Any body have Fiji branch for their live rock?

coral88 · May 21, 2009

I am going to be setting up a new tank (40 breeder) and am thinking of using Fiji branch. A LFS will give me a good deal on it and I would like to have something a little different. But the only pic I have seen of it is the one from the wholesaler. And they tend to show the best hand picked pieces and not what comes in the box. So if you have some lets see some pics please
And I do mean Fiji and not Tonga

Alti · May 21, 2009

Unless you get really large branches it tough to aquascape with. Most people end up with nothing more than a pile of branches. Its also tough to place corals on.

coral88 · May 22, 2009

I'm up for the challenge. I have setup a lot of tanks over the years and would like a new look. I'm thinking I will use reef putty to attach the rock in as natural of a configuration as possible. I plan on having acans on the bottom and monties on the rock. The encrusting montis will be easy to attach and the branching ones will be attached to the ends of the branches.

DaveJ · May 22, 2009

The branch is incredibility dense.. and probably not quite as effective as the more porous rock for bio-filtration. Usually you see it in Fish Only tanks if its the dominate LR used.. typically you see it as highlight pieces in Reef Tanks. I've used it quite a bit in the past, as well as the slab but only as spot features in the LR or to breakup roundness and edges etc.

Hypertek99 · May 23, 2009

Can you post pics? What are the difference between fiji and tonga branch?

Reef Empire · May 23, 2009

We just picked up 3 boxes of the Fiji branch rock while we were in LA in the last few weeks. The majority of the boxes we looked through were awesome. Some of the biggest pieces (great shapes/formations also) that we have seen in YEARS. IMO the Tonga is "smoother" and the Fiji is more bumpy... Thats about the most general way to put it. But we haven't seen color like this in a looong time. Some of the pieces are 30"+ long, crazy shapes, awesome color... We got this huge dead "acro" like piece that has to be 18" in diameter and maybe 12"+ tall. Like a huge piece of broccoli! I'll try to post some pictures on Monday. This stuff is awesome...

SeaSlug · May 23, 2009

I used mostly Tonga branch when I set up my all monti cap 40 breeder , made for a very nice look , but now that the monti cap has grown out of control ( lol ) it's hard to tell where it is . Although all the gaps and tunnels I made with it are still being used by the fish when they swim through the structure , so I'm happy with it .