Thinking about aqua-cultured rock

[jcmccue]

I am building a new 90 gallon tank with 30 gallon sump. I am starting to think about what type of live rock to buy. I am thinking about aquacultured rock from Florida. I like the idea of sustainable products. Does anyone have any experience or opinions. I hope to order in the next few weeks

Thanks

 

[jenglish]

I had some rock given to me from a fellow reefer that was aquacultured. It was kind of mixed, some of it was decently shaped and somewhat porous. A few pieces had edges that were obviously quarried and were like Indiana limestone that sat in a fish tank. A softball sized piece was the weight of a football sized piece of fiji. But some peices were really pretty decent.

On the other hand you know you are not buying up reef from the wild. Whethor that means that same reef is turned into concrete instead is debatable.

 

[WaterKeeper]

True, Caribbean rock is less porous than the rock form the pacific but it is usually a good choice and you can add some pacific base rock to enhance it.

 

[jcmccue]

Thanks for the feedback

I think that am will use a mix, I saw some nicerock at a LFS in Richmond

 

[macronut]

I purchased farmed rock from Florida. It had a lot of life, much heavier, but the life on it surpassed any Fiji or Marshall Island I had purchased in the past. I got some really nice caribbean corals that you can't purchase at your LFS unless on florida rock. Nice gorgonians turkey wing mollusk, tunicates, sponge. Buy those individually would be much more expensive than the initial cost of the rock..kinda like freebies. I also recieved bluelegs and scarlets crabs that hitched a ride, plus there were some really nice algaes as well.

There is a drawback as you can get some unwanted pest like gorilla crabs, mantis shrimp, but you can also get pest with fiji rock as well.

 

[WaterKeeper]

I concur :thumbsup:

 

[ladyshark]

I started out with Tampa Bay Saltwater aquacultured rock. It was fascinating all the stuff that came with it. Thinking about doing it again.
They have a vendor thread on Reef Central

 

[stanlalee]

sorry florida aquacultured rock is terrible. Big round heavy boulders. Of course it has more life, limestone dumped into the gulf and haversted right off american waters. That works both ways. More life and more pest to remove too. To me its the ugliest rock you can buy base or live, pacific or carribean and beyond being eco friendly and the benefits of seeing that excess life the first 6 months it eventually ends up just looking like poorly shaped seeded/established base rock. except for some feather dusters and the coral polyps here and there all that visual life dies off when it runs its course in a well kept reef long term just like it does with any ocean rock placed into a low nutrient (read well kept) reef aquarium. I'll be sticking with pacific until there's a better alternative structurally or that option runs cold which is going to happen sooner or later.

 

[billford]

i love my rock from tampa bay saltwater.ive had it for a year and if i look, im still finding creatures i havent seen before.

 

[ladyshark]

I would nnot underestimate the value of ensuring that we don't strip the oceans of structure that should stay there just because we think it looks better in our aquariums!

My tampa bay has been with me for about 5 years now and it still contains original sponge which continues to spread to this day (very cool pink variety) The only reason it doesn't have other coral is because I am not skilled in that area. The fascinating piece of ocean lasted well over six months, no question. I had dozens of porcelin crab, some red mithrax crab and many many tiny brittle stars that grew to adult size, and lived for a long long time. I basically gave up on the reef idea because I could not keep up with it, and went to fish only with live rock--the same rock from Florida.

I thought it was a great idea, and again, may do it again. Its a great way to start off a reef, rather than get naked rock and add coral later.

 

[rustyjames]

jcm, where in richmond? there is nothing around me, and was thinking about making the drive for some rock.

 

[jcmccue]

Atlantis Aquariums. They are a great LFS, with lots of positive feedback from everyone that I have talked to.

Good rock and lots of corals