Question about live rock and hitch hikers

KHow

Member
Last January when I set up my 36 Bowfront, I bought a bunch of "live rock"!from my local LFS. The shop is sorta new, but well stocked and run by seemingly very knowledgeable owners. It is what I would consider a very reputable place. When i set up my tank, the rock really didn't seem all that "alive". No hitch hikers, no real macro biotic life at all. The tank cycled well and aside from the usual new hobbiest mistakes, it is doing just fine. I sort wonder though if I got what I payed for? Any thoughts or discussion would be awesome!
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
It is live because it has bacteria. There are good and bad hitchhikers so live rock from places Like Tampa bay saltwater where they pull it out of the ocean and ship it air freight to you you will get some really cool stuff but also the bad stuff too. It is a risk and I've considered getting some because of all the stuff on it just haven't quite been ready.
 

jay0705

Well-Known Member
A lfs by me sells carib sea life rock. Its basically engineered live rock
Nice stuff, but u don't get alot of cool stuff u do on actual lr
 

pegasus

Well-Known Member
Most live rock is simply rock that has been colonized with beneficial bacteria, and normally covered with coralline algae. This is the typical rock found in most LFS stores, as well as many online stores. Unless your rock comes directly to you fresh out of the ocean, the odds of it being covered with marine life is very slim. Most rocks that are imported go through a re-curing process, as there is usually quite a bit of die-off during shipping. These rocks are typically exposed to saltwater sprays, while sitting on racks. Much of the flora either dies of falls off, as well as many of the hitchhikers that came along for the ride. TBS rocks aren't treated this way, as they are locally harvested. That's why there's plenty of life still on the rocks once you get them. That's also why they come at a premium price. I typically buy dry rock and allow it to become live naturally. It only takes a small amount of mature live rock to seed the new rock, and there's no worry about any nuisance hitchhikers or algae to deal with. I get a few hitchhikers on corals that I order online, as they don't go through the same salt spray process as rocks. It's much easier to find these things on a small chunk of rock, and remove any pests, than it is on a big rock. Naturally, I don't get the wide variety as fresh harvested rocks, but I've gotten some pretty neat critters along the way. I'd rather play it safe and choose which ones go in my tank, than to try to get rid of an unwanted guest that slipped in under the radar. Just my 2c...

To answer your question... if you paid less than $3 per pound, you got your money's worth
 

Kristin1234

Active Member
Most live rock is simply rock that has been colonized with beneficial bacteria, and normally covered with coralline algae. This is the typical rock found in most LFS stores, as well as many online stores. Unless your rock comes directly to you fresh out of the ocean, the odds of it being covered with marine life is very slim. Most rocks that are imported go through a re-curing process, as there is usually quite a bit of die-off during shipping. These rocks are typically exposed to saltwater sprays, while sitting on racks. Much of the flora either dies of falls off, as well as many of the hitchhikers that came along for the ride. TBS rocks aren't treated this way, as they are locally harvested. That's why there's plenty of life still on the rocks once you get them. That's also why they come at a premium price. I typically buy dry rock and allow it to become live naturally. It only takes a small amount of mature live rock to seed the new rock, and there's no worry about any nuisance hitchhikers or algae to deal with. I get a few hitchhikers on corals that I order online, as they don't go through the same salt spray process as rocks. It's much easier to find these things on a small chunk of rock, and remove any pests, than it is on a big rock. Naturally, I don't get the wide variety as fresh harvested rocks, but I've gotten some pretty neat critters along the way. I'd rather play it safe and choose which ones go in my tank, than to try to get rid of an unwanted guest that slipped in under the radar. Just my 2c...

To answer your question... if you paid less than $3 per pound, you got your money's worth
So $5.00 a lb is way too expensive? Oy.
 

pegasus

Well-Known Member
So $5.00 a lb is way too expensive? Oy.
Depends on the type and quality. Pukani is a good bit more expensive than base rock. For $5 lb, I'd expect it to be pretty much loaded with goodies from the ocean. For basic "cured" rock with few (or no) goodies, yeah... that's way too expensive.
 

KHow

Member
Thanks for the in depth replies! I am almost certain that I paid less than $3 per pound, I don't really remember. The answers you all have provided are exactly what I thought was right. It sounds like I am just feeling a little envious of the cool creatures that some folks have received as lucky (or not so lucky) gifts! Awesome sauce! Now to shop for some diversity! I really have this sea slug interest.
 

pegasus

Well-Known Member
Once you get a fair amount of live rock in your tank, I think it's kind of foolish to pay over a couple of dollars for so-called live rock. The last few batches I bought were reef saver base rock. These rocks don't come with any "surprises", but they don't come with any nuisance hitchhikers, either. These rocks get a good blasting with a garden hose with nozzle to remove dust, dried in the sun for a day or two, and then go directly into the tank. The live rock in the tank will "seed" the new rock, and it will become live as well. Look at this picture and see if you can spot the dry rock that was placed in the tank just three months ago..


20150729_140550A.jpg
 

jay0705

Well-Known Member
In my area, its actually hard to find base. Everyone does live to varying degrees. I do get base when I can find it. Lately its been carib sea life branch rock. I like the branch look.
 

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I'm lucky I get my reef saver at BRS same day, just have to go pick it up at their offices. I bought 2 pieces of live from a not so very local fish store for $11 per pound. It was enough to seed coraline.
 

pegasus

Well-Known Member
I have used Reef Saver base rock in the past, but the last I got was dry, flat-cut marcorocks. That's one of them in the middle... the one that was placed in the tank three months ago. The picture doesn't do it justice, because when you look at it with the naked eyes, it looks identical to the surrounding rocks, so it's difficult to distinguish it from the rocks that are several years old.
 
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