Your Favored Types of Live Rock Please.

64Ivy · #1 08/02/2007, 05:38 PM

In an attempt to make lemonade out of my recent 'crash', I've decided to completely re-aquascape my reef structure beginning this fall. One facet of this is to remove about a third, if not more, of the current rock to facilitate more water flow through and more importantly, beneath the rockwork. My question however concerns the kind of liverock that finds general favor amongst you. I realize many types have 'local' names; for instance, I am currently curing some Tonga Nuku Fusion (Dr. Mac) to go with some already acquired Kaelini. Are there any other types I should take a seriuos look at...even for base rock. Fortunately, I've got a little time. Thanks.

Deuce67 · #2 08/02/2007, 05:44 PM

I really like the dry Fiji base rock I got from Marco Rocks.

leveldrummer · #3 08/02/2007, 05:46 PM

im a fan of marshall island, and the kaelini rocks.

MSHUR · #4 08/02/2007, 05:48 PM

i always like a Marshall rock.. i think its one of the best out there...

mike

znut Reefer · #5 08/02/2007, 06:35 PM

Agreed with Deuce67. I ordered 100 lbs from Marco Rocks also. And it looks just like the Pukani rock I bought, except the Marcos is dead rock, but takes no time to bring it back to life.

redbug1 · #6 08/02/2007, 06:51 PM

I like to pour cement and make my own rocks. i use block molds and stack my reef like bricks.

ThaNgBOm321 · #7 08/02/2007, 06:57 PM

marshal island... love the look... but kinda weird with mounting sps tho... kinda like sticks on sticks... thats why i have like 4 types in my tank...

YzGyz

seta45 · #8 08/02/2007, 07:22 PM

kaelini all the way

sabodish · #9 08/02/2007, 09:13 PM

another vote for pukani..i was also leaning toward the buna branch at reefermadness when i started my tank.

northbay-reefer · #10 08/02/2007, 09:22 PM

I would get fiji, marshal, tonga and others to get a wide variety of life forms and coraline colors. but my fav is fiji

reef / aholic · #11 08/02/2007, 11:30 PM

Marshall Islands, Tonga Deepwater, Lalo, Tonga Nuku Fusion

mile sq. reefer · #12 08/03/2007, 12:37 AM

Jesus, some of these new names are starting to sound like a Starbucks coffee order.

kenettson1 · #13 08/03/2007, 01:10 AM

I like Marshall Island too. For cost savings I would add 30 - 50 percent base rock if the budget is tight. If time isnt an issue you could seed base rock before hand in a rubbermaid or something.

dukes707 · #14 08/03/2007, 05:19 AM

i like to use montana quarried rock or moon rock for the base(cause its cheap and cost effective, and lets me buy more premium rock) and build on it with hawaiian kaleani. sounds like a weird spaced out recipe but looks asthetically pleasing. but i will always be a fan of fiji rock. of course this is always gonna be subjective...

-dukes

Tballa · #15 08/03/2007, 05:20 AM

Kaelini is the best by far! Great life, look, and shapes!

wankelrx · #16 08/03/2007, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by znut Reefer
Agreed with Deuce67. I ordered 100 lbs from Marco Rocks also. And it looks just like the Pukani rock I bought, except the Marcos is dead rock, but takes no time to bring it back to life.

Agree...Bought 50 lbs of fiji for my 75g and it was so much rock I couldn't fit it all in the tank. Their dead fiji rock looks like a mix between tonga and marshall island...very cool looking. I tried the DIY concrete rock put it just doesn't compare to the real thing.

64Ivy · #17 08/03/2007, 05:20 PM

Thanks for the tips. I had not heard of Marco Rocks. Looks interesting.

Deuce67 · #18 08/03/2007, 06:07 PM

Yah, marco rock is nice. Since its dry, you get a lot of it. Click on my red house and on page 3 or 4 there are some pics of some marco rocks.

nwrogers · #19 08/03/2007, 06:19 PM

Fiji Cultured Live Rock
http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_...fm?pCatId=2565

Cultivatedcoral · #20 08/03/2007, 08:00 PM

Uaniva, deepwater tonga rock. Great large shelf pieces, unusual shapes. Yellow, pink, orange, red coraline!!!

Nanook · #21 08/03/2007, 09:42 PM

For the highest biodiversity and chance of getting hitch-hiker corals, I prefer a high quality Fiji rock.

For best shapes, Marshall Island rock is tough to beat.

For not much life besides coralline and sponges, I like Kaelini as a base rock...it has large boulder sizes available and works out good on the bottom.

When I stock my two tanks, I am going to go with a mixture of Ultra Large Fiji, Marshall Island and some Kaelini for baserock.

Big E · #22 08/04/2007, 05:37 AM

The type of rock is meaningless to me. I'd plan out a structure & aquascape plan for your tank & pick pieces locally that fit your structural plan.

Shape is more important than specific type.

64Ivy · #23 08/04/2007, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Nanook
For not much life besides coralline and sponges, I like Kaelini as a base rock...it has large boulder sizes available and works out good on the bottom.

Excellent! Where would I find some really large pieces of Kaelini?

undertai · #24 08/04/2007, 07:37 AM

in my tank I have about four different types of live rock.

Marshall island, Fiji, Kaelini, and tonga

LFS was selling all four types of rock. I just picked the pieces I like from all four to aquascape the wway I wanted my tank to look. KFS gave me the same price for all since I went their so much. Instead of paying $6 for one and $8 for the other.

prop-frags · #25 08/04/2007, 08:02 AM

I recently re-worked the rock in my 180. I wanted to provide a relatively high stack for those light-loving sps, but I wanted to reduce the overall amount of rock in the tank. Additionally, I was hoping to improve the flow of water within and around the rock itself. So I did a DIY Rock Rack which is plumbed into my closed loop. I bought the pre-cured Kaelini that RM is selling now and stacked that on the rack. It's working out very well.