Best place to buy live rock??

[Jason Edwards]

hello All,
I am setting up a new 80 gal bow front tank and will be needing about 80lbs of live rock. Where is the best place to buy live rock with lots of color??? Also, what is the best kind to buy, im leaning to premium Fiji rock due to its light weight. Any thoughts or comments would be very helpful. Thanks Jason

 

[bassnman11]

I have had good luck with Ocean Pro in Chino Ca.They are jobbers for walt smith rock. I bought some 3 weeks ago for 2.25.
They are at www.oceanpro.com

 

[DMK]

i bought nice uncured marshall is and branch fiji from premium aquatics 3 years ago, and it was great.

 

[Bebo77]

ocean pro

 

[javajaws]

Ditto on oceanpro. Bought around 100 lbs from them 5 months ago...arrived very fresh. Nice looking rock. I ordered a mic of Fiji Premium and Kaelini.

 

[sds]

I am looking for LR also. I cant get the oceanpro link to work. Anyone know if it is correct

 

[integlikewhoa]

the link is wrong its http://www.oceanproaquatics.com/

I to have bought from them. They are 30 min away from me. So no shipping charges. But they are very nice people, very honest, and had good stuff. No problems at all. They suposed to be walt smith. I didnt see any boxs or anything around the shop with that name on them. I cant confirm or deny the truth of that. But it was nice and very good price where ever it came from. Heres my thread when i got my rock. Alot of pics. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=573306&highlight=rock

 

[DamageInc]

Phishybusiness.com. GET THE UANIVA LR. IT'S DEEP WATER TONGA. UNBELIEVABLE SHAPES AND COLORS OF CORALINE. ORANGE, RED, PINK, YELLOW, PURPLE CORALINE!!!! $3.75 lb plus shipping. Very porous rock.

Blows fiji and any other rock away!!!!

Nick

 

[kabboord]

Buy it off of a local reefer you trust that is getting rid of a reef tank (no fear of copper). It will be much cheaper (I've never seen it for more than 4.00$ a pound, its a buyer's market, and theres no shippiing). I bought a bunch of the 'still in the water' stuff from TBS when I first started. The problem with this kind of rock is 1. its really dense and 2. its got way to much other crap on it, 80% which is going to slowly die off (barnacles and sponges don't live in the most trained reefers tank) and the other 20% you don't want (bad crabs, a million zebra clams, etc.) The reason new reefers buy this stuff is because its a quick fix. It looks absolutely incredible when you get it, and most new reefers are drawn to the fact that you get a lot of beautiful stuff without the work.
The other thing is most of the Florida aquacultered is really dense. The most beautiful tanks I've seen are the tonga branch (which isn't dense) or some of the figi.
As I got into this hobby (now I do SPS) I realize the only thing you want on your rock is rock, and a little coraline algae. All the 'extras' are just 'extra pain in the a$$ down the road).
Get it from a local reefer, I see people sellin it all the time. I could've filled my tank up for 200$ instead of 600$.

 

[bheron]

I agree 100$ with kabboord. First with the TBS stuff, and 2nd with the idea of getting it off local reefers. I originally bought 100lbs of LR online when i had my 75. Cost about $400 total. When i upgraded to my 210, I needed another 100 pounds. I dont belong to any reef clubs, but I browsed the local forum for my hometown on this website and quickly found two great deals. Cost about $200 and no curing. I will never buy online again. You might have to wait a bit longer, but patience is the key in this hobby!!


EDIT: just found this post in my local forum here on RC:

"Fiji/lalo live rock 100#'s for $200."

 

[integlikewhoa]

2.25 per Lb at ocean pro. Thats cheap. I see people selling rock here for more. And you still have the same worries. Whats growing on it? Any bubble algea or anythign else i dont want?
I dont like the idea of buying rock online or paying for shipping of rock. Pick it up its better and cheaper.

 

[DamageInc]

IMO, you buy someone elses LR you buy their problems too. (i.e. aiptasia, hair algae, etc).

 

[integlikewhoa]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6610887#post6610887 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DamageInc
IMO, you buy someone elses LR you buy their problems too. (i.e. aiptasia, hair algae, etc).

Agreed. Not much diff then buying it fresh from the ocean.

 

[SCR]

There are a couple of dealers selling, delivered to your door, fiji fully cured rock for $3.00 per pound. Don't pay much more than that.