Tampa Live Rock

[Katmanblue]

The search engine is down so I apologize in advance if this topic has been done already----however:

I live in S.FL, 3 hours from Tampa and was wondering if anyone has recently ordered LR from TampaBay Saltwater. The product is a "man made" aquacultured rock. Being 3 hours away I could save on the shipping; they're showing a $5/lb price which blows away my LFS. Anyway, just curious as tothe quality of the rock. I'm sure it won't be purple Fiji but I also dont want cinder blocks covered with aiptasia...eek.

http://www.tbsaltwater.com/

 

[MinnFish]

You have to look no further than the sponsor forum here. They are an official sponsor of RC. Here the link http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1428884

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

 

[Katmanblue]

Well, I must have hit the easy button, thanks for the quick response!

 

[Zestay]

3 hours away? where do you live?!

 

[Katmanblue]

Boynton Beach

 

[MinnFish]

Not a problem. Glad i could help. I can only say, i read good things about them. No first hand experience, but i did think hard about it. On my next project, we will see. Good luck and give us your feedback.

 

[abulgin]

Before you run off and buy this rock, you should understand what it is and its pros and cons. There is a great piece about live rock in Anthony Calfo's Reef Invertebrates, comparing Pacific live rock (the stuff you see in most LFS) and Florida Aquacultured Rock, which, I believe, is what you're looking at. The latter is basically a bunch of limestone that they've dug out of some poor island in the Bahamas and dumped in the Gulf of Mexico to cook for 7-10 years. People that sell it claim that it's much more environmentally friendly than taking Pacific rock. Well, I don't know how friendly it is to destroy an island/forest/etc. and dump a bunch of rock on sand flats in the Gulf. Most of the Pacific rock they take is broken pieces of reef. I don't think people dynamite reefs anymore.

Yes, because of the short distance it has to travel, it is covered with all sorts of life and is really "live" when it hits your tank (no storing, scrubbing, shipping half way around the world, etc). No, it is a not as good of a biofilter as Pacific live rock, which, truthfully, is what most of us use live rock for, right? This is because it's much heavier/more dense than Pacific live rock--it's made of the same things, just millions of years old, compacted from pressure/heat--so it isn't anywhere near as porous.

It may be $5.99/lb, but it's probably 50% heavier than what you find in your LFS.

All I'm saying is--do your research, because live rock is a major purchase and one that makes a lot of difference in your tank.

 

[divemonster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13089322#post13089322 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by abulgin
The latter is basically a bunch of limestone that they've dug out of some poor island in the Bahamas and dumped in the Gulf of Mexico to cook for 7-10 years.

Actually it was fossilized coral rock that was mined and purchased from the Bahamian government.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13089322#post13089322 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by abulgin
People that sell it claim that it's much more environmentally friendly than taking Pacific rock. Well, I don't know how friendly it is to destroy an island/forest/etc. and dump a bunch of rock on sand flats in the Gulf. Most of the Pacific rock they take is broken pieces of reef. I don't think people dynamite reefs anymore

Not only is dynamite still used today, but so is cyanide in fish collection. Incidently, where they dumped "a bunch of rock on sand flats in the Gulf" there is now an artifical reef teeming with life where there was none before.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13089322#post13089322 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by abulgin
. . . No, it is a not as good of a biofilter as Pacific live rock,

Are you saying this because there is more surface area (due to the porous nature of the rock) for bacteria to colonize eventually? Just wondering because mostly dead rock is not very effective as a "biofilter," but eventually after many weeks of curing and cycling only then does it start to become an effective biofilter.