What's everyone doing for live rock now?

[Imaexpat2]

Thanks for sharing the LR link. I wish I bought a box when setting up my tank (though I guess it wouldn't have been available then). I started with dry rock and bacteria. Plenty of coralline, but it's all purples and green, and there isn't much "life" to the tank, even with the addition of frags and pods over the year. I may look into the GARF grunge (though how diverse can their grunge be if it's been recycled for the last 20 years, even if it has been fed a varied diet?).

I'd love to buy a rock or two of that fiji direct LR, or maybe a bag of live sand from the pacific.

http://www.garf.org/GRUNGEPLUS1/SHOW/index.html

Also from their website...

GARF GRUNGE*
BACTERIA AND OTHER ORGANISMS FROM THE FINEST MARINE AQUARIUMS THAT WE HAVE KEPT DURING THE LAST TWENTY YEARS. WE ADD TO THIS GENETIC POOL OF FILTER ANIMALS EACH TIME WE RECEIVE LIVE ROCK FOR OUR RESEARCH.
GARF GRUNGE* HAS A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF CORALINE ALGAE SPECIES IN IT.

NO WILD LIVE SAND CAN HAVE THE BIODIVERSITY FOUND IN THIS ACTIVATOR!
$5.00 PER POUND
Reef aquariums require a large variety of organisms to filter the water properly. Aquarium habitat is very different from ocean habitat.

Live Sand from a natural reef is good for starting marine aquariums, but each location on a reef has a limited number of species. Poor packing and shipping methods further deplete this fragile wild population.

We have been keeping an unbroken chain of successful reef aquariums in Idaho since 1977. Several times during this period we have had over 100 aquariums. We have researched captive breeding of such diverse species as Chambered Nautilus and Acropora coral.
LIVE ROCK RESEARCH
Our continuing research into the commercial production of tank raised live rock has allowed us to purchase tons of prime live rock and live sand. We select species from the rock for our live rock genetic bank.
During the last year I was able to purchase over 1000 lbs. of the live sand and rubble from the bottom of the live rock holding tanks at several of the most famous live rockers.

This mixture was much more than just live sand!! Hundreds of invertebrates from the tons of live rock held in these tanks are now reproducing here in Idaho.

 

[tank121]

Check out http://www.livestockusa.org/UPDATES.html

They have just made available artificial Fiji rock -- I ordered two boxes and will see it Friday.

Per email conversation with Mitch, they are also still ACTIVELY working to get some real, genuine, authentic OLD-SCHOOL stuff in the next few weeks. This could be worth your wait..... See further down in the Current Update page: "For live rock, there is a guy on an island in the Pacific right now setting up to ship live rock. We are hoping to hear in the next couple or few weeks if it is ready to go. So there is light at the end of that tunnel, it is getting closer, and soon there will again be 5-star, AAA-grade, real deal, air freight fresh live rock from the Pacific. I am guessing it will be higher too. They are working on the freight rate negotiations, which is most of the cost of it. "

Let us know how it looks when it comes in. I plan on buying a couple boxes of the real rock when it comes available.

 

[Kengar]

Let us know how it looks when it comes in. I plan on buying a couple boxes of the real rock when it comes available.

I spoke with Mitch. Island time....... Hard to say. They are actively working on arrangements, and I will probably swap out some of the other stuff I got from the place in Ohio a few months ago when the real deal stuff comes in, but I jumped at this stuff. I NEED to see some life in this build!

 

[Kengar]

Let us know how it looks when it comes in. I plan on buying a couple boxes of the real rock when it comes available.

Turns out this was Walt Smith stuff..... at least it came packaged in Walt Smith boxes. Okay, I guess, but to be honest feeling a little "meh" over it. I'll post photos when lights are back on over it tomorrow.

 

[lgtentacle]

Turns out this was Walt Smith stuff..... at least it came packaged in Walt Smith boxes. Okay, I guess, but to be honest feeling a little "meh" over it. I'll post photos when lights are back on over it tomorrow.

Any pics yet?