Live rock directly from the ocean

Wolf89 · Feb 22, 2019

Hi all. I'm setting up a 150 soon, and as you know, saltwater tanks are extremely expensive. I was wondering that since I'm dive certified if I could could 5-10 miles out a collect live rock and sand from the Atlantic off of NC. Would this be ok or would it be a bad idea?

reeflover_3303 · Feb 22, 2019

It might be illegal in your state

MTBake · Feb 22, 2019

Make sure it's legal to do. There's some strict laws out there about this.

cracker · Feb 22, 2019

Hey Wolf. That would be sweet to get your own rock ! Just do some research to see if it's legal. Here in Fl it's forbidden . I'd think the northern states are more lax on collection laws, definitely worth looking into.

Wolf89 · Feb 22, 2019

reeflover_3303 said:
It might be illegal in your state

MTBake said:
Make sure it's legal to do. There's some strict laws out there about this.

cracker said:
Hey Wolf. That would be sweet to get your own rock ! Just do some research to see if it's legal. Here in Fl it's illegal . I'd think the northern states are more lax on collection laws, definitely worth looking into.

Thanks guys, I just tried to find out if it is illegal, but I couldn't find an answer. Does anyone know or who to contact asking about it? This is NC

MTBake · Feb 22, 2019

Wolf89 said:
Thanks guys, I just tried to find out if it is illegal, but I couldn't find an answer. Does anyone know or who to contact asking about it? This is NC

Try checking the fishing regulations of your state. Sometimes it's listed with that info. I know Florida lists this near there fishing regulations on the state website. Next guess would be the local dnr or conservation police could shed some light on this. Hope that helps.

redfishbluefish · Feb 22, 2019

I would imagine it to be illegal. The reefs of North Carolina are comprised of Lophelia, which are white corals (because they lack zooxanthellae), so for us, look to be dead....but they are not. I believe they are covered by Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPC) protection, which means hands off.

I'm searching now to see if I can find specifics.

Gareth elliott · Feb 22, 2019

Option, if have a boat mooring. Use a bag of dry rock as a second anchor and let it cure in the ocean

Legal and not destructive

cracker · Feb 22, 2019

Try your state fish & game regulations . there should be regs on ornamental collection .

cracker · Feb 22, 2019

Please get back I'm curious !

Clownfish2 · Feb 22, 2019

Wolf89 said:
Hi all. I'm setting up a 150 soon, and as you know, saltwater tanks are extremely expensive. I was wondering that since I'm dive certified if I could could 5-10 miles out a collect live rock and sand from the Atlantic off of NC. Would this be ok or would it be a bad idea?

Generally it’s a No, but there is a phone number to call

https://www.ncwildlife.org/Licensin...d-Other-Regulations/Possession-and-Collection

AdamNC · Feb 22, 2019

I would assume if your in international waters there’s nothing anyone can do, but how can you prove it if you were pulled over and searched?

cracker · Feb 22, 2019

Good point Adam, here in Fl,if you "can" collect in international waters but if You pass thru state waters, it's still a big no no. They got it covered !
Also I now see @MTBake already had suggested fish & game regs.

cracker · Feb 22, 2019

Like @Gareth elliott stated, I wonder how long it would take for dry rock to be good viable Live rock . I think a year . How about You ?

Gareth elliott · Feb 22, 2019

cracker said:
Like @Gareth elliott stated, I wonder how long it would take for dry rock to be good viable Live rock . I think a year . How about You ?

I think this would depend on the area of water its placed in and how porous the rock type is. Would say at least 6months and upper limit maybe 3 years. Some waters are more nutrient rich, and have higher densities of microfauna and flora.

I do have 10 lbs of dry rock and a lagoon behind my house, i could test this [emoji23]

Maybe i place in a crab trap so easy to pull out. If i place now will pull back out in the summer and test by measuring how fast 1ppm ammonia is converted to ~3.4 ppm no3. And maybe taking a few swabs and seeing what i see vs a few swabs of my actual fiji live rock and comparing under a scope.

Will zip tie it closed so i dont mistakenly catch something that gets locked in while its just sitting there.