My Local Hunt For Rock

Teebo · Jan 26, 2018

I am hunting store to store in the Tampa area looking for rock to start a new nano tank. This is one of those things I want to buy locally so I can see it, especially since I only need a small amount. There are tons of choices so I am not sure what I should buy...preferably dry (I will be using live sand and Bio Spira, with dry rock free of pests) but if I buy wet rock I will let it dry out first.

Store #1: I seem to have no problem finding "base rock" but that description doesn't make sense to me...as in not used to grow corals directly on but the lowest quality rock meant to be used where it will not be seen under my out layer of rock? Small tanks do not have room for core rocks. This store kept their base rock wet @ $2.99lb but it has zero character.

This store also had lots of Haitian rock @ $4.99lb which seems to be prevalent, nothing overly pronounced but it was the most cured rock I had seen locally...probably because it was a dirtier store less reefers trust so it had likely been there a while.

This store surprisingly had the best deal on CaribSea LifeRock @ $4.99lb but I do not really care for the painted surface so I would rather not use it.

They also have artificial painted branch rock (likely CaribSea) @ $6.99lb though I do not see a need for any of it right now.

Store #2: This was a much cleaner and larger store, again I found the "base rock" this was CaribSea South Seas dry base rock. Attractive looking to me @ $2.39lb.

Of course the Haitian rock is never hard to find, here too @ $4.99lb as well as the CaribSea Life Rock with the Life Rock being slightly more expensive here @ $5.99lb

Store #3: This was a diverse but misleading store, as always the base rock was found here too at the best deal for $2.00lb for CaribSea South Seas.

Here is where things started getting a little confusing, this store was selling the same CaribSea Life Rock (being sold as painted coraline rock) @ $6.99lb and the same branch rock @ $8.99lb! Then the top half of the sign listed 4 types of rock all @ $5.99lb which is where I started getting lost and the store owner was not of much help...I felt a bit deceived. First off I am pretty sure Fuji rock is the kind not being found in stores anymore due to the closure on exports from Fuji? I am not sure how to identify Totoka rock but I do not think there was any here. Pukani should be distinctive but I did not see any, then they had "slab rock" which I do not even know it sounds artificial to me but what he showed me looked like a dead piece of a very large table coral with the tips cut off. I really only saw two types of rock, one was very obvious they threw some South Seas base rock into the troth (which he admitted to me), and the other type was literally dead coral with well defined polyp dimples. Looks like someone dropped off a crashed tank to sell as live rock, not sure if it would make for good reef building?

nautical_nathaniel · Jan 26, 2018

The dead coral stuff is actually dead coral harvested from the seafloor most likely, I have a few pieces myself that I mount frags to, good stuff. I got it from a fellow reefer after he finished his aquascape and had some left over. I completely dried it out and brushed it with a cleaning brush before I put it in my tank though.

Base rock is super stable and good for making a base to place other rocks on. It's not very porous and very hard so it doesn't make a good reef rock for placing corals on and for allowing pods and other critters to live in. Sometimes LFS's will call dry rock base rock because they want people to buy some of the wet live rock they have as well. That's not always the case but I've been to a few stores that will flat out tell you that you can't have a successful reef with dry rock only, which is totally bogus.

I'm a bit biased, but I would go with the dry rock. The caribsea stuff is very similar (if not the same) to the BRS Reefsaver Rock I have in my current tank. It takes a bit longer to completely cycle in a new tank, but the lack of unwanted critters and especially aiptasia/mojano is well worth it in my opinion. Dry rock is also cheaper by the pound most of the time and you're also not buying water weight (which is probably minimal at most but still a factor to consider). The rock I have is great for aquascaping, has tons of "natural" caves and holes for my critters, and is also really easy to modify with a hammer and chisel.

I know you're valuing the store's reputation or customer engagement as a part of the decision process, but honestly I would get the most cost efficient stuff initially and then go to the store you like the most for fish, corals, etc. later on. The setup process for the tank is the most expensive part and my thought process is that you should save money initially in order to be able to get the stuff you really want later.

I ordered my rock from BRS, my next rock for any aquascape will come from Marco Rocks in Key Largo. The benefit of buying in person is that you get to pick out the pieces you want. One of my LFS's started selling Marco Rocks but the markup was so ridiculous that I'll forgo the benefit of picking out my rocks to order them and save a ton of money the next time I need rocks.

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 26, 2018

I’d go with tha last store. More variety.
Avoid the denser stuff save as decor.

That said, I bought my rock from a dozen places.
Here’s my method.
That’s pretty. How much?

ReeferMadness80G · Jan 26, 2018

What store was that, with the totoka? Last pic I believe

Teebo · Jan 26, 2018

nautical_nathaniel said:
The dead coral stuff is actually dead coral harvested from the seafloor most likely, I have a few pieces myself that I mount frags to, good stuff. I got it from a fellow reefer after he finished his aquascape and had some left over. I completely dried it out and brushed it with a cleaning brush before I put it in my tank though.

Base rock is super stable and good for making a base to place other rocks on. It's not very porous and very hard so it doesn't make a good reef rock for placing corals on and for allowing pods and other critters to live in. Sometimes LFS's will call dry rock base rock because they want people to buy some of the wet live rock they have as well. That's not always the case but I've been to a few stores that will flat out tell you that you can't have a successful reef with dry rock only, which is totally bogus.

I know you're valuing the store's reputation or customer engagement as a part of the decision process, but honestly I would get the most cost efficient stuff initially and then go to the store you like the most for fish, corals, etc. later on. The setup process for the tank is the most expensive part and my thought process is that you should save money initially in order to be able to get the stuff you really want later.

So since I only have 16 gallons to work with you would stay way from South Seas base rock because it is too dense and I do not have room for base rock?

I am not being biased to any stores reputation when buying rock, because it will be purchased for its character qualities and dried. If I have to buy my hardscape one rock at a time for 3 different stores over the course of a month I will, because I know how important the hardscape is to get right from the start from my freshwater experiences.

Conclusion? Since I only have a 16 gallon footprint to work with, and not much room for building up base rock (need all the room for bio-active and critter friendly rock as possible) I should completely stay away from the South Seas rock, and preferably buy all dead coral seal floor rock pictured below for my nano??

saltyfilmfolks said:
Avoid the denser stuff save as decor.

South Seas base rock is too dense to use as bio & hosting critters in a nano?

ReeferMadness80G said:
What store was that, with the totoka? Last pic I believe

That was "Coral Reef Aquariums" on Armenia Ave in Tampa. There are other better stores in Tampa for fish and frags though. PM me for recommendations.

nautical_nathaniel · Jan 26, 2018

The base rock you posted in the first picture is what I would consider as true base rock. The south seas stuff looks just like BRS Reefsaver and that's what I used in my aquascape. It will be fine if you find a bunch of small pieces and stack/glue them together

Ds04384 · Jan 26, 2018

How much rock are you looking for? I think the best selection I've seen locally is at marine warehouse, your second store here (I'm in Clearwater btw)

saltyfilmfolks · Jan 26, 2018

Yep. Ya got that. The dense stuff is likely best to be avoided. A good mix. Of what you like to look at.
If you have to have one that beautiful but dense , keep it in mind on the next rock you choose.

[Cameron] · Jan 26, 2018

I know you want to "see" it. However at those prices you could buy a bunch at MarcoRocks at $2 per pound with free shipping for $50 or more orders. Then you could literally hammer out your own setup however you like. They also sell cut rocks (one side is cut flat), prescaped setups, etc far cheaper than what you are seeing locally. As a bonus the rock is somewhat local to the area and harvested without hurting any reefs. If you make a trip near the Miami area, they are located in Homestead.