Long Term Success Using Aquacultured Live Rock

[samnaz]

Wow, good to know! This is looking very positive, I really wasn't expecting this kind of feedback. I was really expecting people to say the thrill was gone around 6 to 12 months in, but this is very reassuring. I think I'd like to try this on one tank for sure.

Thanks again!

you're very welcome ;-)

 

[Fish Fan]

Good point, sorry. I have used TBS live sand before and it was silty, but had plenty of life. Your circumstances dictate whether that would be worth it to you

No worries, I appreciate your reply! I think I'm sold on the aquacultured rock for ONE of my tanks, it just sounds worth trying at least once. I'm not 100% sold on the live sand offered through GLR and other aquacultered places, but maybe if there's a lot of viable life included.

Thank you again for your help!

 

[rushbattle]

I've heard only great things about TBS, although I have no experience with them so I can't say for sure one is better than the other. As great as Gulf Live Rock was, I'm in the process of setting up a new tank and plan to order a small amount of rock from TBS just to see how they compare.

I don't believe live sand is at all necessary. Especially if you are going with live rock. I say definitely go with dry sand, that's all ya need, and it's even less expensive.

I have used a number of suppliers, it depends on what you want. TBS gets you the most intact, live rock possible because he ships in water. Some things die after a while, so no idea if it's the same things that made it because they were shipped in water. The others ship with newspaper, but again no idea if you lose anything important.

Live sand is pretty expensive. I like the look of clean Reeflakes myself. The rock comes straight from the ocean, sitting in the sand. So whatever is in the sand is likely in parts of the rock as well. Maybe a slight difference, but shouldn't be much that we care about. Never know though, the Gulf is super biodiverse! But the rock should populate the sand fairly well.

 

[Fish Fan]

I've heard only great things about TBS, although I have no experience with them so I can't say for sure one is better than the other. As great as Gulf Live Rock was, I'm in the process of setting up a new tank and plan to order a small amount of rock from TBS just to see how they compare.

I don't believe live sand is at all necessary. Especially if you are going with live rock. I say definitely go with dry sand, that's all ya need, and it's even less expensive.

Not only is the live sand is kind of pricey compared to dry, but my local PetCo is offering the CaribSea 20 bags for less than $16 each. That's hard to beat for any sand.

But I do want to ask, I see you are in Michigan and I am in Upstate New York, and it's cold out, lol! I reached out to Dan to learn that he can include heat packs, or he can ship it directly to your local airport for an additional charge. If you're ordering soon, are you talking any special care for the cold weather? I am tempted to wait until spring for just this reason. Any thoughts?

Thank you very much!

 

[samnaz]

Not only is the live sand is kind of pricey compared to dry, but my local PetCo is offering the CaribSea 20 bags for less than $16 each. That's hard to beat for any sand.

But I do want to ask, I see you are in Michigan and I am in Upstate New York, and it's cold out, lol! I reached out to Dan to learn that he can include heat packs, or he can ship it directly to your local airport for an additional charge. If you're ordering soon, are you talking any special care for the cold weather? I am tempted to wait until spring for just this reason. Any thoughts?

Thank you very much!

Good question. I won't be ordering for a couple months so I hadn't thought about it. I'm not sure what the weather is like in NY but here in MI it hasn't been close to as cold as usual, it's even gone up to 50+ this week. Check the forecast and see if a warm front is in the near future, if so a heat pack may suffice. But if you're willing to pay the extra fee, picking up at the airport would probably be the best idea, no risk there. I'm sure Dan has plenty of expertise in this area though, I'd go with whatever he recommends.

Oh, and if I may, I recommend Tropic Eden dry sand over Caribsea. Perhaps more expensive but worth it, imo.

 

[samnaz]

No worries, I appreciate your reply! I think I'm sold on the aquacultured rock for ONE of my tanks, it just sounds worth trying at least once. I'm not 100% sold on the live sand offered through GLR and other aquacultered places, but maybe if there's a lot of viable life included.

Thank you again for your help!

I'm 100% sure you don't need live sand of any kind from any supplier if you're adding live rock. ;-)

 

[Fish Fan]

I'm 100% sure you don't need live sand of any kind from any supplier if you're adding live rock. ;-)

I agree, but I was asking in terms of the hitchhiking life that might come in on the sand. I may skip the sand because of the price, but I think I want to try some of this live rock for sure. If it's below freezing I may pay the extra and do the airport to airport option, but if the weather breaks then maybe the regular shipping is fine,

Thank you again for all your help, I appreciate it very much!

 

[fish farmer]

Here's my experience with gulf view rock.

I did an upgrade back in 2002 from a 38 to a 55. I bought 30 lbs of the coralline covered rock. Pretty basic out of the box, had a couple crabs and snails, some sprigs of red macros. I cured it in a vat for about a month, picking at it. I eventually got about 8 urchin off this rock, which was fine. the one thing I didn't like was the red macros that took over in my new tank. Some were fine that I could control, some were impossible and while removing would break apart and wind up elsewhere. I never really got a good handle on controlling some of the reds. Eventually the rock has been recycled into my current system and some of those pesky reds are gone. All of this rock did go though a heat wave tank crash so can't comment on tube worms and such, but I believe I still have some sponge life in my tank that originated from this rock.

 

[Fish Fan]

Here's my experience with gulf view rock.

I did an upgrade back in 2002 from a 38 to a 55. I bought 30 lbs of the coralline covered rock. Pretty basic out of the box, had a couple crabs and snails, some sprigs of red macros. I cured it in a vat for about a month, picking at it. I eventually got about 8 urchin off this rock, which was fine. the one thing I didn't like was the red macros that took over in my new tank. Some were fine that I could control, some were impossible and while removing would break apart and wind up elsewhere. I never really got a good handle on controlling some of the reds. Eventually the rock has been recycled into my current system and some of those pesky reds are gone. All of this rock did go though a heat wave tank crash so can't comment on tube worms and such, but I believe I still have some sponge life in my tank that originated from this rock.

Hi! Thank you for sharing your experience with the Gulf Live Rock! Sounds like you had some algae issues for much of the time, and that's a little discouraging. But I did notice you mentioned "coralline covered rock". I know currently they sell a "corraline rock" as well as a "Premium Deco Rock", and I was going to go for the premium version. Maybe your rocks came with more algae than others?

Thanks again for your feedback!

 

[rushbattle]

Hi! Thank you for sharing your experience with the Gulf Live Rock! Sounds like you had some algae issues for much of the time, and that's a little discouraging. But I did notice you mentioned "coralline covered rock". I know currently they sell a "corraline rock" as well as a "Premium Deco Rock", and I was going to go for the premium version. Maybe your rocks came with more algae than others?

Thanks again for your feedback!

I just got some premium deco rock recently, 300 pounds. It was all covered in various macro algaes. Caulerpas, gracillarias, etc. Working on getting it out with manual removal, Vibrant and Algaefix.

 

[User1]

Just remember TBS is also part of a package and ships in two parts. When in doubt or want something different it is best to shoot him a direct message.

 

[Fish Fan]

Hi guys! Thanks very much for the replies! @saf1, I think you are talking about "The Package" from TBS. I would almost certainly not do "The Package", I think I just want the rock. And I also believe I would be ordering from Dan at Gulf Live Rocks, he's been very helpful answering emails so far.

Thanks guys!

 

[fish farmer]

Hi! Thank you for sharing your experience with the Gulf Live Rock! Sounds like you had some algae issues for much of the time, and that's a little discouraging. But I did notice you mentioned "coralline covered rock". I know currently they sell a "corraline rock" as well as a "Premium Deco Rock", and I was going to go for the premium version. Maybe your rocks came with more algae than others?

Thanks again for your feedback!

I think the coralline rock is rock that hasn't sat in the ocean as long, at least not grown out as much. My algae issue could have also been due to lighting as well....my spectrum was less blue at the time.

FWIW....I have a piece of Fiji rock that came with tube worms from around the same time that still has worms.

 

[Fish Fan]

^Great! Thank you for the extra information

 

[phil bevilacqua]

Tampa bay ships in the big wet bags… You will hardly lose anything .. you cannot ship live Rock damp and expect it to do well , they are simply the best because of how they ship… It’s all rock from the gulf and looks basically the same Good luck

 

[Fish Fan]

Tampa bay ships in the big wet bags… You will hardly lose anything .. you cannot ship live Rock damp and expect it to do well , they are simply the best because of how they ship… It’s all rock from the gulf and looks basically the same Good luck

Hi! Thank you for the reply! Yes, I have for years been reading great things about TBS, as well as Gulf Live Rocks. It looked to me like TBS was a lot more expensive, but maybe it's because they are shipping in water. I will take another look at TBS, but I have yet to find anyone that has been disappointed with Gulf Live Rock, and they do have an option to ship same day airport to airport.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Coral Seeds]

My live rock came with lots of pretty coralline algae macro algae and sponges as well as neat hitch hikers (two urchins, bivalves, limpets).

After 5 plus years, I had only lost the bivalves.

It also came with at least one undesirable hitch hiker - a half inch long parasitic isopod like thing that attacked it to a yellow tang.

 

[Fish Fan]

My live rock came with lots of pretty coralline algae macro algae and sponges as well as neat hitch hikers (two urchins, bivalves, limpets).

After 5 plus years, I had only lost the bivalves.

It also came with at least one undesirable hitch hiker - a half inch long parasitic isopod like thing that attacked it to a yellow tang.

Hi! Thanks for the reply! That's great to hear. So far it seems like this rock is a good value and works out well for folks that have tried it. Honestly, I wasn't expecting this kind of feedback at all, but it's very reasuring. I am still planning on using dry rock in my "main" tank, but I think I'm going to try some of this live rock in a second tank. Sounds like fun

Thanks very much!

 

[Marie7]

Hi guys! I have a few live rock questions, but I want to kind of explain where I'm coming from first, just to avoid confusion. I am not new to reef tanks, I just haven't had one in years now, and I'm getting back in. I am planning my primary build around a 40 gallon tank, I hope it will be a nice SPS tank, I'm taking my time with the build, and really trying to do things "right" (at least "right" for me personally). To that end, I plan on using 100% dead, dry, bleached, and acid bathed dry base rock for this tank. I'm totally sold on this idea as I'm trying to really be careful about pests, and no one is going to talk me out of that, lol!

Although I want to focus my attention on my 40 gallon SPS tank, I am already planning on a second tank that will be more for fish and easy going soft corals. I realized I'm limiting myself fish-wise with a 40 gallon, bare-bottom tank (though I felt that 40 gallons was as large as I could afford for an SPS tank), and I already have all the equipment I would need for a larger, simpler tank (likely either a 65g or a 125g). I also have 2 IM Fusion 10's, and I want to do one of those as a small saltwater tank too, so likely I will have three reef tanks in the end: 10g, 40g, and a 65g,*maybe* a 125g.

This leaves me some room to experiment with different setups. I am really intrigued by some of the aquacultured rock available, I routinely read great things about rock from Gulf Live Rock, Tampa Bay Saltwater, KP Aquatics and others. and I'm strongly considering using aquacultured rock on one of my "second" tanks, just for the experience.

My question is definitely not, "Should I use live rock or dry base rock, etc. etc.....", so please let's not turn this into that kind of a debate; it's been done to death ;-)

My question is: for those that have used aquacultured rock (GLR, TBS, etc.), what is the long-term success of the "critters" that come with the rock? Again, I read great reviews about how much life (good and bad, I get that) that comes in on these rocks, but I'm curious how many of those organisms can be maintained long-term in the aquarium. What does this rock look like in 12 or 24 months? Do you see a lot of the hitchhikers remaining, or do things slowly die off, leaving more or less "average" rock in a year or so? If anyone has any pictures of mature tanks that were started with aquacultured rock, that would be very, very helpful.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for your help guys!

-Fish Fan

I always use live rock or aqua culture but live already, one important thing in decide what you will go for its the place where u buy this rocks, I believe it's the most important one, I never had any hold tank or anything like that because I buy all rocks from the same supplier, number one I know this people for long time, two they always, always has clean rocks and when I say clean rocks it means no junk invested on the rocks except the color of the rock itself, if you want to go live rock inspect very well the rock, I guarantee you that by stick to the same supplier you got less chances of br8ing in pest to u tank, couple months down the road your rock just stay great but with more color on it but no such pest infestation, the only pest infestation was a crab and snail but it was only one.

 

[Fish Fan]

I always use live rock or aqua culture but live already, one important thing in decide what you will go for its the place where u buy this rocks, I believe it's the most important one, I never had any hold tank or anything like that because I buy all rocks from the same supplier, number one I know this people for long time, two they always, always has clean rocks and when I say clean rocks it means no junk invested on the rocks except the color of the rock itself, if you want to go live rock inspect very well the rock, I guarantee you that by stick to the same supplier you got less chances of br8ing in pest to u tank, couple months down the road your rock just stay great but with more color on it but no such pest infestation, the only pest infestation was a crab and snail but it was only one.

Hi! Thanks for the reply and the suggestion. To be honest, if I do try live rock, I will almost certainly be ordering from either Gulf Live Rock or possibly Tampa Bay Saltwater. I do agree with what you're saying about one vendor, I was going to get all the rock I hope to need all at once from the one source.

Thank you again for your help!