Live rock illegal?

[05FLSTCI]

I had a couple tanks when the "Berlin Method" was the way to go. Was considering going that way again. When I contacted a couple of my LFS I was told, selling real live ocean pulled rock was illegal and so was sand. Is there truth to this?

 

[lapin]

Yes and no.
There are companies that have areas where they are allowed to place rock in the ocean. They then come remove it and sell it as live rock.
Natural rock can not be collected anymore.

 

[Crazeh]

Definitely illegal in most areas, but you can get aquacultured live rock, which the above comment describes.

 

[05FLSTCI]

Thank you, that's very interesting. I've been looking into a few options and came across a place in Florida that sells sand and LR.

 

[Billldg]

I use KP Aquatics, and it is actually live rock.

Rock dumped in the ocean for several years is live rock. I feel the legal issues are pertaining to removing rock from a actual coral reef.

 

[Jeffcb]

I used KP also. Very happy. There are several. These commercial rock aquaculture farmers actually own the few a Federal Government leases available for doing this. As stated about they dump rock and seed it for years, then come back and collect that quadrant and replace the rock and grow it again. . I think Phillip told me his is 5 acres in 30 ft of water, Good Luck.

 

[ClownSchool]

Miracle mud is supposed to be a solid product, as well.

 

[kred47]

I had a couple tanks when the "Berlin Method" was the way to go. Was considering going that way again. When I contacted a couple of my LFS I was told, selling real live ocean pulled rock was illegal and so was sand. Is there truth to this?

I was told the same thing by my local fish store. They phrased it as frowned up and that they won’t sell it or buy it, but not sure if that’s because it’s illegal. Either way I’m kind of for it being illegal. If reefing wants to stay where it’s at or expand, sustainability is key. I’ve been trying to get only aqua cultured and captive bred livestock etc. and I’m really going to try to keep it that way.

 

[Tamberav]

+1 KP

 

[kred47]

I use KP Aquatics, and it is actually live rock.

Rock dumped in the ocean for several years is live rock. I feel the legal issues are pertaining to removing rock from a actual coral reef.

Marine cultured products should be a huge thing going forward. I saw some companies that leave colonies and rock that is not desirable in the hobby in the ocean and they’re turning into little ‘artificial’ reefs. Pretty cool stuff

 

[CayeCaulker]

I remember the days when you got Fiji rock wrapped in newspapers and wet. We would just stack them up and make a wall. I am looking forward to making a aquascape and seeding my system. Will be a longer cycle and will take longer to get rid of the uglies but I think it is going to turn out better than the old live rock stacking days.

Would be nice to get a few good pieces for my sump. Just want no unwanted hitchhikers and I also want good biological diversity. Don't want another reefer's rock unless I know him and trust his system.

I poisoned my last show tank with bristle worms and feather duster critters I didn't want. I am going to be a little more careful this time around.

 

[Reefing102]

It’s not illegal in some places. I’ve seen very limited amounts of the real thing come to the states but it sells out almost instantly and usually goes to the importers “favorite” suppliers first

 

[05FLSTCI]

Thanks for all the replies. @CayeCaulker I too remember those days, which is why I asked. The LR in my 55 and 125 were pretty much that, stacked up walls, but hey it looked good then lol. It's been a struggle trying to get back in and figure this out. Protein Skimmers, live rock, live sand and good solid flow kept a beautiful tank back then.
I'm looking at the Fluval 13.5 and trying to figure out media and lighting.

 

[GARRIGA]

Are those rocks placed in the ocean porous or just lime stone from construction sites. Base rock we buy today is not porous. Dropping that in the ocean isn’t going to replicate Fuji or Pukani.

Reason I ask is because if porous rock exists that can be dropped into the ocean then why can’t we buy it as base rock? I’ve looked. No such thing exists.

 

[MaxTremors]

What the LFS told you is at best misleading, at worst it’s intentional misinformation. It is not illegal to sell live rock collected from areas where it is legal to collect it. You don’t see a lot of wild live rock anymore, as it is illegal, or at least highly regulated to collect it in most areas, but occaisionally some will be available, there was some Australian live rock that was for sale from a couple different vendors recently. Maricultured live rock, which is just as good as wild live rock, is totally legal to sell, and generally always available for purchase. And then there is live rock that was dry rock that has been kept in an established tank that has real or maricultured live rock in it, usually for 6+ months, which isn’t quite as good as real or maricultured live rock, but still much better than dry rock in every way.

 

[Kmst80]

Pretty sure the live rock in Australia is still taken out of the reef, I've had corals and a huge variety of critters on mine bought in November.

 

[Tamberav]

Poisoned with featherdusters and bristleworms...

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

When I started sw tanks in 08' or 09' I was using flordia rock that was essentially smashed up from the storms and was just rubble rock basically. Had crabs but was good live rock. Lol.
D

 

[Seamore2001]

There's been some Aussie rock coming in for the last few months. Unique Corals had some, and I just saw some from a supplier in NY in the last week or so. Very very expensive! If you bought back in the old days, be prepared for extreme sticker shock.

AFAIK, real LR from the Pacific (as opposed to that stuff called Real Live Rock, which isn't live, so what gives...) is not illegal per se. But various governments in the region have put a moratorium on collection of it, making it illegal to collect or sell in and from those countries. OTOH, it's not illegal to own if you already have it, and if a particular area (i.e. Australia) allows legal collection and export, it's not illegal to sell it.

Finally - in the USA it's illegal to collect LR (for sale, at least - I have no idea about collection for own use) but as some have indicated earlier, putting down rock for a few months or years on seafloor plots that have been leased for the purpose, and then collecting the rock later, is legal. Tampa Bay Saltwater is an example of a company doing this, though I think they paused operation at the start of Covid - not sure if they're back in business supplying LR and LS now - they're under new ownership last I heard.

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

There's been some Aussie rock coming in for the last few months. Unique Corals had some, and I just saw some from a supplier in NY in the last week or so. Very very expensive! If you bought back in the old days, be prepared for extreme sticker shock.

AFAIK, real LR from the Pacific (as opposed to that stuff called Real Live Rock, which isn't live, so what gives...) is not illegal per se. But various governments in the region have put a moratorium on collection of it, making it illegal to collect or sell in and from those countries. OTOH, it's not illegal to own if you already have it, and if a particular area (i.e. Australia) allows legal collection and export, it's not illegal to sell it.

Finally - in the USA it's illegal to collect LR (for sale, at least - I have no idea about collection for own use) but as some have indicated earlier, putting down rock for a few months or years on seafloor plots that have been leased for the purpose, and then collecting the rock later, is legal. Tampa Bay Saltwater is an example of a company doing this, though I think they paused operation at the start of Covid - not sure if they're back in business supplying LR and LS now - they're under new ownership last I heard.

Happy to chime in here.
Yes, we are open under new ownership.
TBS was the first Florida underwater lease site for the purpose of aquaculturing live rock.
We work under the FL Dept of Agriculture and FL Fish & Wildlife.
Most of our inventory is vintage rock planted by the founder. We deployed 50,000 pounds of Walt Smith man made rock this summer and have another container of WS being delivered next week. It is an amazing thing to plant a dry rock, let it soak a few months in the Gulf and then harvest a rock covered in life.
As Richard Londeree says, “ It’s a wonderful thing!”. thhttps://reefbuilders.com/2021/03/17/tampa-bay-saltwaters-new-owners-will-breathe-new-life-into-live-rock-farm/