KP Aquatic live rock question

Brooks Allman · Jun 21, 2020

Hey guys,

I have had a few tanks and I really wanted to start this new one with ocean live rock from KP Aquatic. I have read tons of positive reviews about the quality of this live rock and the biodiversity that comes with it. The main negatives are usually mantis shrimp and gorilla crabs. I was wondering if anyone had experience with this rock and would recommend using it to seed my tank.

Side note:

I already built the display of the tank with base rock so my plan was to place this rock in the sump before the filter socks just to seed the tank with sponges, tunicates, coralline etc. my hoping is that since the rock will never be in the display I won’t have any of the negative pests making it to the display.
Do you think this will work?

Gablami · Jun 22, 2020

I think it’s an interesting idea. I think it would work. The I don’t think it will protect you from pests like aiptasia. But it should protect you from the larger pests you are trying to avoid.

vetteguy53081 · Jun 22, 2020

With this particular rock, best is to quarantine a few days and allow crabs, etc to come out/off of rock prior to placing in display

SMSREEF · Jun 22, 2020

Brooks Allman said:
Hey guys,

I have had a few tanks and I really wanted to start this new one with ocean live rock from KP Aquatic. I have read tons of positive reviews about the quality of this live rock and the biodiversity that comes with it. The main negatives are usually mantis shrimp and gorilla crabs. I was wondering if anyone had experience with this rock and would recommend using it to seed my tank.

Side note:

I already built the display of the tank with base rock so my plan was to place this rock in the sump before the filter socks just to seed the tank with sponges, tunicates, coralline etc. my hoping is that since the rock will never be in the display I won’t have any of the negative pests making it to the display.
Do you think this will work?

I would quarantine in a dirrerent tank or a bin first. It will help you identify any hitch hikers you don’t want and get rid of them. Also will help you cycle it in case you have any die off. I would also use light to keep coralline and other algae growIng.
take a look at this thread from @Fishbird

Nano Build - A weedy reef

I’m calling my tank the weedy reef because I’m hoping to cultivate a biodiverse ecosystem in a box that contains both corals and macros (seaweed). I also am taking the approach that I’ll let whatever pops up from my live rock stay, unless it becomes an obvious problem threatening the life of...

www.reef2reef.com

Katrina71 · Jun 22, 2020

I personally like the hitchhikers, but I think sumping your rock is fine.

2Sunny · Jun 22, 2020

I have used KP Aquatics several times, and highly recommend their product and think your idea of using the sump is a good one. I do think, though, that putting one or two pieces in your display would be helpful as well in spreading the "good stuff". I am aware that there is the occasional hitch hiker, but I have not had anything except aiptasia for which I keep a File Fish. If you do get aiptasia, putting the rocks in a sump will not keep them from spreading to the display. If that were to happen and if you don't want to go the route of buying a File Fish then there's always manual control using Joe's Juice.

Katrina71 · Jun 22, 2020

Has anyone ever had a DT without at least one aiptasia?

Firedawg1983 · Jun 22, 2020

I’m contemplating getting some from them. Mainly for the biodiversity but I have a separate tank I’m going to cure it in for a few days to try and get any unwanted hitchhikers out. if there is any die off it happens in that tank instead of my display

Firedawg1983 · Jun 22, 2020

2Sunny said:
I have used KP Aquatics several times, and highly recommend their product and think your idea of using the sump is a good one. I do think, though, that putting one or two pieces in your display would be helpful as well in spreading the "good stuff". I am aware that there is the occasional hitch hiker, but I have not had anything except aiptasia for which I keep a File Fish. If you do get aiptasia, putting the rocks in a sump will not keep them from spreading to the display. If that were to happen and if you don't want to go the route of buying a File Fish then there's always manual control using Joe's Juice.

Did you have aptasia from KP Aquatics? I believe they stated the rock is aptasia free

Sierra_Bravo · Jun 22, 2020

2Sunny said:
I have used KP Aquatics several times, and highly recommend their product and think your idea of using the sump is a good one. I do think, though, that putting one or two pieces in your display would be helpful as well in spreading the "good stuff". I am aware that there is the occasional hitch hiker, but I have not had anything except aiptasia for which I keep a File Fish. If you do get aiptasia, putting the rocks in a sump will not keep them from spreading to the display. If that were to happen and if you don't want to go the route of buying a File Fish then there's always manual control using Joe's Juice.

If you have aiptasia, it probably didn't come from the Gulf rock. . . unless maybe they have some of it in one of their holding tanks. My understanding is that the pest aiptasia we deal with is not naturally present in the Gulf of Mexico or Keys.

ScottB · Jun 22, 2020

Katrina71 said:
Has anyone ever had a DT without at least one aiptasia?

I wish.

chipmunkofdoom2 · Jun 22, 2020

I ordered 10lbs of the KP Aquatics aquacultured rock. So far it's some of the best money I spent in this hobby. This stuff is just like the "uncured" ocean rock that used to be available in the early 2000's.

I got the rock shipped overnight damp in newspaper directly to my door, but a lot of life survived. I got three pencil urchins that hitchhiked on the rock. They must have been newly settled out because I didn't see them when I got the rock, but now the biggest is probably 6" in diameter. There was also a hitchhiker crab and a little mantis shrimp, but because this rock is shipped damp, both of these were in the bottom of the box, trying to find some refuge in the little bit of saltwater that was present. To this day, the rock is still covered with tiny clams, sponges and featherdusters.

I'm setting up an office tank in a few months and I'm absolutely going to order 10 lbs of their aquacultured rock again.

dadnjesse · Jun 22, 2020

I also just got some of their rock but all live critters were dead. I'm in New Hampshire so not a long trip from Florida. Otherwise I was happy with it.

jda · Jun 22, 2020

I don't like to get rock shipped in water. I like it shipped in paper/damp. This way, the crabs and shrimp all come out of the rock, yet all of the good stuff survives. It does need cured after this.

Most of the good stuff on the rock will need light. Keeping it in the sump will not be good for it long term. It is hard for most microfauna to make it into the display past the impeller and stuff unless they throw a pebble in there to stop it.

Aquavaj · Jun 22, 2020

Their instructions suggest dipping the rocks in a hyper salinity bath for 1-2 minutes so that most hitchhikers will drop off. Dipping before curing, during and after will get rid of most hitchhikers.
However I think this fear of hitchhikers is overblown. Using all live rock from KPA for my 40, my tank looks like it has matured for over a year already. I get the benefit of good bacteria, microfauna, good hitchhikers that I wont get or will never get using dry rocks. The only problem is the price compared to dry rock but in my 180 build I'm going to fill it with as much live rock as I can afford.

Dr. Jim · Jun 22, 2020

Does anyone know if this rock from KP Aquatics is the same, or similar to, the Gulf rock from LiveRockNReef? I'd be curious if anyone has tried both and prefers one over the other. I bought 25 lbs from LRNR and was very happy with it. It came loaded with life: macroalgaes, 2 Rose corals (like lobophyllia), a nice gorgonian, an urchin, feather dusters, spaghetti worms, and sponges. I removed half my "dry" rock and replaced it with this new rock, right from the box to my tank. (I'd like to replace the other half of the artificial rock with Pacific rock if I could find it, or when it ever becomes available again, just for more diversity).

dadnjesse · Jun 22, 2020

Not sure about Live Rock n reef but I bought Gulf Live rock that was covered in Aiptasia. I also bought KP Aquatics that had no Aiptasia.

hoju74 · Jun 22, 2020

I’m about a week into curing this rock in my new 120g and I’m loving it. Great color and quite porous. I also found crabs and some shrimp in the bottom of my box in addition to worms, stars, and urchins that survived. Mine was covered in orange coralline, but it faded pretty quick. Pink, red, and purple are still there though.

I think keeping on top of testing and water changes helps too because of the die off. My ammonia is starting to come down and nitrite/nitrate is showing up a week in. Below is 120lbs in a 120g standard 4x2 tank

Crabs McJones · Jun 23, 2020

Please enough with the back and fourth arguing. If you have something to contribute to the OP's question GREAT! If not please move on to the next thread.
Remember, healthy debate and discussion is great, arguing and name calling is not.

Have a great day everyone!

Crabs

VR28man · Jun 23, 2020

Don't know why this is an emergency but.......

I've bought KP aquatics rock and I am very happy with it. (back then they only offered shipping it in newspaper; I would buy it shipped wet today)

The main difference between KP aquatics and Tampa bay IMO is that

1) the live rock farms are in different locations (the Bay is a different geographic region than the Keys Barrier reef) and so the balance of life ought to be at least somewhat different. (though the type of life will be the same)

2) Tampa Bay uses Real Rock 2.1 as the base rock. Rich is happy to advertise that the rock is very stable, and that he stacks aquascapes when he's bored on the boatride over, which will is stable enough to not fall over during the boat ride.

I did a comparison of what I could find on them a while ago here:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/quality-live-rock.286482/post-3785131

When I ordered I found a mantis in the rock. S/he was easily removed and given to a local who was looking for a mantis.

An Aiptasia-type anemone emerged after several months (no idea where it came from of course). It was not very prolfiic (different species have different levels of prolificity) and after a while I dealt with it easily.

ETA: as far as I've heard these are two great companies. The slight differentiation IMO is where you want your rock to come from (I might slightly prefer the Keys), and how stackable you'd like it. (TBS' seems to be easier to stack)