saltykelly
Member
I was thinking of ordering a box of LR, or making it myself. I wanted your opinion as to which one I should do. If ordering I need to know who a good company to order from, and which type do you believe is best.
ordering live rock or making my own?
- Thread starter saltykelly
- Start date
reefnetworth
Premium Member
Fiji or Kielini LR from www.premiumaquatics.com they will hand pick your rock at your request. they sell rubble rock too.
both are also sold by the pound, or in package deals. :thumbsup:
both are also sold by the pound, or in package deals. :thumbsup:
saltykelly
Member
I picked up hydroids at one point and I don't want to chance it again. I'm about to start all over, so from now on I will be super careful.
saltykelly
Member
I have some, but don't know if it would take care of hydroids. Maybe I should try just so I can pass that on.
Auntbeez
New member
The advantage to making your own is it is super cheap, you get no hitchhikers and you can make as much as you need in shapes you want. Also there is no harm to the ocean.
The disadvantage is it is not live from the get go and you have make it, cure it and seed it, thus taking more time to get it to its useful stage.
on the otherhand...
Live rock still takes time to cure, but it is instant rock that can go right in the tank. You get as many good hitchhikers as bad. You have to make the shapes it comes in work, but a hammer helps. Probably the worst thing is it comes from the ocean disrupting reefs and animals.
The disadvantage is it is not live from the get go and you have make it, cure it and seed it, thus taking more time to get it to its useful stage.
on the otherhand...
Live rock still takes time to cure, but it is instant rock that can go right in the tank. You get as many good hitchhikers as bad. You have to make the shapes it comes in work, but a hammer helps. Probably the worst thing is it comes from the ocean disrupting reefs and animals.
saltykelly
Member
I've never made LR before, but it seems simple enough. I hear it take 6 weeks to cure. The main part I'm concerned about is making shapes. I don't think I could make good shapes. I want to make it somewhat branchy and thick.
funman1
Active member
Check out these guys..
I will prolly get my "LR" from them on my next tank.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Eco-RoX-(-Fiji-Rock-)/c7/index.html
I will prolly get my "LR" from them on my next tank.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Eco-RoX-(-Fiji-Rock-)/c7/index.html
bored4long
New member
Well, I was facing the same choice you are last summer. I originally decided to go with DIY to save on $$. I love the shape of Fiji rock and just couldn't make DIY rock that looked like Fiji so I abandoned that plan.
I ended up just cherry picking really nice established rock from other aquarists in the area that were either downsizing or quitting and I'm very happy with that choice (not to mention great prices - paying anywhere from $2-$3 per pound). In a months time, I picked up about 100 pounds from three different club members.
Anyways, my recommendation is this:
1. Get established LR from others in the area. Put it in a trash can and let it cook for 4-6 weeks. It will be choice stuff.
2. Buy Marco Rocks. Just awesome fiji rock. (if you decide to go this route, let me know, I'll piggy back on your order. I'd love some small fiji from them)
3. Make own.
I ended up just cherry picking really nice established rock from other aquarists in the area that were either downsizing or quitting and I'm very happy with that choice (not to mention great prices - paying anywhere from $2-$3 per pound). In a months time, I picked up about 100 pounds from three different club members.
Anyways, my recommendation is this:
1. Get established LR from others in the area. Put it in a trash can and let it cook for 4-6 weeks. It will be choice stuff.
2. Buy Marco Rocks. Just awesome fiji rock. (if you decide to go this route, let me know, I'll piggy back on your order. I'd love some small fiji from them)
3. Make own.
bored4long
New member
That Eco Rocks looks like a good option, too, Steve. Nice find. I wonder who has better shipping rates, BulkReef or MarcoRocks.
bladeruner143
Premium Member
If you have a way to seed the DIY rock, I would do that. Aaron (airinhere) makes some pretty nice DIY rock ( he gave the presentation at the Nov meeting). I got some really nice shapes that you wouldn't be able to get from real LR and in about 4 months, it was completely encrusted and now you can't even tell that its DIY.
bored4long
New member
Rudy, can you post some pix?
bladeruner143
Premium Member
I can try to do so when I get home. i dont have the best camera either for any of these pics so sorry for the bad quality.
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bladeruner143
Premium Member
Ok, so here is a shot of one of the newest ones ( and my favorite piece). I love this piece because it has a little cave plus the top is completely flat which would have been a good spot to place frags, but by the time I actually got some nice frags to put in my tank, my Nem decided to park itself right there and now I cant move the rock because I dont want to hurt or disturb the Nem! Anyways, here's the first shot.
This is about a month afterwards (Sorry for not having a full shot)
and when I get home, I will post a picture of this rock when I get home to show you guys what it looks like now. As you guys can tell, this specific rock is at the bottom of the tank under all kinds of other rock, which means that it is basically getting little or no light. When I post the pics later, you will be able to see just how much growth I was able to get on it within a few months! Oh, also, here's a little game for you guys. In either pictures, besides the rock I told you guys about, can you guess which ones are REAL LR and which are DIY LR?!
(BTW, Mark, see all of that HA on some of these rocks, all of it is gone now thanks to my little friend that Kevin gave me! He'll be in your hands tonight!!!)
This is about a month afterwards (Sorry for not having a full shot)
and when I get home, I will post a picture of this rock when I get home to show you guys what it looks like now. As you guys can tell, this specific rock is at the bottom of the tank under all kinds of other rock, which means that it is basically getting little or no light. When I post the pics later, you will be able to see just how much growth I was able to get on it within a few months! Oh, also, here's a little game for you guys. In either pictures, besides the rock I told you guys about, can you guess which ones are REAL LR and which are DIY LR?!
(BTW, Mark, see all of that HA on some of these rocks, all of it is gone now thanks to my little friend that Kevin gave me! He'll be in your hands tonight!!!)
bladeruner143
Premium Member
Ok, as I said before, my camera isnt the best so it doesnt show what everything really looks like, but you can get the idea.
and the left side
and the left side
