Joel Tamez Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I was thinking about ordering some live rock online through liveaquaria.com. Is there anything I should know about ordering live rock online, and has anyone ordered from liveaquaria.com? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Everyone has ordered from live aquaria. No problems. I think most people would tell you that if you are ordering rock on line, it should be dead. Saves on cost ( lighter, cheaper base price), no nasty hitch hikers, and you'll get a cycle using live rock due to die off anyways (although it will be shorter). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainK Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 If you do go with live rock I would not recommend ordering in the middle of summer unless they provide plenty of cold packs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 The local LFS's usually have good live and possibly dry rock as well. The cost for LA live rock plus shipping is pretty ridiculous IMO. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtovar Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 bulkreefsupply.com sells great dry live rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Tamez Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 What about buying manufactured live rock? Is it as good as real live rock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I think it's too new to know for sure. I have a piece in my nano and it looks great. But; it costs more than 'real' live rock. If you are starting a new tank and are dead set on using live rock right from the start, buy it locally (lfs or someone taking a tank down). You can usually get it cheaper than buying on line/shipping. In fact, someone recently posted about selling live rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Tamez Posted July 28, 2014 Author Share Posted July 28, 2014 (edited) Awesome, thanks everyone. Edited July 28, 2014 by Joel Tamez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 If you want to go with live rock, go with http://www.liverocknreef.com/ a ton more variety and better rock. Oterwise go dry with BRS dry rock or http://reefcleaners.org/ dry rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Tamez Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 Thanks for the info. Which is better, live rock or dry rock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Dry rock becomes live rock in the end. The benefit to DR is it's pest free (aiptasia, bad crabs, etc), usually cheaper, you can play with your aqua scraping outside the tank, usually environmentally friendly. Downside is it will take a bit longer to cycle the tank, and you have to wait for it to get covered in coralline algae. Like I said before, unless you can get all the LR you need locally (saves on shipping) I think you'd be better off with DR. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Liveaquaria.com is a supurb seller and I don't think twice before ordering from them. As for dry or live, I've done both. Dry rock is easy. You can drill it or cement it in your garage without worrying about anything dying. You won't have to worry about it leaching phosphates or anything into the water and you don't get any hitchhikers (good or bad). However, it takes 2-3 months for it to really color up and look natural. It also doesn't come with live bacteria so stocking has to be done slowly. Dry rock is the cheapest option. Uncured rock is super fun. The rock comes with all sorts of stuff and you really get to see the tank come alive if you cure it in your tank. You get everything, both stuff that you don't want and stuff that you are excited to have. Uncured rock has to cure and during that time you shouldn't add any stock to the tank. Of course you don't need too! Every day you'll wake up and see something new growing or crawling around. Again, both good and bad. Uncured rock from liveaquaria.com is about the same as dry rock and often goes on sale for $1.80 a pound. Second hand live rock is great. Typically, the rock has been cured for years and you don't get any hitchhikers that you don't want. The rock is wet and has the bacteria all ready to go for a great start. Unfortunately, there are more bad tanks than good tanks out there and you have to be careful not to end up with a tank full of undesirable algae or aiptasia. Second hand live rock is normally $2-4 per pound. I have had the most success with dry rock, but it's boring and requires a bottle of bacteria to get it started. Second hand rock has some good pros but it has the most undesirables than dry and uncured rock. Uncured is the most fun and the most work. If you get uncured rock then I recommend 6 months before stocking so that you make sure none of the crazy stuff remains. You will also start with an ich free tank! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I would rather deal with hitchhiking crabs and mantis shrimp than bubble algae, aiptasia and xenia. That's why I would rather by uncured than second hand rock. That's just my opinion. Pick your poison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 MIddle ground is manufactured LR (like real reef) which several LFSs carry. Like sascha said, dry rock is cheaper and removes pests from the equation. LR gives you more biodiversity at the expense of cost and pest risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I used the BRS pukani dry rock and really like it. Folks have already described the pros/cons of dry rock. I chose longer time to come alive vs unwanted hitchhikers. I did have to deal with it\\the dry rock releasing phosphates for several weeks, but I expected that and planned for it. I think it is great looking rock though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I used the BRS pukani dry rock and really like it. Folks have already described the pros/cons of dry rock. I chose longer time to come alive vs unwanted hitchhikers. I did have to deal with it\\the dry rock releasing phosphates for several weeks, but I expected that and planned for it. I think it is great looking rock though +1 on the BRS dry pukani rock. I used it to fill up my 210-gal and it was nice that they allowed me to request the type of rock (i.e. give me the largest rocks you got). I combined it with my existing live rock in the new tank and it seeded in no time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiddyORION Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Why not visit the aquadome? They have a nice variety of cured live rock- both synthetic and real rock imported from Fiji. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 aquadome does have a really nice selection of LR, but If your planning on stocking a larger tank completely with Iive rock IMO the price isn't worth it. Ill hop on the BRS dry rock band wagon and say if your ordering online it's the way to go. I just put mine in a plastic bin with a few live pieces from the dome and RCA. Add 2 cheap amazon pumps for circulation, start the farmerTy fertilizer plan(adding skimmate to the bin) and 2 months later wala! beautiful base and island rocks ready for some intimate encounters with super gel. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 You've blabbed my super secret cycling dry rock plan! You're out of my secret circle Bluemoon! Sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Tamez Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 When ordering dead pukani rock, is stander shipping, or will I need to get faster shipping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joel Tamez Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Thanks for all the great info everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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