Wanted: Live Rock or Base Rock near Champaign

grigorescu · #1 04/29/2007, 09:46 AM

Hi everyone,

I've been perusing the forums for a few days now, what a great wealth of information. I'm working on setting up my first SW tank, a 29 gallon (I wish I could've gotten a larger one, but the landlord is concerned about "water damage" from anything much bigger). Anyway, all the equipment seems to be working OK, so now I'm looking for some (hopefully cured) live rock or base rock to start putting in. Does anyone has some they're willing to sell? My LFS (Sailfin in Champaign, if anyone knows it) sells cured Fiji for 5.95 a pound, which seems reasonable, but is a bit over my spending limit at the moment.

Unfortunately, this would have to be near Champaign, let's say no more than 20 minutes away, since I don't have a car, and I feel bad asking others to drive me further than that

. Can anyone help?

Also, what would people recommend for a good mix of live/base rock for a 29 gallon? If I can't afford to buy all live rock (30 lbs or so), I'd probably seed my own.

Thanks for any help!

ChemE · #2 04/29/2007, 04:29 PM

I've got about 100 pounds of dry Florida lacy rock that I collected before I moved from Miami. This is the same stuff that reeferrocks.com sells for $3-$4 before shipping which is to say very nice base rock. I can let you have it for $2/pound if you'd like just let me know.

Here is a representative picture; what is pictured here is 5 pounds by the way.

medic29 · #3 04/29/2007, 04:42 PM

I'd be interested in some of that if you still have some left.

ChemE · #4 04/29/2007, 04:45 PM

No problem; grigorescu is only looking to fill a 29 so I imagine there will be plenty left. I'm out of town this week but we can set something up for this weekend if you'd like.

ChemE · #5 04/29/2007, 04:46 PM

Here's a picture which does a little better job conveying the shapes of these rocks.

medic29 · #6 04/29/2007, 05:10 PM

Okay, sounds good. I'm thinking around 30# or so. I'm setting up my 120 on Friday and transferring the rock from my current setup and would like to add a little more. Obiviously, grigorescu has first dibs, but during the weekend sounds great!! Just let me know.

grigorescu · #7 04/29/2007, 07:31 PM

Thanks, ChemE, that sounds great. I think I'd probably be interested in about 35-40 pounds. I'll probably put in about 10 pounds of live rock, and 30-ish pounds of base rock, and save some for down the line. Does 3:1 sound like a good ratio?

I'm free this weekend, so let me know when I could stop by.

By the way, I was gonna ask you what engineering major you were, ChemE, but then I saw your screen name. I'm Computer Engineering myself...

ChemE · #8 04/29/2007, 10:04 PM

Cool, I've got enough to accommodate you both.

grigorescu - I think the real answer is it's a matter of taste. I've seen some people go 50/50 on live and base because they want plenty of live to look at right away and they hide the base rock with it. I've seen others who go 100% base and add 1 cup of live sand from an established tank. In the end both setups will be the same but obviously the more live rock you add at the beginning the faster you get to end game.

Regarding my department in e-school; hopefully my avatar helped give it away too!

medic29 · #9 05/17/2007, 12:27 PM

Do you still have this rock?? I'm not sure how much I need, but I'd like to get more rock for my display and my sump.

ChemE · #10 05/20/2007, 08:09 AM

Rick,

There is still somewhere around 300# left. PM me if you'd like to come by today and grab some.

bpeugh · #11 05/20/2007, 08:35 AM

I have a friend who is starting up a tank and she might be interested in some but it would probably only be up to 30#. I will ask her today. This is of course if there is any left after Rick gets to it.

ChemE · #12 05/20/2007, 08:36 AM

Unless Rick gets 300 pounds there should be plenty left for her.

medic29 · #13 05/20/2007, 08:52 AM

I don't believe I will be getting anywhere near 300#. I don't even think I could fit that much into my system LOL

andycook · #14 05/20/2007, 09:16 AM

Then you aren't stacking the rock properly

ziac · #15 05/20/2007, 09:39 PM

I could use a few pounds for my move from my 29 gal tank to the 40 gal tank I am working on setting up if you have any left

bpeugh · #16 05/21/2007, 07:28 AM

I don't think she is going to have the money but maybe in a few weeks if there is anything left.

And I know I had about 50#s of live rock and about 12#s of dead corals in my 20 Long so I know you can do it Rick if dream the impossible dream!

ChemE · #17 05/21/2007, 07:52 AM

I'm quite sure there will still be plenty left in a few weeks.