Dead base rock - anywhere close to find it free or super cheap?

[Greg Hiller]

Guys,

Greg Hiller here from the Boston Reefer's Society. I've seen photos, and heard about the 'Coral Castle' close to Miami. Is there anywhere close where one can remove large quatities of coral based rock? Any quarries you guys know about? I'm of course not looking for just round cannon ball type pieces, but some porous type pieces with holes, etc. for fish to swim though that could be used to build a reef structure.

I'm seriously thinking about making a trip down your way to see if I can collect 1-2,000# of rock and have it shipped back up to the Boston area. I've considered the Hi-rocks material, but I'm a cheap Bas$##d and would like to save a buck.

I've set up multiple tanks using only base rock with a small piece of live rock to seed it, but I'm about to set up a 460 gallon tank and am going to need a lot of rock. I also propagate corals and always need rock for that purpose as well.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

- Greg Hiller

[dgasmd]

Greg:

I am looking into this myself. If you find out anything, let me know and I will do the same.
Alberto (in FL already)

[Greg Hiller]

dgasmd,

How far are you from the 'Coral Castle'? Last time I was in Florida I was in Tampa, and I went looking under some bridges, and found that nearly all the rock used in construction in Florida was of coral original (calcium carbonate). The stuff under the bridges was pretty dense and cannonball like, but was fine for propagating corals on (did you know the max weight for checked luggage is 70 lbs? lol). I also found a place that sells shell rock (fossilized shells, etc) that works quite well for propagating corals on, but the pieces are small. You can purchase by the ton here.

SMR Aggregates Inc

Work: 914-907-0041

3800 Deer Dr. Sarasota

Note:
These guys sell crushed shells by the ton. washed shell

[dgasmd]

Greg:

I am on the east coast of FL. I live about 1 1/2 hours north of Miami on the coast right outside of West Palm Beach. I've never heard of 'Coral Castle' actually. What or where is it? Sarasota is in the other side of the state and a good 4 hours from me.

[Treeman]

Coral Castle is in Miami. It really doesn't help anybody because it was a project completed by a guy. They don't sell any coral and such as far as I know. Pretty much all of S. FL. is coral under the layer of topsoil. But most of it is very dense because when they mine the rock for roads and building pads they want the hardest stuff they can get. You can buy it buy the ton, but you would want to be able to find a pit that you could go pick it out your self before they crush it so that you can find irregular pieces if there are any.

The west coast has more irregular pieces but it is just as dense and in some instances more dense. It is called cap rock and is very hard.

Your best bet is to make your own agrocrete rock out of concrete, aragonite sand and coral rubble.

[Greg Hiller]

A few years ago I was diving with one of the guys from Tampa Bay Saltwater. He had a pile of the seed rock they are/were currently using, and although it was rather heavy, it did have a lot of pores/holes etc. in it. He said they were getting it from a quarry in Florida. He did say (or someone or another said, maybe the guy from Gulf View over the phone) that it is labor intensive to get this base rock because they have to pick though stuff... or was it..over a large area? to get the stuff. Wish I lived down there as I would cruise around and find out where to get some decent stuff. There has to be somewhere down there.

[FragGuy]

Hey Greg,

You can pick some stuff from areas where development is occurring but it's very hard work. I took about 8 or nine pieces one time that where about 1-1.5' and I almost took out my back. It’s very heavy dense stuffn and tends to be roudn shaped. I tend to agree with Treeman. Make your own stuff. You should be able to make some nice large sculpted pieces that you are not easily going to find laying around Florida. And if you do you will need a forklift to move it.

See you in Boston.

Rafael

[Bocaswim]

Hey Alberto,

I was at JAWZ.net in Ft. Lauderdale this past weekend and the owner mentioned to me he has over 5000# of dead tonga branch pieces and some rubble sitting in a warehouse. Don't know if you are looking for a project but that would make an awsome reef structure when cemented together.

[Greg Hiller]

Ray,

Look forward to seeing you again. Do you have any really unusual frags to bring a long? You are welcome to see my crowded and kinda funky tank while you are here.

As far as the rock goes I continued this thread here and got some good responses:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=420869

[FragGuy]

Greg,

Not sure if that invitation to come over was for me? but here goes anyways.

I have most of my frags here if you want to pick somethings out:
http://www.thecoralnursery.com/newsite

I would sure love to take a look at your system and do some trading. Have you updated your site with anything new?

Rafael

[tperk9784]

Gayle,

Do you know how much he wants per pound for that tonga branch baserock?

Tim

[Bocaswim]

He did not say he was really selling it per # more like he wanted to get rid of the whole lot of it for one price. He was not specific about what he wanted for it.