Ocean Sourced Live Rock

[Cepha]

Haven’t had to purchase live rock in seven years and I can’t seem to find some half decent stuff anywhere. The closest Big Als near me said they don’t sell it anymore and only sell this gaudy fake stuff at a premium $10 a pound. I’ve seen some that can ship from both the east and west coast but $80 shipping is a bit extreme when I’m only stocking a 10 gallon.
If anyone knows somewhere that sells fresh ocean sourced liverock closer please let me know I’m about 2 hours outside Toronto.

[Autumnsky]

That is too bad about the local store not stocking the rock anymore.

Bulk Reef Supply online might ship to you. And there is dry rock.
Buying dry rock is a really good option.

Ocean rock comes with any number of things on it, you just don't know what could be on it pests or hitch-hikers.

You still might get something from a fellow hobbyist. Online or a local store. Some live sand with dry rock might take a little bit longer. Some people like bacteria additives to speed up cycling.

Just getting one live rock and some additional dry rocks.
What are you going to stock it with?

[Cepha]

For me the good far outweighs the bad. My first time around I managed to grab some Fiji LR and it was loaded with all kinds of feather dusters, pods, a sponge and even an emerald crab + the structure of the actual rock seems so intricate.
I did manage to find a couple pieces of dead coral the other day and I seen about 60 pods come off of it so I’m happy it will hopefully seed my tank with some life.

Not sure what I’ll put in there yet as of livestock it’s only the evo 13.5 gallon so pretty limited ... any suggestions? Had a clownfish for 7 years so I probably won’t go that route again.

[Autumnsky]

Some well behaved macro algaes, Codium, something red, maybe fun bits like fan, shaving brush, Clown Goby, mine is yellow and he's been an active visible and friendly tankmate. A goby /pistol shrimp pair Sexy shrimp aka anemone shrimp group, some mini starfish name escapes me atm, look like the huge ones red or black or brown size of a dime. (Not astreas). Red Mangrove. Rock Flower Anemones. Smaller tubes, maybe try christmas tree. Another option is a mini coral banded "shrimp" there is a mini pistol shrimp. I never saw mine except when I changed tanks. Sorry i can't recall all their correct names it's 3am!

[Cepha]

Ah the clown goby, I always had a fondness for their rounded unassuming faces. Do you have experience with mangroves ? I would like one but I had a few concerns. I’ll be trying to make the 2nd chamber in my evo into a refuge so was thinking chaeto in there and some dragons tongue or breath in the display.
The fish I’m most undecided on. It’s fair to say I only have 2-3 fish slots max on a 12 gallon, right?

[Cepha]

Small fish ofc :p

[Autumnsky]

My cute little Clowns been around for maybe 6 tank changes an 7 years. In my nano 12G that was the only fish. Went with a variety mentioned. 4 fish only now in my 46G. Since the Clown Goby acts more like a swimming fish, a nice colorful one. The Green Clown Goby has a huge mouth easily eat Anemone Shrimp. (I saw a video of one ambush something which was larger than I'd have thought it could eat!)

Which other small fish?????? Hmm, lol!

[Cepha]

I’m going to look for that video I never would have thought they could manage that. lol. Every green clown goby I ever saw was so tiny half the people at the LFS hardly even know they are living in their sell tanks without a price.
At first I was thinking a coral croucher goby (not really a goby) and maybe a springer dottyback. I heard dottybacks can be aggressive but the coral croucher has poisonous spines so the dotty may think twice.

[Autumnsky]

The Coral Croucher is cute.

The video was one which didn't headline the fish eating the other fish (I think it was a fish, late at night watching interesting SW videos one after another.) the Green Clown Goby just stayed behind the rock, then zipped out with a open mouth that looked like a whale snap up, but it just happened in the video. Info on them says, they eat Brine shrimp - haha and anything else that fits in their mouth!

Neon Blue or Yellow Line Goby are fun swimmers.