Black Dog's new reef -- live rock plans

[blackdog]

OK, I've been lurking and reading and studying and saving my pennies (make that twenties), and I think I'm ready to get started. I was going to post a large list of everything I planned to do and ask people to comment, but I was afraid it would be too much and make the thread confused. So I'm going to just focus on one area at a time. I'd be interested in hearing comments and concerns about my plans -- anything you'd do differently and such. Thanks in advance...
Right now I have two alternatives for live rock sources, and I'd like to get opinions which way to go. I'm going to name names -- hopefully that's not breaking the rules.
What I have: 55 gal long tank on premade cabinet. Maybe an 11-gal sump.
Initial plan (after cycling) is small community fish, critters, and soft corals only . Perhaps hard corals later if all is going well.
Plan to have 4+" sand bed, with 30 lbs live sand, the rest Southdown (my first and probably last aquarium bargain); 70-80 lbs live rock
First option: JustPhish
Found him on ----. He has had great feedback. Advantage is I can drive to him (3 hours) and price is $275/lb for "premium Fiji." Disadvantage is rock is apparently uncured. I am concerned about my lack of knowledge/experience/ambition in curing rock.
Second option: Gulf View Marine
Saw a couple good comments in this forum about him. Sells aquacultured Bahama Honeycomb rock at varying price points. Gave me a price of $300 for 30# live sand, 20# "deco", 30# "coraline", 20# base rock. Shipping would be less than $50 same day, because I'm a short drive from Logan airport. Disadvantage is I won't have someone in person showing me how to deal with the rock and what to be on the lookout for.
Also, is 80 watts of full-spectrum NO lighting enough during the cycle while I figure out what to do about lighting?

 

[ebeckels]

i used justphist...nice guy...he's in waterbury CT. I have him groundship to me and it only takes one day...It's about an hour or two later than priorit overnight from swf.com but i only pay like 5 bucks! I recently bough 10lbs of LR...they were ok....they were cured though...of course, if ur starting a tank then u can just cure the rock in ur main tank! He's got good prices and I'd use him again if I need something again.

 

[mlm]

If your starting a new tank then you can get uncured rock. It will make your tank cycle and you will probably get a lot more cool stuff on the rock.

 

[jakob4001]

hmm at that price & for what you would be getting; I'd go w/ gulf view;but like what was said earlier, being you would be just starting out, you could cure all/most of your LR in main tank; then if you ever decide you need more LR, depending on whom you ask, it should be safe to add few LBS more at a time

 

[blackdog]

Thanks for the responses. The thing that troubled me about the uncured rock was that supposedly I'd have to take out each piece and scrub it and remove bad things. Being new, I'm not sure I'd know a bad thing if I saw it. Tho I suppose I'd know a bristleworm if I touched it...
The advantage it seems for the rock from Fla is that I can set up my reef, start cycling, and not have to deconstruct and reconstruct the whole thing.
Other things being equal, are there strong arguments for/against the aquacultured rock vs. Fiji? I've seen photos of both, and they're both very nice. The type of reef I envision making is an atoll-type, two humps in back and curving around to a crescent in front. Power heads on both sides in the back. I'd love to get a yellow jawfish who could make a happy home in the protected area. First fish will be a mated pair of clowns, then 5 green chromis, then maybe sixline later, jawfish (or scooter), and one other TBD. Coral species less certain, but thinking mushrooms, couple types of star polyp, maybe leather. Was going to light the tank with 4-40 watt NO for the time being. And of course a cleaner crew. An anemone would be cool, but not until later if at all.
My understanding is Fiji is more craggy, Carribean more solid. Most of the stock I'm considering is from the Pacific, so not sure if rock from Pacific is more appropriate. Or perhaps I am overanalyzing? <img src="graemlins//silly.gif" border="0" alt="[silly]" />
--Dave

 

[templar]

I dealth with JustPhish before and I think he's an @$$. Besides that I like Fiji a lot more then aquacultured. When I started my tank I bought an online order for pre-cured premium fiji rock and it looks very nice. If your tank is just starting you can put the un-cured rock in your tank and it will cycle your tank.
Also if you have plans to get a jawfish, put the rock in your tank first and then add your sand so the rocks are sturdy. Jawfish love to dig underneath the live rock, and well I'm sure you can get the picture on what would happen when they start digging under 50lbs of LR that is placed on the sand.

 

[kijak]

I have use LFS fiji at 8.99/ pound, tried some Internet fiji from live aquaria much better price. 99. for 45 lbs on special. shipping was a buck a pound. I just ordered Florda gulf aquacultered stuff to try, I got a hundred pounds, from <a href="http://www.tbsaltwater.com," target="_blank">www.tbsaltwater.com,</a> for my 125. only problem is I have to pick up at the airport. but shipping is .50/lb but they ship with water in the bag, so a lot of the shipping price is for the water you can't use. Should be here tonight, I'll let you know how if faired in the next week.

 

[kijak]

Got 50lbs, Communication error, But the rock looks great!!!. There is a ton of sponges, corals, some of the tiniest crabs and starfish, I have ever seen, Now it time to watch the usuall levels cycle again, shouldn't take long since they shipped in water. I hope.