Ocean Live rock fans

[AcroNem]

This rock was from GLR about a year ago. So much better than bleached out white, and it has sponges, bivalves and a coral growing on it. Biodiversity is key in building a little ecosystem.

 

[Sump Crab]

You people are really a bad influence LOL. Still sitting here eyeing some of that Aussie rock. Live Rock&Reef in Tampa (100 miles away) has it starting at $19.99lb shipped. Some would look really nice in my ongoing remodel as I really don't have much diversity in coralline anymore. I mostly have this dark blood red now that looks good but also like everything is covered in red cyano. Looks like they also have the last of the Walt Smith Fiji rock. Not a huge fan but at least aquacultured in the Pacific 5 years.

I have 10lbs of KP aquatics rock showing up on Wednesday. It was time for a refresh!

 

[19Mateo83]

Control and cost. Aquascaping liverock is not easy. More and more people are treating their tanks as works of art

Tell me about it, it’s not necessarily a bad problem though. This is my second round of stacking and I’m still not sure if I like it (Old Tonga bleach cured and been bubbling in a bucket for 2 months)

 

[Eric Cohen]

I’m all for live rock. Not only for the natural boost but the hitchhikers and everything else.


I’m not against dry rock users but I have to disagree with the thought of destroying reefs here. Maybe back in the early 2000’s this could possibly be seen as a concern but the vast majority of live rock now is either aquacultured off the Florida coast or Australian (and my understanding with this is it’s previously loose rock being collected not dynamited like it used to be) @Eric Cohen maybe be able to provide more insight on the collection.

Great thread and I’m definitely a fan of live rock which is why I have been putting time in to offer Australia live rock to hobbyists. I’m happy to give insight into the collection methods or answer questions. I have 17 years of direct experience collecting live rock and about 30 years of just selling it. I have stood on the shores and gazed out over the collection areas in awe…..the vastness of the ocean is truly hard to describe. Any questions please just tag me so I get the notification. Rock on my fishy friends!

 

[C4ctus99]

But aren’t we taking the critters from the ocean if Rock is simply being placed then removed? Pretty much still taking from the ocean.

…kinda like most of the fish that go into our tanks…

 

[C4ctus99]

I love live rock because of the diversity of the creatures on it. When I added it into my 20g long it changed a lot. Going to make my own rock as much as possible going forward cause 100lbs of even coralline base rock runs up to $500 real quick, but I’m hoping to seed it with some good ocean live rock

 

[Eric Cohen]

I love live rock because of the diversity of the creatures on it. When I added it into my 20g long it changed a lot. Going to make my own rock as much as possible going forward cause 100lbs of even coralline base rock runs up to $500 real quick, but I’m hoping to seed it with some good ocean live rock

The live rock I’m importing and selling is like 1/2 of the weight you would normally be used to. So even at $25/lb, you get two to three times the volume of Fiji rock and even more if comparing to other heavy rocks (I won’t mention names

 

[lopez052308]

…kinda like most of the fish that go into our tanks…

Unless it’s aquacultured which I think Is a awesome concept.

I’m mean we’re still talking fish from the ocean but not even close as wild caught

 

[KrisReef]

Hello! I must admit that Ocean live rock is the most important factor for me when it comes to a reef tank. If ocean live rock was no longer available I would seriously never start a new tank again. For me there is literally nothing negative about ocean live rock (besides price!). Ocean live rock provides insane stability and an almost instant cycle. It’s teeming with unbelievable life that (for me) is just as interesting as the coral we buy. Also actual reef rock (like Aussie stuff currently available) is extremely porous and has the most unique and interesting shapes available.

Currently I have a mix of old school South Pacific rock, newer Australian rock, and KP aquatics FL keys rock.

Are there any other ocean live rock obsessed reefers out there? If so tell me why you love ocean rock so much and where yours was sourced from.

The green spot on the branch of Australian live rock on the right lower side of the picture was a hitchhiker coral (cyphastrea?) that I found on my new chunk of rock. I wanted the microbes that came on the rocks to help diversify my microbial environment. I’m sold on the idea but have no proof that it helped the system but it must have because I believe that it did.

Big fan of real fresh caught tuna and live rock for a good long enjoyable life.

 

[AcroNem]

The green spot on the branch of Australian live rock on the right lower side of the picture was a hitchhiker coral (cyphastrea?) that I found on my new chunk of rock. I wanted the microbes that came on the rocks to help diversify my microbial environment. I’m sold on the idea but have no proof that it helped the system but it must have because I believe that it did.

Big fan of real fresh caught tuna and live rock for a good long enjoyable life.

Nice! It's amazing what can pop up on rock as a system matures.
I'm not sure it would be possible to argue that real live rock doesn't help our systems.
The true diversity of beneficial bacteria and microfauna that aid in stability just can't be beat.

 

[leo12345]

Getting ocean live rock was a huge mistake, get cultured live rock, it’s cheaper and doesn’t come with pest. only get ocean live rock to seed your tank, don’t fill up your whole tank with it because it will be a pain to get out the pest.

 

[AcroNem]

Getting ocean live rock was a huge mistake, get cultured live rock, it’s cheaper and doesn’t come with pest. only get ocean live rock to seed your tank, don’t fill up your whole tank with it because it will be a pain to get out the pest.

When we say "cultured live rock" we are most often referring to rock that has been cultured on farms that are actually in the ocean. They still come with everything "wild" rock could come with.
The hobby has taken a huge turn to calling anything they didn't add to their system a pest, when in reality everything serves a purpose and there are only a few things you'd find on rock, wild or cultured, that could truly be considered a pest.

 

[C4ctus99]

The live rock I’m importing and selling is like 1/2 of the weight you would normally be used to. So even at $25/lb, you get two to three times the volume of Fiji rock and even more if comparing to other heavy rocks (I won’t mention names

Good to know and definitely peaks my interest! Where would I go to compare and contrast?

 

[zoomonster]

I have 10lbs of KP aquatics rock showing up on Wednesday. It was time for a refresh!

You people are really a bad influence LOL. Still sitting here eyeing some of that Aussie rock. Live Rock&Reef in Tampa (100 miles away) has it starting at $19.99lb shipped. Some would look really nice in my ongoing remodel as I really don't have much diversity in coralline anymore. I mostly have this dark blood red now that looks good but also like everything is covered in red cyano. Looks like they also have the last of the Walt Smith Fiji rock. Not a huge fan but at least aquacultured in the Pacific 5 years.

Forget what I said about live rock & reef. I did order 25lbs, but not pay yet. and caught some details after ordering. First off shipping is not included (as I first thought and the checkout implies) and it looks like they may be drop shipping from CA like all the livestock they sell. UPS ground would have been 1 day if they were actually shipping from Tampa. They haven't sent me a quote yet, but I checked a drop shipped powder blue tang from them and they wanted $103.79 shipping for a $128.89 fish lol. Needless to say, I fully expect to cancel and decline the Paypal invoice when I get it.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Live ocean rock all the way!! I get rock harvested straight from the Indo Pacific which makes it to
the shop less than a week before i buy it! So basically the same as me going out and picking up rocks covered in the most beautiful coralline you've ever seen...

 

[cpschult]

Good to know and definitely peaks my interest! Where would I go to compare and contrast?

It's light, like pukani rock. Macro rock is super dense comparatively. I ordered five pounds of rock from tankstop.com/ericcohen and got three branching pieces. It's in the center of the tank in back.

 

[Sump Crab]

Forget what I said about live rock & reef. I did order 25lbs, but not pay yet. and caught some details after ordering. First off shipping is not included (as I first thought and the checkout implies) and it looks like they may be drop shipping from CA like all the livestock they sell. UPS ground would have been 1 day if they were actually shipping from Tampa. They haven't sent me a quote yet, but I checked a drop shipped powder blue tang from them and they wanted $103.79 shipping for a $128.89 fish lol. Needless to say, I fully expect to cancel and decline the Paypal invoice when I get it.

I ordered my Aussie from unique corals as you can get fee overnight shipping if you order enough.

 

[zoomonster]

I ordered my Aussie from unique corals as you can get fee overnight shipping if you order enough.

Thanks I have done a lot of business with them in the past. Checked earlier though and they don't have any. No matter plenty do. Just waiting to hear back on the other order and I will find something including checking out Eric Cohen/Amongthereef.com who posted earlier that he sells it.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Thanks I have done a lot of business with them in the past. Checked earlier though and they don't have any. No matter plenty do. Just waiting to hear back on the other order and I will find something including checking out Eric Cohen/Amongthereef.com who posted earlier that he sells it.

It's times like this that i truly wish I had certifications to ship live rock over there. No disrespect to those guys selling the Aussie live rock at all but from what I've seen the stuff we get here is far more beautiful.

 

[paragrouper]

I love the hunt for hitchhikers.

sure, some you got to remove, but it’s fun to find them.