Florida live rock

[specialk]

So I'm in Tampa, been here for the last 3 months. Heading back home to Cleveland on Wednesday....there is a ton of live rock right where I always take my dogs to play ..

I'm wondering if I can take some back and pop it in my tank. Aside from the obvious risk of a hitchhiker, will it cause any damage to my current tank, numbers etc or am I good to go?

 

[brandon429]

FL has tight collection laws for LR it might not be worth the risk, not sure on the legality part. HH wise is no concern, we just hand guide out what we don't want

 

[JCM]

I think Florida parks and wildlife would frown upon that.

 

[cracker]

Careful friend , is it on land or in the water? It's illegal to collect live rock from Fl waters. If Your gonna take some home ,be cool about it . I would surely bring home a tupper ware of live sand though !

 

[brandon429]

in the 90s I went to the Caymans and we'd heard through the grapevine don't take shells back, they frown upon it

so when we were leaving, I naturally loaded up 3 conchs into the suitcase and they made it through customs unscathed. when we got home and our tour guide peeps heard what I did, they said it could have meant three years jail time in a Caymanian jail. I then regretted the conch risk greatly.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

You're right near Tampa Bay Saltwater. Give Richard a call - he is one of two businesses left in Florida with a lease offshore to farm live rock. He and his rock are fantastic.

http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/

 

[NanoCrazed]

Setting aside the legality and social bits of LR...

The biggest thing to answer what i think is the real question is...no, don't take a LR and immediately plunk it into your tank. Otherwise, you'll be dealing with a cycle, a mini one at best other than rolling the dice with hitchhikers (which I like in my tank for bio-diversity and realism)

The rock will experience some die off while out of water, in cold cabin temp, and in transport...even if you bag it in water and put a heat pack in there.

Anything outside of a short drive needs to be cured first.

 

[Wiz]

I've been doing this about 10 years. I take new live rock & Plunk it in without a worry. It does experience some die off. But as long as it's a small amount I don't think it will affect your tank too badly. Just an opinion though so it's your risk LOL

 

[NanoCrazed]

OP is traveling from FL to OH, I I read the post correctly...

I would plunk the rock traveling that distance in a new tank to start the cycle but seems risky for an established tank...

 

[Wiz]

Not that I'm arguing and to be safe you're probably right. However I have plunked Rock right in my tank that was shipped for days. And wrapped in wet towels. I am not recommending it and there is always a chance with anything in this hobby that it would go horribly wrong. But I've done it that's all I'm saying. Personally I like getting the rock into my tank as quick as possible. I know you take the chance of getting some bad stuff or bad reactions but I feel as though curing the rock or waiting too long takes away the good with the bad

 

[NanoCrazed]

Personally I like getting the rock into my tank as quick as possible. I know you take the chance of getting some bad stuff or bad reactions but I feel as though curing the rock or waiting too long takes away the good with the bad

I'm with you here... I actually have a separate tank running with LR for the purposes of curing and cycling new rock since I am always tinkering with my tanks... Best of both worlds.

Unfortunately sometimes I like the results so much that I turn my LR cycling tank into a full use tank. Lol...you don't wanna know how many tanks I have now...and I just picked up another 70 lbs

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

It doesn't sound like you are wanting a lot of rock. If you do take any, buy a two plug car inverter and throw it in a cooler with a cheap pump and heater and seawater. It will make the trip to Ohio with little issue. I still say head to Tamp Bay Saltwater. He'll bag it all up for you in water to make sure it travels well.

 

[Wiz]

I'm with you here... I actually have a separate tank running with LR for the purposes of curing and cycling new rock since I am always tinkering with my tanks... Best of both worlds.


Unfortunately sometimes I like the results so much that I turn my LR cycling tank into a full use tank. Lol...you don't wanna know how many tanks I have now...and I just picked up another 70 lbs

My one system runs me way more money than I'd like. If I could afford it I would never stop. If for no other reason just to see what kind of cool stuff kept coming out of the new rocks. LOL

 

[NanoCrazed]

Always room to get a nano for this purpose!

My 5G pest tank is by far one of my favorite tanks...despite all the frags and nems, etc I have in my others.

Every time I look, I find something new and interesting going on.

www.reef2reef.com/threads/5-gallon-pest-anemone-tank.347807/

 

[cracker]

Come on Nano, We want to know how many tanks You have going.

 

[NanoCrazed]

Lol. I have 9 so far, and collecting stuff for a hopefully 100G build... I had wanted a 300G but don't think my outhouse (I have a standalone, detached office at home) would support the weight.

Of course, this doesn't mean any of my other tanks go away...

 

[specialk]

Ooops... oh ok I did not know it was against the law. I dont need it that badly ... and then I think I will opt against it.