HECK OF A GOOD PRICE !!

[Hara]

ok, I was going to put this in the retailers section, but I have not got it in yet, so technically I cannot review it. But, Jeff's Exotic fish has a great deal on their liverock right now. I asked them if they were golfball size or something and they assured me that they were 8# pieces on average, that they had just gotten a huge batch and needed to move some. They said it was the exact same stuff for sale on the regularly priced page. I bought a 50 # box to be delivered on Tuesday. It is listed at the top of the Sale:Livestock category and is 2.25 a pound. I guess I will be the group guinea pig on this one

I asked how long the sale would last and they said most likely through next week.

[reefrunner69]

The general retailers forum is specifically for things like this. This post can serve as a prelude, and you can review it after it gets here. Might also consider putting a review in the product review section.

[fishfreek]

Do you mind sharing the cost per lb after shipping?

For example my rock from FFexpress was 45lbs for $85. So that would be $1.88/lb before shipping. But, I paid for next day shipping so that bumped the total cost to $150 or $3.33/lb.


Also, I hope you did not plan on putting this rock in the 150 along with your fish and other stuff right away. Its always good to have a seperate curing vessel to cure the rock in to make sure its ammonia free.

[Hara]

After the cost of overnight shipping, it will be 3.54 per pound.

And yes, even though it is not the best way, I will have to put it in after a thorough cleaning. I will be prepared to do water changes if I have to, but I do NOT have the facilities nor equipment to cure the rock further. I do have another small tank to move the critters to if it becomes necessary.

I also think that the 2 Fluval 404's that are on the tank, should do a pretty mean job of holding the ammonia down. I have seen them do amazing work in the past.

[fishfreek]

Well I do wish you the best of luck in your rock but I have seen that amount of rock throw out some tremedous ammoinia. Im talking off the chart several times over. When I was curing my first batch of rock I had a test kit that went to 2.0 ammonia and the tests for weeks showed ammonia levels many shades darker than the 2.0 reading.

An inexpensive rubbermade trashcan will work wonders to cure LR.

I look forward to seeing your rock.

[Hara]

what about the protein skimmer, powerhead etc?

[fishfreek]

no need for a skimmer to cure rock.

A PH should be used to keep the water from becoming stagnent. Also a heater to keep the water at tank temp.

Do you know if they are shipping it Monday? Is it cured rock?

The time in travel and also the condition of the rock as far as ammonia is before it leaves all plays a role.

As you can see from my post about my purchase with ffexpress even overnighted rock had enough die off to produce an ammonia level of 1.0 Not sure if it would have been higher because I did a 100% water change at that time.

[Hara]

They are shipping it on Monday, will be here around 4:00 on Tuesday as that is normally when our fedx runs. They said it was "fully cured" and that I should experience almost no die off....I had emailed and asked how cured their "cured" was and told them I was wanting it for a newly established tank. The guy there told me that there would be no need to cure it further. I realize that this could be just a sales ploy but I am hearing the same thing from Harbor Aquatics and a couple of other places as well.

I do have an old bathtub in my utility room that I could put a powerhead into. We are in Louisiana and the temp should be plenty warm, "our evenings are barely hitting the 60's and daytime high today was 92.
I guess I could put a heater in there for the nighttime.

[reefrunner69]

The tub will work, just make sure it has been cleaned with bleach and has no soap residue in it. Unless they ship their rock fully submerged, there is going to be plenty of die off. Even then there will be some. As Aaron pointed out, a skimmer on your curing vessel is not a necessity, but it is benificial, if available. Even a cheap counter current air driven skimmer will work, but if you don't have one, don't sweat it.

[fishfreek]

Overnight is a good shipping method.

I just wanted to make you aware of the possible ammonia surge.

The only way I can se there not being any die off would be if there was nothing to die off in the first place. The stuff that dies off durring shippment is the little sponges and small coral frags that might have started growing. Also any worms that might have made the rock a home and such like that. The very items that make the rock live rock in the first place.

I went to www.exoticfish.com to look at the info on the deal and it looks like its fiji rock and that is most likly Walt Smith rock then as they are a major aquaculture place in fiji http://www.waltsmith.com/

[CaliGal]

Hara, I, too, will be interested in your LR findings. I have never heard of LR being shipped and not having to be re-cured to some degree. You will want to be sure to have the equipment to test ammonia levels often in the beginning.

So glad you have this group to use as a sounding board. The more info we can accumulate, the better our chances for success. And I wish you much! Keep us posted, please.

Thanks you all for your detailed responses. I am learning and learning!

Sue

[CaliGal]

Hara, you mentioned using a tub you have on hand. Possibly consider picking up a new well-rinsed trash can in place of the tub. Even if the chances are small, any residue left in the tub could cause you a lot of problems with the LR. My theory is to use only SW dedicated containers and tools with my aquarium.

Sue

[Hara]

Ok, I am a neurotic shipment tracker and today it paid off. I was tracking the LR shipment when I noticed something was not quite right. I called FedX and they said it was scheduled for delivery for Thursday. Apparently, someone neglected to ship it overnight. My husband called Jeff's and they called fedx, found out the order was still in Los Angeles.
They cancelled that order and sent another one that is due tomorrow.

I bought a 30 gallon plastic tub, have one powerhead and 2 big airstones in it, along with the water .....waiting.

You mentioned that this is probably Walt Smith stuff, is that a good or a bad thing?

[fishfreek]

Not good not bad. Just a comment.

Walt Smith is a huge distrbutor of live rock from fiji.

You can expect it to look like the LR I posted that I got from ffexpress if it is walt smith rock.

[Hara]

ok, the rock is here and I, newbie as I am, will attempt to critique it.

I was surprised to find it quite crumbly. As I have never purchased rock except from existing established tanks, I was not prepared for this. It was almost like poorly mixed concrete on some pieces. Once I got the crumbling stuff off, the rock was nicely shaped and seemed to have decent color to it. I only found 3 thick wormy like things stuck in all the pieces.

You may remember that I was concerned the pieces would be too small.
Some were rather small, with 2 pieces running about 7-8 pounds and the rest about 3-4. All in all, there were 13 pieces to the 50 pound box.

If I were buying a box standing in front of me, I most likely would not have bought this batch.

[fishfreek]

well.

The lr was probably shipped covered in newspaper so it was somewhat dry when it got to you. The crubmly is because the rock is basicly made up of coral skeliton and that is mostly calcium.

The large worms are probably bristle worms. They are more than likly dead and should be discarded.

The rocks sound well sized. Atleast you did not get a box full of lr rubble. I find a nice mix of large and small rocks easier to aquascape than a bunch of big bolders.

Remember that the rocks you have been buying have been in tanks for a period of time. The LR will take on a new look once its wet and has a few weeks to get color and life back to it.

[Hara]

Thanks for the explanation on the crumbliness...I was wondering about it.

However, as far as the size goes, it *may* be easier to landscape etc, but
that is not the important point. It was not for him to decide what was best for my tank. He told me one thing, then sent another.....that is not good business.

[reefrunner69]

Originally Posted by Hara

However, as far as the size goes, it *may* be easier to landscape etc, but that is not the important point. It was not for him to decide what was best for my tank. He told me one thing, then sent another.....that is not good business.

I would call Jeff's tomorrow and explain why you aren't happy with your order. Explain that you were assured the pieces would average 8# and that was no the case. Places like this tend to have pretty good customer service, and wuld rather make you happy, than to have you trashing them all over the internet. If nothing else, it will give you someone to vent on, at best, they will replace the rock.

[fishfreek]

did the box have walsmith written on it anywhere?

If so it might have been transhippped directly from waltsmith. If thats the case then jeff would never have seen the rock.

You said you was a compulsive shippment tracker. Did the shippment come thru California?

Jeffexotic is listed as being in

115 W Victoria St., Gardena, CA 90248 or PO Box 3392
Torrance, CA 90510

Did the package orginate from either of those cities or another city?

[Hara]

I have sent them an email, which I will follow up with a phonecall tomorrow.

As far as the box goes, it came from California, no WaltSmith on it anywhere.
They also say they will hand pick for you if you ask them too.