fake live rock?

[donald]

I was reading on here about some pinkish purple rock showing up. I ordered some LR from this site and three pieces don't look like the others. I know it is man made. All three of the pieces are the same general shape. My question is, is this stuff safe for a reef? I do belive it has spent some time in saltwater but I took a piece out and broke some off and it was the same color on the inside as it was on the outside!!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone must have added some kind of dye or colorant to the mix. Also what did they use to make the mix, am I going to have a sillica problem now. I am getting very worried and mad. Would someone please tell me what they think before I drive myself crazy!!!Thanks.

 

[deltablack22]

Wow, I would be very disappointed if I recieved man made rock and I ordered fiji or whatever. Did you call the company?

 

[petjunkie]

Can you post a picture?

 

[nycbob]

the lr was ordered from this site?

 

[michaeltx]

yeah post some pics but if it was ordered from here I doubt that its has been dyed thats normally only done with base rock and then its seeded in an established system. The stuff from here is from fiji you may have got some with a ton of coraline on it but without a pic cant confirm it or dent it.
Mike

 

[donald]

Here are the pics of this stuff.

The pieces in question are the two stacked on top of each other and the one in front. I sent an email to the company and I am waiting to here from them.

 

[bigreefer]

The local ***** has the same stuff. Like you I am a little suspisious but when questioned they swear that is is real life rock from somewhere (I forget because I hate *****. They have no idea how to manage fish or any animal for that matter). I have had it in my tank for over a year now and no problems.... at least that I can contribute to the rock.

 

[bhfccsr198]

to me it seems like it is aqua cultured fiji but am by far no expert on live rock

 

[nycbob]

i hv a few i bought from a lfs that looks like that too. i never really pay much attention to it.

 

[reefkprz]

those are definatly nice rocks, good real coraline on it, nothing fake about that IMO

 

[scotts]

I am going to vote that is some nice rock and not manmade. Looks like some of the rock that I have in my tank.

 

[donald]

The purple that you see is coloring that is in the mix. If you break some off it is the same color inside, kind of a purple.

 

[bigreefer]

I would agree.. Not coriline algae. I have a few of these in my tank like I said and they are definitly mand made unless mother nature started churning out huge pink cheerios. They all look like that and they come pink/purple. I dont think they are bad though. I can only speak for myself but the rock I bought was called Fiji "live" rock. Most likely aquacultured but who cares. I used it for a stable base and everything seems to be aok after a year now.

 

[chilwil84]

that donut shape is the common aquacultured live rock (ie manmade and up in the water for a period of time to become live) some companies may be adding something to the mix to put the coraline look to it but it will become live when added to a tank with other live rock. some companies are now making rock that isnt donut shaped but it costs more than regular premium figi live rock

 

[nietzsche]

i dont see why people want the rock straight from the ocean only
ive seen a lot of websites where they have aquacultured fiji live rock, no big deal.. they make it and leave it in the ocean or something like that and pick them up later
i have a few pieces of rock in my tank you can tell someone made it, like the arches and these holes like someone stuck their thumb in there.. also have a weird one where it looks like someone just squished it with their fist and left it like that, lol

 

[donald]

I don't have anything aganist man made rock if thats what I ordered and paid for! If I order "premium hand picked figi live rock" like this site says it is then I don't want manmade! Also this site emailed me back and said that they don't have manmade live rock and that I should check the mesage boards?

I guess that is a big "we don't care!!" It's a real shame when you get blown off like that.

 

[saltwaterfish.com]

Donald:
Actually, we care a great deal.
We do not purchase, nor do our suppliers produce, "manmade" rock. Although, as the posters here will attest, it is actually a very good product and arguably superior from an environmental standpoint. As we mentioned in our earlier private email to you, we would appreciate pictures, since the ones on your post do not seem to be working.
You were directed to the bulletin board to further your education on live rock from the excellent group of participants that are routinely here. You were not "blown off", we simply do not agree with your conclusions. In your email you indicated that you were new to the hobby. This board can be an excellent learning tool. I trust they gave you the unbiased opinions on the quality of the rock in question regardless of it's source.
Best Regards,
admin

 

[donald]

Here are some more pictures, sorry I don't know what happened to the others. the rocks are the really purple ones. This is not coraline alge, it wont scrape off. If you break off a piece the color is the same on the inside as it is on the outside and you can see all the little rocks that made up the mix. Also this stuff is rather brittle. While handeling it pieces break off. The other pieces are great. Please don't get me wrong, the live rock that is natural is wonderfull, but these three pieces are manmade.

These pieces are what people are calling typical manmade "donuts" All three are the same size and are all rounded with eather a hole or a depression in the middle. I belive you would be hard pressed to find three pieces of natural live rock that look this simmilar. I do believe that it has been in saltwater, just no way to tell how long all my other pieces have things like dead coral skeletons on them and you can see their age.

 

[wbsurfer101]

I got the same stuff. No complaints. One rock is encrusted in acroporia. Idk how they missed it. Its dead but looks cool.