Liveaquaria Live rock

[zero26]

Thinking of adding some. Does anybody have pictures of there rock?

 

[aquaenthusiast]

I haven't bought their live rock packages, but I have bought their zoanthids on rocks and its really great stuff.

 

[shamus]

Here is a pic of the select Fiji. I got 45# in October. I was happy with it.

 

[Travish881]

Awesome aquascape just ordered mine can't wait for it to get here

 

[Capt'n T]

I also got the 45# box and got some really nice pieces. Since I wasn't in a hurry I got the Fiji select which they call "boat rock". I figured some of the die off would help with the cycle. Shamus's pics are very good representation of what you get.

 

[Maxxumless]

Ordered around 150lbs from them. Just looking at the photo's brings back the memory of the lovely smell It stayed in the 55g trash can like that for two months (with one 100% water change the first month and a 50% the next). I scrubbed them before putting them in the can.

 

[Travish881]

Do you always have to scrub them before you add them to the tank?

 

[Nick S]

Shamus, nice scape! Are those rocks bonded together somehow or just piled on?

 

[Maxxumless]

Do you always have to scrub them before you add them to the tank?

Depends on the person & situation. If there's a lot of die-off, I always scrub them to get the dead stuff off. If the rock is pre-cured, like from a LFS, then there's no need. They already did it.

 

[shamus]

Shamus, nice scape! Are those rocks bonded together somehow or just piled on?

Thanks. They are just stacked. I actually got lucky with the turn out. I just scrubbed them, dipped in water and Put in tank. I did recently epoxy 2 pieces that make the arch that were kind of unstable. I used the rock to cycle the tank. Here is another pic of a different side.

 

[zero26]

Rock looks nice, anybody find some nice hitchhikers?

 

[shamus]

I haven't found one live thing on the rock. I did find a dead orange crab that was stuck in a hole. That might just be my rock, but I can see where you could get a hitchhiker. If you keep watching liveaquaria they put the rock on sale often.

 

[Nanook]

I got three boxes of the Premium Select Liverock from them back in August/September. The rock was pretty plain with hardly any coraline algae. So, I emailed them pictures and called as well, took a couple calls, but they acknowledged that the rock I received was not representative of the rock advertised on their website. The livestock manager told their rep that they had just received some really sweet live rock with excellent coraline algae, so I told them to make it four boxes.

The rock arrived fresh, with decent coraline algae coverage 50-60% and was obviously fresh...had that nice fresh, ocean smell. The shapes were shelving pieces, some craggily pieces and some boulder pieces. There were a few sponges and coraline algaes, but that was it. Nothing live on the rock unlike fresh live rock in the past that was covered in algaes, some corals and hitchhikers. I think the rock they sell is definitely a great value for the money, but it isn't like the "live rock" of old about 10 years ago. I assume that the rock is cleaned, then held in fresh ocean vats to make it very clean, almost sterile, then shipped in to the states. I would definitely buy more and am satisfied with the rock, especially the price when it goes on sale, but it isn't like the rock crawling with interesting critters, macros and corals of old.

 

[Nanook]

180-ish pounds in my 120g tank:

 

[zero26]

I got three boxes of the Premium Select Liverock from them back in August/September. The rock was pretty plain with hardly any coraline algae. So, I emailed them pictures and called as well, took a couple calls, but they acknowledged that the rock I received was not representative of the rock advertised on their website. The livestock manager told their rep that they had just received some really sweet live rock with excellent coraline algae, so I told them to make it four boxes.

The rock arrived fresh, with decent coraline algae coverage 50-60% and was obviously fresh...had that nice fresh, ocean smell. The shapes were shelving pieces, some craggily pieces and some boulder pieces. There were a few sponges and coraline algaes, but that was it. Nothing live on the rock unlike fresh live rock in the past that was covered in algaes, some corals and hitchhikers. I think the rock they sell is definitely a great value for the money, but it isn't like the "live rock" of old about 10 years ago. I assume that the rock is cleaned, then held in fresh ocean vats to make it very clean, almost sterile, then shipped in to the states. I would definitely buy more and am satisfied with the rock, especially the price when it goes on sale, but it isn't like the rock crawling with interesting critters, macros and corals of old.

Nook,

Did you end up returning the boxes that you didn't like?

 

[Nanook]

Nook,

Did you end up returning the boxes that you didn't like?

Yes, I shipped them back in the boxes they sent on the second shipment. They also paid for shipping on their dime. Overall, their customer service is most excellent!

 

[dppitone]

I bought 50 pounds from them about 10 years ago, and it had a lot of great life on it. I cycled it with light to make sure I didn't lose any life, but rather just to clear out the die-off. I would never scrub rock, it would kill/remove tissues/organisms that you're trying to import to your system. That's the point of buying live rock (1) bacteria laden to start filtration (2) import diverse macro life like corals, sponges, pods, etc etc.

 

[zero26]

Yes, I shipped them back in the boxes they sent on the second shipment. They also paid for shipping on their dime. Overall, their customer service is most excellent!

Wow, that is great service! I've always heard good things.