Getting back into marine aquaria

Ordovician_Reef · Jan 15, 2023

I am writing a grant to establish a marine aquarium (130-200) gallons and am looking for sources for live rock and live sand. What is available and who is the best. I know I am not going to be able to get what we did 20 years ago but it seems hit or miss right now with lots of suppliers being 'Out of Stock'

Rick

Fish Think Pink · Jan 15, 2023

Ordovician_Reef said:
I am writing a grant to establish a marine aquarium (130-200) gallons and am looking for sources for live rock and live sand. What is available and who is the best. I know I am not going to be able to get what we did 20 years ago but it seems hit or miss right now with lots of suppliers being 'Out of Stock'

Rick

Rick, sounds like small scale grant - are you a school?

As you know with grants, they likely take time (months, sometimes years) so don't be dissuaded by seeing 'out of stock' today because by the time your grant money comes thru, that stock situation has likely changed.

Sand - go with CaribSea - many textures of their sand comes 'live' .. but "live" is really just the bacteria in a bottle so I'm just as likely to go with sand or crushed coral (argonite) and use a bottle of Turbo Start for the bacteria aka "live" element ... its a mashup of old school 20 years ago with bacteria in a bottle, today.

I'd suggest Tampa Bay, they @LiverockRocks are a sponsor here, and I've heard nothing but good things about them: