Pacific Live Rock?

[KingOfAll_Tyrants]

Hey all,

Considering what live rock to get. I've agonized for months, but rather than waiting for dry rock to go, or getting simple coraline only rock, I want to go old-school with needs-to-be-cured-taken-from-the-sea aquacultured rock.

Tampa Bay Saltwater looks highly recommended, especially their shipping in seawater policy. They're the almost certain choice. However, their rock is cultured in the Gulf of Mexico, and I'm looking to build an Indo-pacific biotope.....

Is there anyone that offers aquacultured rock from the Pacific anymore? Is this reliable or recommended vs. airfreighted Florida rock? (this has the disadvantage that it's shipped in newspaper and has a good amount of dieoff - unless there's someone who air freights South Pacific rock for anything less than an exorbidant price) I get mixed reviews about Marine Depot's fiji live rock. I know someone in Molokai cultures live rock, but I don't know about the quality, and I'd imagine that airfreighting only for myself would be expensive.

Thanks,

 

[Timfish]

It may take a little bit of research but I would look for fresh, transhipped live rock from Walt Smith. For what it's worth some of the cryptic sponges species which are critical for establishing a fully functional reef ecosystem are circumtropical so you'll get the same species on live rock maricultured in Florida. Obviously there's other species unique to the Carbbean.

 

[KingOfAll_Tyrants]

Cool, thanks! I will look into Walt Smith, though I don't think anyone local carries his premium flown-in rock.

 

[Timfish]

You might be able to find someone to tranship it directly to you. Unfortunately the company I used to use went out of business in 2008 and since then I've just used Tampa Bay and FLorida Live Rock.

 

[Ron Reefman]

You might be seriously over thinking the issue too. Just start out with some good looking dry rock that you like the look of and go with it. It will become live soon enough.

I have some TBS live rock. If you are serious about trying not to have anything but South Pacific stuff in your tank, don't go with TBS live rock. It's crazy alive with stuff from the Gulf of Mexico. I only got 25 pounds to start up a 65g shallow reef with local stuff from the Gulf and the Florida Keys. It has sponges, algae, hermits, snails, crabs and sometimes stuff you don't want; like mantis shrimp, stone crabs, fire worms and more. Mine came with a 4" Gulf Toadfish!

 

[KingOfAll_Tyrants]

Thanks, Ron. Indeed I am overthinking, but I am in the phase where I'm waiting for my first tank to arrive and am gradually acquiring everything else necessary, so this is the time to over think such things.

TBS is almost certainly where I'll get most of my LR and LS from; I was checking to see if, in the off chance, there's anyone who offers a similar non-Gulf of Mexico product for a reasonable price. I did email Walt Smith to see if they have a local distributor, I'll see what they say.

 

[KingOfAll_Tyrants]

Just to follow up on this: Walt Smith gave me a US distributor, who did not respond to several "where can I buy your stuff at?" inquiries. Unfortunately, it seems to rest there. So, if live rock with all kinds of hitchikers is your thing, TBS (best marketing on RC by far, which is a plus IMO), Floridaliverock, ARC corals (gets it from the Atlantic side vice the GoMexico side) seem to be the best options for US-based folks.

 

[GoVols]

The days of the primo live rock is long gone. 20 years ago you could get Figi and Marshall Island that was so awesome. I bought some Caribbean rock about five years ago. Full of mantis shrimp. I still have a lot old rock but when I add it's real reef and life rock.
I hate bad hitch hikers and want to do my part to save the Figi and Marshall Islands.

If you got lucky and could get the Pacific real deal I couldn't imagine the price. Nothing like it thought. If you never had it there's nothing to compare it to