Where to get beautiful live rock (harvested not dry)

[OceanJack]

I understand that the options of Fiji and Pukani actual live rock has been a extinct idea for the last 8-10 years.
Starting up a new tank and was going to buy live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater, but it looks like they just have large bulky looking rock.

Are there any live rock options where it's harvested from the ocean any longer?

 

[DDenny]

Tampa Bay Saltwater
Gulf Liverocks
KP aquatics

Those are probably the three that I see most.

 

[crazyfishmom]

I will say that the rock I received from Tampa Bay Saltwater was top notch. The rock itself was not very heavy so I got a lot of pieces for the number of pounds I purchased.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I understand that the options of Fiji and Pukani actual live rock has been a extinct idea for the last 8-10 years.
Starting up a new tank and was going to buy live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater, but it looks like they just have large bulky looking rock.

Are there any live rock options where it's harvested from the ocean any longer?

Look for Jakarta live rock. That is what I got and it was full of life. Some life that can not be bought like stomatella snails and elephant slugs.

 

[fish farmer]

There is Australian Live Rock...but it is spendy.

 

[jabberwock]

I had great results with TBS. We emailed back and forth and discussed my goals, and they delivered. Check my Tank Thread for details.

 

[OrionN]

Get dry rock but also added TBS Live rock to seed it. You can, if you are luckily, get nice dried out LR from before.

 

[jabberwock]

Get dry rock but also added TBS Live rock to seed it. You can, if you are luckily, get nice dried out LR from before.

I don't like mixing them. This typically leads to dry rock algae islands and really nice live rock...

 

[OrionN]

I don't like mixing them. This typically leads to dry rock algae islands and really nice live rock...

Then I guess you are out of luck unless you live near the sea and seed the rock yourself. That was what I did and I got a wonderful diverse fauna and flora.

 

[jabberwock]

Then I guess you are out of luck unless you live near the sea and seed the rock yourself. That was what I did and I got a wonderful diverse fauna and flora.

Well, I am not out of luck...

I drove to Tampa and did local pick up with TBS.

 

[OrionN]

Well, I am not out of luck...

I drove to Tampa and did local pick up with TBS.

I got @jabberwock mixed up with OP. @OceanJack did nto like the look of TBS rock so I suggest that he use nice looking dry rock and seeded it with TBS. @jabberwock answer that he does not like to mix rocks. Thinking it this is the OP answer, if he is dead set of natural LR rather than farmed LR, then he is out of luck.

I too love TBS live rock. They are really full of life.

 

[OceanJack]

Thank you, all!

I decided to go with a mix of Australian Live Rock and some Gulf LR. You all weren't wrong, Aussie rock is crazy expensive ($25 lb).

So I plan on doing 15lbs of that and supplementing the remaining with rock from TBS or KP aquatic.

Anyone use the base or premium rock from TBS or KP?

 

[TX_REEF]

I have purchased live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater @LiverockRocks and love it personally. High quality rock teeming with life.

 

[OceanJack]

I have purchased live rock from Tampa Bay Saltwater @LiverockRocks and love it personally. High quality rock teeming with life.

Was it the base rock you bought or the premium deco?
It says to not use premium rock to cycle new tanks.

 

[UMALUM]

Thank you, all!

I decided to go with a mix of Australian Live Rock and some Gulf LR. You all weren't wrong, Aussie rock is crazy expensive ($25 lb).

So I plan on doing 15lbs of that and supplementing the remaining with rock from TBS or KP aquatic.

Anyone use the base or premium rock from TBS or KP?

This was my order from KP last year..



I think it speaks for itself.
I did order a couple small boxes for a project from TBS and while customer service was excellent premium rock is not suppose to sit around in Jacksonville for an extra day. By the time I stopped the die off it just rendered mediocre base rock.

 

[TX_REEF]

Was it the base rock you bought or the premium deco?
It says to not use premium rock to cycle new tanks.

I bought premium, but only because I was adding it as additional bio media to an already established system.

 

[shcrimps]

tankstop has aussie live rock regular and premium and really nice pieces
never again will i start a tank off just dry rock again, so much easier going with real live rock

 

[OceanJack]

This was my order from KP last year..



I think it speaks for itself.
I did order a couple small boxes for a project from TBS and while customer service was excellent premium rock is not suppose to sit around in Jacksonville for an extra day. By the time I stopped the die off it just rendered mediocre base rock.

That premium or base rock? Looks solid, is it very dense or pretty lightweight rock?

 

[OceanJack]

tankstop has aussie live rock regular and premium and really nice pieces
never again will i start a tank off just dry rock again, so much easier going with real live rock

That's who I am planning on ordering from, I only need 20lbs. Deciding if I should split it as it's 25 bucks a pound.

 

[UMALUM]

That premium or base rock? Looks solid, is it very dense or pretty lightweight rock?

Premium, I would say it was a good mix.