Live rock help? Where to buy?

[Jlabonte]

Hello all,



I am starting out a 40 galling tsaltwater tank and want to k ow where a good cheap place is to buy live rock?

My local aquarium charges 6$ per pound and it does not look all that pretty. I have seen websites online selling for about 4-5$ per pound and ship to your door.

Any suggestions? I am of course looking for what everyone wants - beautiful color and growth on it

Thanks!

 

[mr_X]

MarcoRocks Aquarium Products - Dry Rock

the beautiful color and growth will come. Most of that stuff dies off through the cycle anyway.

 

[Dmann]

Reefrocks.net looks like the place to buy it

50# box shipped to your door is only like 86.00$ I emailed them and asked if they leach phosphates and if it has to be cured. They replied" our rock is phosphate free and there is no curing necessary, from the box to your tank"

I recommend at least rinsing it In fresh ro water

 

[Jlabonte]

Thank you!



On the same site they sell 30lbs of sand for 15$

http://reefrocks.net/index.php?page...&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

Is this sand safe for aquariums?

 

[Dmann]

I emailed them and they responded same day.


I'm sure the sand is aquarium same though. Bit if you have any questions you can email them or call them

 

[bonniewoodruff]

I ordered from bulk reef supply during a group buy, it's dry rock, I added some live rock from my LFS and it is all live in no time. Very good price and very nice pieces in the box.

 

[baron1282]

I don't think that is live rock, that is base rock. That means you will have to buy some live rock to seed the base rock and that can take months. I got 50 pounds for around $250 at my LFS. Most LFS will go down to $4.99 a pound when you buy 50 pounds or more of live rock.

The reason why you get free shipping for anything over 30 pounds with "reefrocks" is because the rock is not cured or live therefore there is really no special packaging they need to do. When you buy live rock they put it into a special box which is like a foam cooler and then overnight it to your house. This can cost a lot of money making the rock just as much as if you had bought it from the LFS, plus the rock is not cured meaning you will have to cure it before putting it in your tank. This would be ok if your starting a new tank as the die off will get your cycle started.

There is really no way around it, I would get 30 pounds of the base rock from "reefrocks" because that is a good price. Most LFS sale that for $2.99 per pound! I would than get at least 10 or 20 pounds of live rock from the LFS and use it to seed the base rock. There is no way round buying live rock. It's expensive no matter what. :-/

 

[mr_X]

Nothing you get through the mail is "live rock". you don't need to buy rock to seed rock. All rock becomes live over time. With or without live rock present.
Everything you get through the mail will either have to be dry, or need cycling/curing.

The term "base rock" is used to refer to rock that's not attractive enough to be put on top of the pile. Therefore, you use it as a base for the sharper looking pieces. it has nothing to do with curing, or critters, or anything else.

 

[Dmann]

Nothing you get through the mail is "live rock". you don't need to buy rock to seed rock. All rock becomes live over time. With or without live rock present.
Everything you get through the mail will either have to be dry, or need cycling/curing.

The term "base rock" is used to refer to rock that's not attractive enough to be put on top of the pile. Therefore, you use it as a base for the sharper looking pieces. it has nothing to do with curing, or critters, or anything else.

+10^. I agree

 

[baron1282]

Mr_X

Than what is this stuff?

Live Rock and Live Sand: Live Saltwater Aquarium Rock and Sand ?

This comes packed in a box that's like a cooler, it's shipped to you wet and not dry. They ship it overnight to your house. It's live rock, but like you said it needs to be cured. You can throw it in the tank uncured to get the cycle going, being it's just stuff dying off the rock. It's also more expensive than base rock. They even sale fully cured live rock on the website.

While I agree that all rock becomes live overtime, that does not mean you can buy nothing but uncured rock that has no life on it and expect it to be live before the tank is cycled. The method of buying cheaper rock and a few pieces of live rock to seed the dry rock is used all the time.

I guess I used the wrong word when I said base rock, I should have said dry rock. It's still cheaper than buying live rock and can be seeded over time.

 

[mr_X]

They call it live rock, but trust me, that stuff is most likely drop shipped. Rock is shipped from Indo or Africa, or wherever, in large containers. It takes days, and sometimes weeks before it gets to your LFS. It is not submerged in water, it's merely wrapped in some damp newspaper.
What is the difference between this and dry rock? There is dead stuff on this rock. If the difference is dead stuff, then why is it called "live" rock in the first place?
How they ship it to you is of no consequence. The small amount of creatures that make it to your aquarium were against all odds. The ratio of living creatures making it V.S. the ones that didn't, is amazing. Some times there's nothing living on the rock but spores.

The same goes for live sand. It's just a way to market the sand. There is nothing live on that sand when you pull it off the shelf and put it in your tank. It's not like the sand is aerated and heated in water until you get it.

 

[baron1282]

Agreed.

 

[54seaweed]

I bought this stuff It had Bristol worms and pods in it
it had water in it but was at room temp
I was amazed how much life was in the sand

 

[mr_X]

Impossible. The worms and pods you saw would have suffocated long before you got that sand in your tank. They were from another source.

 

[54seaweed]

I cant see how since that's all that's in the tank
I haven't added live rock yet its still downstairs in the 55 gal tub
this is a brand new filter the tank is also new
here's a pict of pods on filter pad

 

[mr_X]

Are they alive?

 

[54seaweed]

yes they squirm around

 

[mr_X]

Well, that's amazing. Last I checked, they don't even have an expiration date on those bags. You must have gotten a very fresh package.

 

[54seaweed]

I just know I can't complain
I know my first tank never had so much life like this
guess seconds the charm lol

 

[Trueerfan]

I agree with Mr X, all rock is dead. Save the money and buy a nice looking base rock. Add some Dr Tim's one and only and ammonia (follow directions)and in a week you'll be able to add your clean up crew.