Best place to buy Live rock from...

Dmorty217

Dmorty217

Saltwater Addict
Any one have any suggestions? Typically this would be a no brainer and I would of purchased from Richard at TBS but sadly he isn't currently diving. A search via google brings up several places but most I know nothing about or have never heard of. Liverocknreef has bad reviews on here, so does Aquariumcreationsonline (not for live rock but still) So that leaves me with Gulfliverock.com, Saltybottom.com or PremiumAquatics.com. Premium is a outstanding company for everything I have ever purchased from them and ground shipping to me is 1 day so thats a plus. The other two places have nice pictures of rock on the website but any good company would. Anyone have any experience with these companies or know anyone who has? I need some actual live rock to seed my dry rock tank and add some life other than the fish. Actually looking for hitch hikers in this instance. Thank you in advance
 
When I started my 1st tank I ordered my live rock from premium aquatics. No bad hitch hikers. Actually only 1 hitch hiker which was a snail.
 
I got all my rock so far from PA. Mostly Marshall island and some Fiji. I was very happy. I did have a bobbit worm come in with it, which was disgusting, and aiptasia, but I consider that within the norm.

Having said that, I've heard such good things about Tampa Bay Saltwater that I'm going to get my next batch from Richard, once he's diving again.
 
What is it about "live rock" that you want?
You go TBS because you want "life" on the rocks and "live rock"..
You go locally sourced because you want "live rock (read bacteria)" and little die off and hence a quick cycle.
You go other live rock (shipped damp) just because you want "live rock (bacteria)" and want to potentially pay less than what you find locally but don't care about the "life" on it or just "hope" its going to have some..
 
mcgyvr said:
What is it about "live rock" that you want?
You go TBS because you want "life" on the rocks and "live rock"..
You go locally sourced because you want "live rock (read bacteria)" and little die off and hence a quick cycle.
You go other live rock (shipped damp) just because you want "live rock (bacteria)" and want to potentially pay less than what you find locally but don't care about the "life" on it or just "hope" its going to have some..
Click to expand...

I want amphipods and copepods, sponge, crabs, shrimp, feather dusters, snails ect... all of which I get with TBS. at this point I'm just going to wait for Richard to start diving again because there is nothing like it out there.
 
Dmorty217 said:
I want amphipods and copepods, sponge, crabs, shrimp, feather dusters, snails ect... all of which I get with TBS. at this point I'm just going to wait for Richard to start diving again because there is nothing like it out there.
Click to expand...

Tampa Bay Saltwater is the best but Richard is recovering from surgery and cannot collect the aquacultured rock until summer. Probably the best option outside TBS is GulfLiveRock. This is also aquacultured live rock from Florida. They don't ship submerged in water like TBS does but you can probably request this. Know some people who used GLR and they really liked their stuff. So TBS if you are willing to wait. If not, GLR is a good second option. Since the rock for both places is aquacultured in the ocean, you get tons of critters on the rock.
 
I have rock from Premium, it is nice rock. I can not say how it is now because I purchased the rock years ago.
You can always make a trip over to get what you want on the weekends to check it out!
You should also check reef systems in Columbus
 
Just ordered last month. GLR
 

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Dmorty217 said:
I want amphipods and copepods, sponge, crabs, shrimp, feather dusters, snails ect... all of which I get with TBS. at this point I'm just going to wait for Richard to start diving again because there is nothing like it out there.
Click to expand...

I have purchased from both Richard and Dan at GulfLiveRock. Personally, I like the "live" stuff on Dan's rock over Richard. I believe Dan's lease is in deeper water. More reef stuff like feather dusters, etc. The only thing about Richard's is lots of barnacles that come along with the "reef" stuff, which only die off anyways. But, the rock from Dan was from the mined rock and a lot more dense than the Pukani rock you can get from Richard. If I had to buy again, I think I would wait for the Pukani rock.
 
@Dmorty217 - shoot Richard a PM (if you haven't already) and see what he thinks if you are not in a rush. You may get a timeline. You could also call Dan at Gulf Live Rock from the sound of it - probably couldn't hurt. The last live rock I purchased was from Harbor Aquatics which I think was drop shipped from Fiji back in the day wrapped in wet newspaper :) Still have the rock today believe it or not circa 2000.

Wish I had something else but I don't. TBS is what I would have went with but with two in college and a tank that needed to be finished I couldn't wait. 150 lbs dry pukani is what I ended up with but at least I'll be able to seed later with the stuff I mentioned above. If no rush - TBS is what I'd do. Richard is a hell of a nice guy.
 
I did nearly 300lbs of TBS last June. Great looking rock with a ton of life. I have sponges that came in on the rock that are still alive, along with an unidentified stony coral. Watch out for the hitchhikers though. I removed 8 to 10 purple sea urchins once they became golf ball sized. I removed several stone claw and gorilla crabs before placing the rocks in my tank. Two made it into the display tank and I removed both, including one a few weeks ago - it was huge, living in a den with multiple empty snail and crab shells. I pulled him out with long tweezers, he could not escape because he was so large he was trapped in his den. Finally, and most difficult are the mantis shrimp. I have already pulled out two, again by catching them with long tweezers on the sand bed when they come out to eat. I still have at least one that I have not caught yet, along with a Pistol Shrimp. I am content letting the Pistol stay, but the Mantis needs to go. There was some Aiptasia, but it disappeared on its own, maybe the peppermint shrimp that TBS ships with the package. Finally copepods killed at least one of my fish - I found it clamped on to its mouth. Fortunately these do not survive in the tank for some reason, as stated on the TBS website.
 
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check out arc reef in miami, got their rock last year. a few gorilla crabs, one mantis which i was able to get out, and one pistol which i left in the tank. forty pounds of rock.
 
Best place to buy Live rock from...

liverocknreef.com pretty comparable to tbs


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