Is Florida aquacultured rock *really* all that bad?

[scriptmonkey]

Hmm. From the BRS website: "Here at BRS we have set up a couple tanks with Walt Smith's new Reef Rock 2.1, and have really enjoyed the look that it gives, as well as the unique shapes of the rocks, and porous internal structure."

Seems to be very contradictory. When was the last time you tried it?

 

[Mike N]

Hmm. From the BRS website: "Here at BRS we have set up a couple tanks with Walt Smith's new Reef Rock 2.1, and have really enjoyed the look that it gives, as well as the unique shapes of the rocks, and porous internal structure."

Seems to be very contradictory. When was the last time you tried it?

Just read the actual reviews on their site for walt smith rock. Its one of the lowest rated products they sell.

 

[jefra]

I disagree with all of those claims made by BRS. It does have a good "look," when covered in all the life (barnacles, sponges, Porites) as sold by TBS. The dry rock itself is one of the least natural looking purples out there. Maybe it's a matter of preference but I dislike the shapes and it's simply not porous.

 

[scriptmonkey]

<sigh> a lot of complaints of paint chipping for the majority of them. But saw some questioning the porosity.

 

[d2mini]

Yes, I'm talking about the Walt Smith rock, and "cement" was hyperbolic of me. The Walt Smith rock I've gotten has always been too heavy, unporous, and in boring shapes.

The walt smith rock is wayyyy lighter than the old quarried rock.
It does have a distinct look/texture to it, but it comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Shelf, long, ball, l-shaped, etc.
And cement is just one ingredient... the binder if you will.
"Reef Rock 2.1 is manufactured by mixing reef substrate, that is a mixture of sand, coral pieces, shells and more, with a cement mixture allowing natural textures and shapes to be created. The reef substrate mixture allows the rock to have a porous network within the rock giving it many of the natural characteristics of rock straight out of the ocean."
Probably not as porous as the pukani, but not too shabby.
Both pukani and the walt smith rock can be purchased from TBS, fully seeded. I have a mixture of both.

 

[Lasse]

It’s interesting to see how similar and also how different the discussion is in different countries. The main arguments in this discussion – good or not good with hitchhikers; looking well or not; good as filter system or not it’s the same as if the discussion should been at a Swedish forum.

However – one point of view – which is very high on the list in Swedish discussion – is not mentioned in this thread at all.

It’s the environmental point of view. Coral reefs are under international protection in the CITES system. Its means that the management of reefs should happen in a sustainable way and left the reefs as good as possible. To use man-made artificial rocks and seed them during a couple of years will save the reefs from impact of our hobby and also give some incomes for the people living in this areas. If the man made stones not contain any parts from stony corals (dead or alive) – CITES certification is not needed.

For me – this is one of the main reason to use seeded “sea farmed” living rocks and rocks from ancient reefs – now up on dry land



Sincerely Lasse

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

It’s interesting to see how similar and also how different the discussion is in different countries. The main arguments in this discussion – good or not good with hitchhikers; looking well or not; good as filter system or not it’s the same as if the discussion should been at a Swedish forum.

However – one point of view – which is very high on the list in Swedish discussion – is not mentioned in this thread at all.

It’s the environmental point of view. Coral reefs are under international protection in the CITES system. Its means that the management of reefs should happen in a sustainable way and left the reefs as good as possible. To use man-made artificial rocks and seed them during a couple of years will save the reefs from impact of our hobby and also give some incomes for the people living in this areas. If the man made stones not contain any parts from stony corals (dead or alive) – CITES certification is not needed.

For me – this is one of the main reason to use seeded “sea farmed” living rocks and rocks from ancient reefs – now up on dry land



Sincerely Lasse

The matriculated process of the Florida rock would interest you.
They received a permit a long time ago to mine and collect a huge amount of rock from specific spots them aquired a large inlet. The are no longered allowed to collect wild rock but what is there and is added to be seeded is made wild and live by the ocean.

It's hard to belive but the yanks for some reason did one thing right.

I don't belive I know of another US source for live rock any more in fact.

Walt Smith paved the way (for better or worse ) to establish the laws in and around Fiji. His process and collection has always been questioned. He had to for a long time had to explain. It's my back yard. I literally put Rocks from back there in the water back then sell them.

Much of that old coral was not mined but was collected from old roadways and house foundations and big piles around the island.
So the scale there is not exactly industrial either.
I found that refreshing.

 

[magicstix]

Well it's here! Just picked it up today and put it in the tank.

All pieces except for the shelf and two rocks supporting it in the middle (with the cleaner shrimp) are from TBS:

And the whole tank view:

I got 30 pounds of rock and 10 pounds of sand. I asked for a mix of Pukani and their old quarry rock since it has more macro and corals.

Hitchhikers found so far:
- Blue sponge
- Orange sponge
- 2x Red Mithrax Crab
- 1 Margarita looking snail
- About a dozen hermit crabs
- Good bit of Caulerpa racemosa
- Unidentified bright red-orange macroalgae
- A limpet or two
- Either a pistol or mantis... I'm hearing some popping that sounds a lot like my snapping shrimp in my work tank.
- Unidentified stony coral (looks like it may just be the skeleton though I thought I saw some polyps)
- Suspicious looking isopod that was removed on sight

Were I to order again, I'd probably ask for all Pukani. I didn't really see much of a benefit to the heavy stuff in terms of better coverage.
Most likely I wouldn't get the sand again. There's nothing wrong with the sand, but I started the tank with Bahama oolite, which, although it's a nasty, nasty silty mess, it's also white as virgin snow. The live sand from TBS is a lot more brown with crushed bits of coral and shells mixed in. It's an appearance thing...

Now to see if I can find out what's making all the popping racket. I'm guessing it's probably not a N. wennerae mantis since it's not out and about with the lights on, and it's probably not a Squilla empusa since those guys have spears and not clubs, so that covers the two most common species of mantis. I guess it could still be a wennerae, but I'm not as worried about those guys since they stay small...

One thing I have noticed so far is the skimmer is going absolutely crazy right now when it was producing pretty much nothing for the past two weeks. Hopefully I won't have an ammonia spike, but I've got plenty of water ready if I do...

 

[magicstix]

Some closeups:
Unidentified stony coral (turns out it did have some polyps after all :

Lots of orange sponge and "stuff":

Hermit crab hermit crabbing (looks like a blue leg):

Big rock with C. racemosa and C. mexicana:

 

[Elegance Coral]

Check out the "hidden cup coral" Phyllangia americana.
I believe that's your unknown coral.

 

[jenlo]

Florida Live rock is amazing. I love all the life that comes with it.

 

[Adam113]

I've only been in the hobby about 8 months, and every time I see a new creature moving around I'm yelling for my fiancé to hurry in the room and come see that "weird tentacle over there."

I think it's awesome. Love seeing these inhabitants that are straight from the ocean, and have survived such a crazy journey, and are now in my house.