Funkiest Live Rock?

treylane · Mar 12, 2009

So it's time to set up a new tank, and all the old rock got sold off along with the old tank. And I want something a little special this time. I'm looking for the freshest, just-out-of-the ocean, not scrubbed or cured or messed with rock. I want all the sponges and corals and algaes and aiptasias and mantises or whatever-the-case-may-be still attached.

As far as I know, the only way to get this is by going through Tampa Bay Saltwater -- I've used them before and their stuff is hands-down AWESOME. Is there a Pacific equivalent to these guys?

H@rry · Mar 12, 2009

I'm tagging along on this one too. I have asked the same question and the answer is "oh yeah, we've got the good stuff right off the plane". When you look at it, there's nothing but bare rock; no sponges, no snails, no hermits, no shrimp, no macro algae, no worms, no nothing.

I bought a couple of shipments back in '99 that were just shaggy with life. This was what they called "trans shipped" rock. They took the boxes off the plane in LA, relabeled it with my name on it and put in on another plane to Huntsville.

I don't think most of the people selling rock now were not around during that time and they simply don't know. I got some TBS rock one time and it was teeming with life. I even got three gobies with the rock. There were hundreds of barnacles (that died in a week or so) and a mantis shrimp that I hunted for years. I got snails and several kinds of crabs (most of which you don't want but they're easy to trap). There was a good bit of colorful sponges on it but they slowly died off. The main drawback with TBS rock is that the shape and size reminded me of heavy footballs. It's pretty dense. I think it's limestone that has been mined and dumped in the Gulf for a year or so.

Good luck.

vetteman · Mar 12, 2009

Found this the other day.... get your own
http://www.terrasubaqua.com/home.html

Ladipyg · Mar 12, 2009

That looks pretty amazing...I wonder what the cost is. I'd love to pick up a couple of boxes when I got to Tampa, just drive it home. They deliver free along some of the routes like I-75, I-95 and I-40...wow..
There used to be a pseudo Walt Smith facility out of the West Coast, I always saw them on E-bay..don't know if they are still around....