Gonzo59 Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 One question I can not seem to answer is about live rock "harvesting". Where and how is it harvested? Because it is harvested from ocean reefs, I am not sure I want to start this hobby... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 You can get dry rock from Bulk Reef or other places and seed it with LiveRock. Most commercial live rock businesses will replace double what they take with dry rock so it's sustainable. You can also buy LR off the forums from people breaking down tanks. About 2/3 of my tank is dry rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 I got Bulk Reef Supply's Reef Saver rock which is mined from old dry reefs. i love it. it stacks very well and has lots of holes and pores. GOM Live Rock (gulf of mexico or gifts of mermaid) is from leases that people..well...lease and they put rock in the ocean to get seeded and then take it back out. If i think about it i'll take a picture of some of the rock i have left over. you wont need much for a 14g tank. it's the dry reef saver rock. off topic - i also have some basic API test kits (Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, Ph) that i don't use any more since i trust my tank is cycled. i can hand that over since it's just going to waste here. i have no idea how much is left, but it'll get you started. actually, i have Ca and Alk tests, too, since i have switched to red sea on those. that said, it may not have all of the test tubes (they're fragile...) and caps (kittens...). but it should be enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Live rock isn't harvested from ocean reefs anymore. Live rock is sort of farmed by commercial organizations. They deposit dry rock in the ocean, allow it to become colonized and then they harvest it. Many people use dry rock or create their own rocks out of cement and other such materials. In a year or two you won't even be able to tell what kind of rock it used to be. There are pros and cons to each type of rock out there. For you, I would only consider three types of rock. Uncured Live Rock - Uncured LR is really interesting especially for new people to the hobby. It comes in with all sorts of critters and things on it that make the first aquarium very fun. Every day you'll see something new crawling or growing out of the rock. It's cheaper than cured live rock. However, uncured LR takes more work because you have to cure it and identify possible bad critters that you don't want. You also have to wait for the chemistry to settle before you can start adding stuff. It sells for about $3 per pound on live aquaria. Dry Rock - Dry rock is good because it's the cheapest option. It also gives you the most control over your aquarium. Nothing will be alive on your rock when it arrives, so the only things in your tank will be what you put in there yourself. This is good because you don't have to worry about catching any pests, but it's not as fun as discovering new things like uncured rock. You'll also need to wait 3-6 months for your rock to grow stuff on it. I waited two months before adding anything to my tank. I would also suggest buying a bottle of bacteria. It sells for about $2 per pound on reefcleaners.org Live Rock from Peers - Getting your live rock from your peers is another good option. It's sort of like recycling and you don't have to worry about where your rock has come from or what it has on it. You'll discover a small amount of stuff that will come with your rock like snails, crabs, or stars. However, it may come with pests depending on who you get it from. It's common to see tanks covered in hair algae and such. The best thing about live rock from your peers is that you can add fish and corals right away. The price is normally around $2-3 per pound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 Phew! I was sorried there for a second. Thanks for the info Planeden, I PM'd you about the supplies Thanks guys, Gonz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 UPDATE! Had an exciting weekend! Made it ti the RCA first Friday sale and picked some arag and a few lbs of live rock rubble. Missed the Niko's grand opening but stopped by Aquadome today and picked up some premixed saltwater. That, mixed with the DR and testing supplies given to me by Planeden and the tank water, sand scoop and cheato by Bluemoon means that the tank is off to a great start! Cleaned the FW tank on Friday with some vinegar and water, let it sit for a few days and placed the sand bed, and dry rock a few hours ago . Tank is still a little murky but will still post pics. Majority of the LRR is in the sump on top of some bioballs. Thanks for all the help! Advice is welcome. Gonzo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Woops! Meant to post this in tank builds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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