Florida LR vs. Fiji

[dskidmore]

I had mostly made up my mind to go with Florida Aquacultured Live Rock, but when I started scouting a good saltwater store around here, I've been told that Fiji is the only way to go. Following are pros and cons as I understand them, I'd appricate some opinions on the matter.
Florida Aquacultured:
Pros:
Distance from reef to my aquarium and holding time is minimized, meaning I'll get a larger variety of surviving life.
Ecologically sound as it doesn't destroy a natural reef.
Cons:
More life means more detrimental life. I may have to battle Mantis Shrimp and Bristle Worms.
Fiji:
Pros:
More throughly cured, organisims that wouldn't have made it in my tank will die off and be scrubbed off before they enter the tank.
Less live means less detrimental life.
More interesting and natural rock shapes.
Cons:
Not nearly as "Live" as Florida
Collection is damaging to the enviroment.

 

[viper_930]

Fiji is less dense than Florida LR. So you can fill more space in your tank with Fiji LR than with the same weight of Florida LR.

 

[reefraff]

Use fiji with a little of the Floriduh rock to provide the cool live stuff.

 

[flatzboy]

Florida is way to solid IMO.

 

[zap800]

one thing you put in the cons for florida is not a can. bristle worms are a good thing. they stir the bed and eat the poop. he he he i wrote poop. also, dont get hung up on one type. i have a mix of brazilian, real fiji, cultured fiji, florida, cultured florida, and lalo. my thinking is the more diversity of life the better. so i vote for both, all , and more. lol

 

[mujtba]

i have 70lbs of Florida LR, and 20lbs of Fiji LR. Florida is more dense than fiji, but florida is full of more LIFE, where as fiji just had algae... so u decide..

 

[badkharma]

The fiji rock is a better biological filter because it is much more porous and light. Even though you'll probably end up with more life on the Florida rock, you'll still get significant die-off with any shipping of LR, even if it's only a 1/2 hour drive.
IMHO, Fiji and Marshall Island/Tonga are the best rocks.

 

[dskidmore]

It seems that most of the arguments for Fiji are easily accomplished with artificial rock. I have some experimenting to do in that area. I've heard you can mix pasta in with the argonite concrete, it disolves in the normal curing process leaving cavities. Some of that rice-sized pasta, or cuscos might produce a very light, porus rock.

 

[clownfishy]

Not to high jack your thread but I am a broke college student in need of some rock. I was woundering where u can get the argonite concrete mix at, and also how do u form it. This way i can buy a few pieces of fiji and seed the argonite rock with it.

 

[dskidmore]

Search on Google for "aragonite cement plastic" and you'll find some articles. You can use "Tropical Play Sand" from the hardware store in place of the name brand aragonite sand, although the coarser grades of aragonite sand may give an interesting texture to the final rock.

 

[mjsdas]

i dont think that you should commit to one type of LR only. The LR from different places all looks different and just makes the tank look that much more interesting. Get some from FL, some from fiji, some from tonga, and some from where ever, the more diverse the better IMO.

 

[dragonboy]

Well I do like the fiji rock more than others I've seen I like the Marshall as well. But its nice to have all different types of rock. Oh I'm just wondering how does Fiji keep getting new supplies of live rock wouldn't they run out since they get it directly from the ocean?

 

[bang guy]

I agree with your pro's & cons except for the reef damaging part of Figi Rock.
How is it damaging to collect live rock?
OTOH, Florida rock has such an incredible diversity of life it just can't be matched.
oh, one Con to add to Florida Rock.
It's very dense.

 

[dragonboy]

I think he meant it was damaging to the environment in Fiji's ego system. But I think Fiji probably is only taking a certain percentage out of the ocean where it won't do much damage to the ego system.
Originally posted by Bang Guy
I agree with your pro's & cons except for the reef damaging part of Figi Rock.
How is it damaging to collect live rock?
OTOH, Florida rock has such an incredible diversity of life it just can't be matched.

 

[flatzboy]

Yeah florida live rock has awesome life. Don't they make it with the agrocrete. I am going to make about 100lbs and take some wire crab traps I have and put the rock in them about 20lbs per trap and take it about 1.5 miles ofshore to a little rock ledge and leave it there for a few months and just check on it every couple of weeks then bring it in and keep some and sell some on ----.

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by FLATZBOY
then bring it in and keep some and sell some on ----.
Don't get caught.
The Aquacultured rock sold on this site is made of ancient reef rocks taken off shore and cultured for a few years.

 

[flatzboy]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
Don't get caught.
The Aquacultured rock sold on this site is made of ancient reef rocks taken off shore and cultured for a few years.
Why not, I am making the rock not taking it from the ocean. I am going to look up the laws first then because I don't want to do something illegal. If its illegal then i'll just place it in a rubbermaid container and seed it with real florida liverock.
Thanks for the heads up,
Rhett

 

[bang guy]

To legally aquaculture & sell live rock you first need to rent space & have a license.

 

[flatzboy]

Okay thanks.

 

[flatzboy]

I just emailed the state conservation accosiation for marine wild life with my idea.