Best place for CURED live rock

[Hyskulhero]

Hello all. I'm starting my first marine tank and I'd like to know your opinion on the best online source for cured live rock. I'm willing to pay a little extra for some really high quality rock and would like to know what you guys recomend. It will be for a 65 gal reef ready tank with a 17 gal fuge. I'm also going to need live sand and a fuge starter kit (pods,algae). Any ideas will be greatly appreciated. TIA

[1SickReefer]

if you buy fully cured LR and than have it shipped, you will no doubt have some die off. You are going to see a small cycle once you put it in your tank.

[meco65]

This is a great site and I have heard lots of good reports in forum.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=393
here is a good site for base rock
http://hirocks.com/Our_Products.html

[aquaman67]

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/ ships their rock in water so it will be as cured as you can get. As stated before, any time you ship rock there is die off.

Check out "The Package".

The only way to really get cured rock is to get it locally.

[1SickReefer]

when i first set up my 45 I got 60lbs of the lalo LR from Liveaqurria and it stunk to the high heavens. Went through a massive cycle.

I just picked up 100lbs of some very nice pieces, (shapes and sizes) from Dr Mac (pacific East) on Marylands Eastern Shore. I am very pleased with it. 2.69 a pound and it was fully cured and smelled like fresh seawater. 2 hour drive home and right in tank with fishes..
Might be worth a day trip, plus u can hand pick it yourself thats the best part.

[delta]

probably the best would be your local reef club there are always people breaking down their systems might try that first before going to a retailer. plus you might save some money especially the shipping cost

just a thought

[drharmonnd]

I just got 40 plus pounds of Marshal Island, that was suposed to be curred, from premiumaquatics.com It traveled to Alaska and is doing some cylcing right now, as i didnt get it into water for three days from the order. I looked into tampabaysaltwater and from what i got out of my coversations it is not curred even though it comes in water, and you will go through some serious cycling. THere are some positives as they come with many creatures and ride alongs, but i hear that most of the sponges that look so impressive when they firs arive are responsible for the die off and the heavy cycling. I guess they are difficult to keep alive. So i think my rock is beautifull and when it is done cycling i will be even happier. Good luck.

[drjrose]

Originally posted by Hyskulhero
I'm also going to need live sand and a fuge starter kit (pods,algae). Any ideas will be greatly appreciated. TIA

I stocked my refugeum with http://www.floridapets.com/

[jmack]

I have FL rock (not TBS) that I got from my LFS. It's got a great deal of life on it and didn't cause a noticeable cycle. Currently, I've noticed feather dusters, clams, Christmas tree worms, sponges, two urchins (both started as babies on the LR), and many worms and pods. I would see if your LFS carries the FL rock first..that way it has already cured in their tank and you get only the good stuff.

[mikenpam]

I also had marshall island live rock from Premium Aquatics shipped up to Fairbanks. It looks great and so far so good for my tank. I will say that it did not have too much in the way of hitch hikers. Plenty of pods, worms and manageable algae.

[daytonareefing]

The closer you are to who you get it from the better. marshall island is the best overall rock but its pricey.

[Hyskulhero]

Thx guys much appreciated. Right now it looks like I'm going with live sand and some base rock from my lfs, topped off with some premium rock from an online source. Where can I get Marshal Island rock cured?

[JRPhd]

My understanding is that Marshall from Premium Aqautics, when fully cured in their tanks is very good. I think they're on week 3 of their cylce of the new Marshall they got. Check 'em out; they're also really good to work with. Remember any time you ship, you're going to have a small cycle, and that's if shipping goes flawlessly.
Jon

[griss]

I buy all my live rock from www.premiumaquatics.com and have never been disappointed.

[MiddletonMark]

I normally prefer to cherrypick the LFS when they get a new batch of rock in ... but have ordered online from www.premiumaquatics.com and have been very happy with it.

[JRPhd]

Gris and MM,
I haven't seen much life on my Marshall rock thus far. I did find a flat tan clam thing about 2" in length buried in a rock, but I couldn't extract him.

What should I expect to find in this rock. Jay from PA said look out hairy crabs, but haven't seen any. Also any comments or thoughts on this other post would be much appreciated.
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=694741

Jon

[Randall_James]

Originally posted by aquaman67


http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/ ships their rock in water so it will be as cured as you can get. As stated before, any time you ship rock there is die off.

Check out "The Package".

The only way to really get cured rock is to get it locally. I think this rock is about as far away from cured as any. I think it pretty much comes out of the ocean, into boxes and off to the end user. Sure is supposed to have a lot of life on it however. I would like to try them some time.

[JRPhd]

"ships their rock in water"
My understanding is that shipping in a bit of water bathes the LR in ammonia causing further die-off. no?
Jon

[andycook]

No matter how cured the rock is when you get it there will be some curing when you put it in your tank. What are you trying to achieve by buying cured? If it is a new tank then save some money and cure it in your tank.

[Jocko]

Originally posted by JRPhd
"ships their rock in water"
My understanding is that shipping in a bit of water bathes the LR in ammonia causing further die-off. no?
Jon Not really no. In this particular case it goes from their holding tanks into boxes fully submerged with water, put on a plane, and you pick it up at the airport when it lands. There is usually almost no die off at all and very very small cycles. It rules. And in case you can't tell, I got my rocks from TBS. :-)