Wtb Tampa bay live rock

[pikachux3]

Wondering if anyone is putting an order online (from link below) any time soon? I want maybe 5 lb for biodiversity and could buy off you, lmk!

thanks

https://tbsaltwater.com/

 

[DanK.Reefer]

Hi I actually just ordered from there. If 5# is all you are looking for you may as well just order one of their treasure chests. They have their shipping and packaging rates pretty well locked down to where there really isn't any savings with a group buy.

 

[drexel]

Unique has Fiji and Aussie branch rock right now. You can go and hand pick what you want, which is nice. I hand picked 12lbs of Fiji rock and it's super nice (not cheap), but you don't need very much. I have a wild acan and some psammocora growing on mine, with some colonial tunicates as well.

 

[jordan9095]

The Marco mariculture rock from unique is also very good. Goes through a bit more processing to minimize pests as much as possible

 

[joseserrano]

If you are going for bio diversity I wouldn’t do Marco maricultures

 

[JohnBRZ]

Do you guys QT the rock? What’s the possibility of introducing parasites to your DT ?

 

[joseserrano]

Do you guys QT the rock? What’s the possibility of introducing parasites to your DT ?

At 5lb not worth putting in dt. Put in your sump.

 

[JohnBRZ]

At 5lb not worth putting in dt. Put in your sump.

good idea with UV on return

 

[drexel]

Do you guys QT the rock? What’s the possibility of introducing parasites to your DT ?

You can, just to see if there are any gorilla crabs, etc. But when setting up a tank with LR, I just observe and let it cook in the tank for a while before moving fish and corals over. This gives me an opportunity to observe at night, which when all the creepy-crawlies come out. I did find a few gorilla crabs when I added the Aussie and Solomon rock a few years ago, but nothing else was in the tank, so it was easy to catch them. I personally like all of the funky stuff that comes with live rock, that's what makes it interesting. I also prefer rock from the Pacific, which is where most of the corals and fish come from where we keep, so the bacteria is in line with what we're keeping. I tried some Keys live sand and mud, which gave me whelks, so I spent the better part of a year chasing them down and getting rid of them, so no more Gulf stuff for me. Same with Reef Cleaners, got pyramid snails from them and haven't ordered ever since.

 

[joseserrano]

good idea with UV on return

Uv wouldn’t kill what you would be do concerned about. I’d do a little more research before making the purchase.

 

[joseserrano]

You can, just to see if there are any gorilla crabs, etc. But when setting up a tank with LR, I just observe and let it cook in the tank for a while before moving fish and corals over. This gives me an opportunity to observe at night, which when all the creepy-crawlies come out. I did find a few gorilla crabs when I added the Aussie and Solomon rock a few years ago, but nothing else was in the tank, so it was easy to catch them. I personally like all of the funky stuff that comes with live rock, that's what makes it interesting. I also prefer rock from the Pacific, which is where most of the corals and fish come from where we keep, so the bacteria is in line with what we're keeping. I tried some Keys live sand and mud, which gave me whelks, so I spent the better part of a year chasing them down and getting rid of them, so no more Gulf stuff for me. Same with Reef Cleaners, got pyramid snails from them and haven't ordered ever since.

What drexel is kinda referring to is curing the live rock. Most buyers don’t know this process or step, nor want to pay for it.

 

[pikachux3]

Unique has Fiji and Aussie branch rock right now. You can go and hand pick what you want, which is nice. I hand picked 12lbs of Fiji rock and it's super nice (not cheap), but you don't need very much. I have a wild acan and some psammocora growing on mine, with some colonial tunicates as well.

https://uniquecorals.com/

Is this the shop you were referencing?

 

[drexel]

https://uniquecorals.com/

Is this the shop you were referencing?

Yup! They're located here in the SFV.

 

[joseserrano]

Yup! They're located here in the SFV.

Interesting they are offering these rocks when they own Marco rock, which is offering ocean and mariculture rock. Seems like they are acknowledging Marco is inferior by offering alternatives.

 

[drexel]

Interesting they are offering these rocks when they own Marco rock, which is offering ocean and mariculture rock. Seems like they are acknowledging Marco is inferior by offering alternatives.

Joe is part owner of Marco, so I would imagine he's trying to sell Marco as much as he can, but there's really nothing like real ocean rock IMO. Maybe if they did an AquaBiomics test on the Marco rock to show the biome population, it might help? I like the idea of using cultured rock from real ocean rock, but I'm not sure how long it takes for that bacteria population to establish itself while trying to mitigate pests, etc?

 

[joseserrano]

Joe is part owner of Marco, so I would imagine he's trying to sell Marco as much as he can, but there's really nothing like real ocean rock IMO. Maybe if they did an AquaBiomics test on the Marco rock to show the biome population, it might help? I like the idea of using cultured rock from real ocean rock, but I'm not sure how long it takes for that bacteria population to establish itself while trying to mitigate pests, etc?

Company now belongs to Joe and a private investor, but investor has no hands in it. Aquaniimics test would be a Good thing to do, assuming results are favorable.