ecoliverock any good? great prices!
- Thread starter moosea
- Start date
CStrickland
New member
They are basically selling this http://www.garf.org/class.html but with shells instead of plastic shavings. Shells are really high in phosphate, that's why people stopped using them for diy rock.
Can you not get anything mined from where the ocean used to be? In the states our cheapest dry rock option is $2lb dug from the ground in Florida. I guess the price comparison would depend on the exchange rate. I live near the border, if that seller is charging $4.50 usd for a pound of diy rock Im about to get in the rock biz yo, I make nice caves
Can you not get anything mined from where the ocean used to be? In the states our cheapest dry rock option is $2lb dug from the ground in Florida. I guess the price comparison would depend on the exchange rate. I live near the border, if that seller is charging $4.50 usd for a pound of diy rock Im about to get in the rock biz yo, I make nice caves
dkeller_nc
New member
My advice would be to avoid man-made substrates, especially if you're new to the hobby.
As CS notes, if you want to go the dry rock route, buy either terrestrially-mined fossilized reef rock (such as Marco Rocks), or dry rock harvested from the ocean, such as "Pukani" (sold by several vendors, among them Bulk Reef Supply).
Better yet, especially if you're a beginner, start with truly-live natural rock. One of the best sources that I know for sure ships to Canada is Tampa Bay Saltwater. His rock is aquacultured, if "eco friendly" is important to you (though live rock harvested from natural sources isn't "eco unfriendly", as some unscrupulous marketers would have you believe).
TBS may seem like an expensive way to go, but it isn't, especially if it's your first tank, and your tank is relatively small. Richard ships a total package, and your tank will be very near to "ready to go" for fish and corals after a week or so of settling down. Starting with dry rock is certainly doable, but for a beginner it can be very hard to resist stocking the tank immediately after the conclusion of establishing a bacterial base, and that can be a bad mistake. Because coralline algae hasn't had a chance to establish itself and cover much of the available surface in a dry rock tank immediately after the cycle, adding a lot of livestock can cause horrendous algae blooms that can really discourage newbies.
As CS notes, if you want to go the dry rock route, buy either terrestrially-mined fossilized reef rock (such as Marco Rocks), or dry rock harvested from the ocean, such as "Pukani" (sold by several vendors, among them Bulk Reef Supply).
Better yet, especially if you're a beginner, start with truly-live natural rock. One of the best sources that I know for sure ships to Canada is Tampa Bay Saltwater. His rock is aquacultured, if "eco friendly" is important to you (though live rock harvested from natural sources isn't "eco unfriendly", as some unscrupulous marketers would have you believe).
TBS may seem like an expensive way to go, but it isn't, especially if it's your first tank, and your tank is relatively small. Richard ships a total package, and your tank will be very near to "ready to go" for fish and corals after a week or so of settling down. Starting with dry rock is certainly doable, but for a beginner it can be very hard to resist stocking the tank immediately after the conclusion of establishing a bacterial base, and that can be a bad mistake. Because coralline algae hasn't had a chance to establish itself and cover much of the available surface in a dry rock tank immediately after the cycle, adding a lot of livestock can cause horrendous algae blooms that can really discourage newbies.
thanks so much everyone!
I will go for the real live rock, the shipping from the states is a little $$ for me so I will just keep an eye out for local seller, I should be able to get some for 2-4$ right? used live rock is ok right?
where is there a good place online to get base rock? or should I go with all live?
I will go for the real live rock, the shipping from the states is a little $$ for me so I will just keep an eye out for local seller, I should be able to get some for 2-4$ right? used live rock is ok right?
where is there a good place online to get base rock? or should I go with all live?
CStrickland
New member
Marcorocks and reefcleaners have good reputations for mined rock, maybe see if they ship to you. I just got the cheapest one on Amazon, it was fine. I got lucky.
If you get used LR check it for hitchikers that you don't want, like mojano or aiptasia or mantis shrimp etc.
Whether you go live or dry is a personal choice. There's a lot of threads about the pros and cons of each.
If you get used LR check it for hitchikers that you don't want, like mojano or aiptasia or mantis shrimp etc.
Whether you go live or dry is a personal choice. There's a lot of threads about the pros and cons of each.
Rybren
Well-known member
According to the TBS website, they WON'T ship to Canada. They will, however, ship to a location close to the border and provide you with all of the paperwork required to bring the rock across the border on your own.
To the OP, you can get dry Marco rock from Reefsupplies.ca ($2.95/lb) and figiliverock will ship free to Canada (min order of $200). Their dry Pukani is $3.99/lb
To the OP, you can get dry Marco rock from Reefsupplies.ca ($2.95/lb) and figiliverock will ship free to Canada (min order of $200). Their dry Pukani is $3.99/lb
dkeller_nc
New member
Used live rock can be problematic. You're depending on the skill/fastidiousness of the reefkeeper, so you may wind up with excellent rock with no issues, or you may wind up with rock that's infested with pests, or possibly coated with precipitated phosphate from being kept in a tank for months or years with no phosphate control.
If you're interested in TBS live rock, I'd suggest contacting Richard (the owner - his username is "LiveRock") directly. Despite his website's notes about shipping to Canada, I've seen him post a few times that certainly implied that he was shipping to Canada to municipal airports via air-freight.
BTW, air-freight through the airlines with pick-up at the local municipal airport is typically much cheaper than FedEx/UPS here in the 'states. It also tends to be faster, which means less die-off.
This thread has pictures of Richard's newest product, which is aqua-cultured Walt Smith 2.0 rock.
I have a fluval see m60 its 24g
