FREE Live Rock !!?!!

[bcmayn]

Hello, I'm just getting into this saltwater aquarium hobby. But I'm starting my aquarium with FISH ONLY w/ Live Rock before I start with coral reeds. I'm getting all my information & materials I need before I actually get the fish and aquarium flowing. But what I notice this is a pretty expensive, so I was wondering if somebody would donate/ lend me a couple of Live Rocks or just 1 big one (so I can just hammer it to get more rocks) to help me start setting up. All I have now is aquarium , Red Sea Salt, & Live Sand I still have to buy the Filter, Protein Skimmer, Heater, Hydrometer, Over-flow intake, water pump, saltwater mixing kit, & Lighting. As you see, I still have a few more steps to go before I finalize everything and feel the exciting feeling everybody else is going through. (I WANT TO FEEL THAT FEELING TOO!)
If ANYBODY could Donate, I would truly dearly appreciate your help & concern.
((SEND ME A MESSAGE OR CONTACT ME @ contactsoloboyz@gmail.com))

 

[siptang]

if you live near any ocean, you are better off going there to pick up few pounds.
I have bought close to 50-60 pounds of fiji and then after that went to the florida keys and brought back couple of huge coolers full of them.
I then put power heads on them and cycled it for couple of weeks and doing constant water changes and waited until all the level dropped back down to zero then played stacking game in my tank.
Hopefully, that helped a bit..
I actually got couple of crabs as well from the wild rocks. (which I just put straight away after acclimating them)

 

[eric b 125]

i'm pretty sure that taking live rock off the coast of florida is illegal. just check out marco rocks online. get some of their base rock, cure it, and youre good to go. its way cheaper than live rock. please do not take LR from the ocean. for one it could have a lot of pollutants in it, unless you go way out. second, whether or not this is illegal, i think one of the most important things for us as aquarists to keep in mind is conservation and sustainability. truth be told: this is an expensive hobby, but well worth the investment. there are corners that can be cut safely (see: marco rocks, diy, frags, etc) and ones that cant.

 

[teresaq]

It is very illegal to take rock from fla. You can get into a lot of trouble.
I dont think anyone will just give away rock, as it is very expensive. Google key largo rock - its base rock and will turn live in your tank.
That or check craigs list or your local news paper for someone breaking down a tank. You can usually pick up rock cheaper there.
T

 

[aquaknight]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric B 125 http:///forum/thread/384734/free-live-rock#post_3371937
truth be told: this is an expensive hobby, but well worth the investment. there are corners that can be cut safely (see: marco rocks, diy, frags, etc) and ones that cant.
And I believe herein lies the bottomline. This hobby is a luxury, not an activity everyone is forced into doing. And a not cheap hobby, at that. If it really comes down to counting nickels and dimes, it's perhaps time to reevaluate one's position in the hobby. Accidents and emergencies are apart of this hobby, and have to be a consideration.
And yes, don't take live rock from the ocean. It's illegal, punishable, and not cool....

 

[siptang]

Hmm... never knew it was illegal. There is a small pier off my buddy's condo in the keys and we just took it from there at his suggestion...
Guess I can't do that any more..
Sorry for the faulty information.

 

[btldreef]

Yes, it is illegal. I also don't recommend it. Talking rock straight from the ocean in depths that we can reach just by swimming of the coast is NOT a good idea. The coastal waters are usually polluted with things we don't want in our tank and rocks (and sand) can absorb them.
If you're trying to save some money, look into DRY rock (sometimes called Eco rock, sometimes called Macro rock), which can be much cheaper than live rock. These rocks will become live over time. You can also look for someone in your area (which you didn't mention by the way) that is looking to get out of the hobby and selling things from their tank (live rock and sand) for a cheaper price. Try to find a local reef club.
This hobby is expensive, I will not lie. If you're starting out by trying to save some money, you might want to reevaluate. That being said, you don't need live rock to have a salt water tank. You can start one and add the rock as you go as long as it's cured.