Uncured live rock form GOM

[Subsea]

My most favorite surprise is to see things sprout on diver collected aquacultured live rock. I got it uncured from a collection depth of 50' just 30 miles west of Tampa Bay. It include at least two deep water red macros, hopefully Red Grapes & Dragon's Breath. This rock was in an outside quarantine tank for 4 months. It has had first treatment for Aiptasia.

This tank is 130G and is being cycled to be a lagoon/patch reef at a lower light intensity than other tanks.

 

[Devaji108]

looks like nice rock!

 

[Subsea]

Things I like about aquacultured GOM rock: it is a sustainable resources brought about thru the vision of environmental stewards who realized the demand on the aquatic wildlife. In the Tampa Bay area three companies have planted more than 20 million pounds of Byozone Limestone on their offshore leases. Each company leases are more than 20 years old?

I like the diversity that this rock brings into my marine aquaria. At present, the rock is in a 130G tank being cycled with mollies. I have two rocks to hand manicure. The mollies provide light grooming. I would consider a Scat in this lagoon before a tang. Tangs will not be allowed in this tank for a year.

 

[FinzAquatics]

Used to keep mollies in my marine tanks several years back. Had a baby shark and stingray that kept the population of them down.. Worked out well, they kept tank clean and tank had a steady food source

 

[Subsea]

I use them like big pods. I enjoy the variety of color that mollies provide as well as being a good dither fish. However, hatchery raised mollies have no awareness to the dangers in a reef environment.
I operate many tanks with coral frags that keep mollies. It is not so boring to feed the tank. Frags grow with nitrogen source and mollies trim the lawn.

 

[Subsea]

looks like nice rock!

Dale Barger is diver/owner of Gulf Coadt Live Rock. His lease is 20 miles further offshore than the other two leases.

My last purchase was for 50lbs. He inquired specifically, what did I favor in selection, the night before he dove. After the dive, he called me up at 2PM on the boat ride in. At 7PM it shipped from Tampa Bay, I collected it from the Austin Air Frieght terminal at 11PM. At midnight, I put it in outside 150G tanks buried in the ground. In less than 12 hours, this live rock moved from offshore Florida in 50' deep water to 3' deep water in Texas. His reef is in 50' of water compared to 20', I felt that diversity at that depth more suited my vision.

If my picture taking does it justice, the next rock was in the same shipment as the macro live rock on post #1. It shows the extreme biodiversity on this deeper water live rock.
Live bivalves, yellow & Orange byozone, tunicates, fans and feathers of different colors.
When inspected, this rock showed some Aiptasia, which were removed with h2o2 injection and in some cases Kalk past.

 

[Devaji108]

^ yup love the GOM rock I have about 50#of TBS walt smith rock coming at some point when i get my build ready 10#or so going in to my 20L macro the rest in the 90..

 

[mokeyz]

Too bad that Gulf Coast Live Rock doesn't ship the rock submerged like Tampa Bay Saltwater does. TBS rock is so fresh. I know it costs more to ship then in wet newspaper but I think it is worth it.

 

[Subsea]

Too bad that Gulf Coast Live Rock doesn't ship the rock submerged like Tampa Bay Saltwater does. TBS rock is so fresh. I know it costs more to ship then in wet newspaper but I think it is worth it.

I asked Dale about shipping it submerged in water. He will do it, if customer pays for it.
However, he indicated that the real advantage was if something died, it would not contaminate water effecting other sensitive invertebrates. It seemed reasonable to me.

 

[mokeyz]

That's good that he offers that option. The thing is with TBS rock is that Richard literally puts it from his water into the bags filled with water and ships it to your local airport the same day you pick it up. The water is crystal clear and has no odor whatsoever - it's about as close as you can get to taking it out of the ocean and putting it in your tank.