#8
Beamers Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Orlando Posts: 197	I really like the dry eco rock, you don't bring over any unwanted pests. It also looks better for aquascaping then most of the "craigslist rock" you're going to find

01/04/2011, 10:17 AM	#10
karsco Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 645	+2 for TBS, their rock actually has life on it that you can see. My TBS rock has been in my tank(s) for about 6 years, and I still find new life that pops up on this rock. Check out D2mini's tank build he used all TBS rock, you can get a good idea of what you would get using that rock. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1757436

01/04/2011, 10:27 AM	#11
BigRedNole Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 161	I just went through this as well with a 90g tank. What I came to find out is "surface area" is far more important than weight. This includes all of the surface areas in the holes for bacteria to grow. It is too difficult to guess how much you need and I have no clue if I have enough (just started). I have a 90g aquarium. I used 50Lbs of Marco Key Largo Rock. I was going to buy 30-40lbs from LFSs. However, none of their rock looked good. Much of it was almost like looking at brown covered bricks. The pieces were dense and looked brown, black, and decomposed green colors. I found someone local taking down their tank. I got ~40Lbs and it has so much purple. The rock has so much life on it as well: 100s of feather dusters, a couple baby anenomes, 5 hermit crabs, 4 starfish, a whole bunch of tiny snails. I am still waiting for an ammonia spike after a week. So far, the tank parameters have been constant. I may not even see a cycle. I still will have to wait for the bacteria to build up across the dry rock. I recommend finding someone with an established tank looking to get rid of about 10Lbs. That would help you far more than buying it from a store or online.

01/04/2011, 10:29 AM	#12
Woodybass Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 52	I've got to give it to BRS on this one I just got mine yesteday and the stuff is awesome. Nice big pieces minimal breakage during shipping and it should be colonized by lots of bacteria in no time! I also need a couple of small other things so shipping was free cause I hit the $175 mark

01/04/2011, 02:56 PM	#14
Tnwalker Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Homosassa, Fl Posts: 18	TBS for me