tbs vs. others

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intro:

I am planning to buy live rocks for my 55gallon tank. so far i bought 60 lbs of live sand (3 bags) from Petco $30 each. and i have 6 lbs of live rock from my local lfs ($5 per pound). and 11 blue legs hermits for $.30 each. i had the sand in for over 6 months now and the rocks and hermits are a week old. i had e-mail tbs for the 30 gallon package that cost about $470 and it has 60 lbs rocks, they dont have the rocks on hand and they have to call me some time late next week to get my credit card.

compare

www.tbsaltwater.com (Decorator Rock)

TBS is one of the most promoted company in this forum. everyone seems to like its rocks. however, it is the most expensive company. its website is the prettiest. over all cost to me for 60 lbs rock, 30 hermits, 15 snails, 2 cukes, 1 shrimp and 1 star is $470 include shipping. (30 lbs sand not include because i have the live sands already) rocks =$470/60 lbs = $7.83 per pound (with extras)

http://www.floridaliverock.com/ (Decorator Rock)

Gulf View's $198 for 30 lbs = $ 396 for 60 lbs include over night shipping. rocks =$396/60 = $6.6 (no extra)

http://www.liverocks.com/ (Loaded with Life)

Liverocks is heavly promoted at www.aquariumadvice,com "Loaded with Life"Gulf Rock - 40lbs overnight to your door @ $200.89 or $5.02 per pound delivered to your door, DHL. 80 lbs = $401.78

over all
i can get the extras from my lfs for cheap. under $70. what do you guys think? advices ?

[nike6]

I did the TBS package, and have not regretted it one bit. I had two cycles because they send in two parts, but each one lasted only one week. If you want the convenience of an instant reef, then this is the way to go as all the life on the rock and the crittersmake it easy. I never got a mantis shrimp, but currently have two gorilla crabs I havn't been able to catch. This is the only down side, but I would go TBS again if I went back in time.
Shawn

[sylaak]

There's a giant 2 1/2" mantis hiding in one of the rocks I got from liverocks.com. Also came with a ton of gorillas which I got all of I think. One pistol I made sure to put in my tank. I think there are a couple other smaller mantis that I have seen. Will have to try to catch them somehow.

Anyhow, I love the liverocks.com stuff but I don't think it's up the TBS quality. With TBS is isn't uncommon to find things liike brain corals, condi anemones, etc...

[JJ70]

Something to think about. Premium Aquatics will ship you 60 lbs. of cured Marshall Island rock that will blow the socks of anything TBS can sell you for about $450. Of course this is just my opinion. I received about 60 lbs a month ago for a new setup and could never detect an ammonia spike. Also 60 lbs of Marshall Island is way more rock (volume) than TBS since it is way more porous. I know a lot of people like TBS and it is good stuff but if you want a great reef with no headaches catching mantis shrimp or PITA crabs then go with the Premium Aquatics.

[Grunthor]

Something else to think about if you're not in a hurry to get an instant reef. Reeferrocks.com will sell you absolutley STUNNING base rock for a fraction of the cost of live rock. Once it's been in your tank for a while with your already established live rock it'll be just as live as the live rock and you wont have to deal with the bad hitchhikers. Of course you wont have any of the good hitchhikers either.

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stat

liverock has 600,000 lbs. of 4 year old aquacultured rock, located in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

TBS has Over one million pounds of imported Bahamian coral rock that barged to the site and dropped by crane in September 1993. 12 years old located in state waters in the Gulf of Mexico in twenty feet of water six miles from shore

Gulf-View’s Aquacultured Live Rock was placed in the ocean 13 years ago this march. After picking some of the nicest land rock available from the Bahamas

compare

liverock's seed-rock origin and the water-deep (sun light will affect coral growth) are unknow, however the price is very competitve. users recommand it. DHL only, doesnt ship 100% underwater, feedbacks said about a gallon of water and wet towel.

TBS' rock are 12 years old 3 time older than liverock. grown in shallow waters, users highly recommand the package, has lots of corals on the rock according to the users and its website. airport only 100% underwater, if they ship it in the morning you can get it the same day. very expensive.

Gulf-View's (aka flordia live rock) rock are 13 years old, water location and deep are unknow. few feedbacks from users made it hard to accessed. the few that did recommand said its quility are on par with TBS. offer DHL and the airport/100% underwater shipping extra.

[phatboyL7]

Originally posted by JJ70
Something to think about. Premium Aquatics will ship you 60 lbs. of cured Marshall Island rock that will blow the socks of anything TBS can sell you for about $450. Of course this is just my opinion. I received about 60 lbs a month ago for a new setup and could never detect an ammonia spike.

Cured Marshall rock is placed on shelves and sprayed with saltwater for a week. And of course their would be no die-off, it's not "live rock", it's rock from the ocean that has been dried out. And coralline algae doesn't really make it live. Now don't get me wrong, if it works for you thats awesome, but for a truly live rock experience TBS or Flordaliverock is the way to go.
Jake

[mpcart]

I went with the TBS rock for my 58G and was very pleased. I bought their "package" and, although it was expensive, I didn't think it was that much more than buying from somewhere else. The rock is dense but it has a lot of shape and looks beautiful - even after a lot of the sponges disappeared. The only thing I was not happy with were the mantis shrimp. All the other hitchhikers were easy to remove but I have one mantis I'm going to have to live with.

Overall, I give TBS a big thumbs up.

-Mike

[patsan]

If the Florida rock is the look you want, then I would say to go with TBS all the way. You stated the difference in the 3 companies. If you go with the TBS, you're more than likely to have a much higher ratio of life on/in the rocks initially and afterwards too.
I have heard the other rocks look really nice, but I have had people pm me saying although it's nice, they say it is not as nice as the TBS, and they wish they had gone with the TBS.

[Trumpet12]

Originally posted by Grunthor
Something else to think about if you're not in a hurry to get an instant reef. Reeferrocks.com will sell you absolutley STUNNING base rock for a fraction of the cost of live rock. Once it's been in your tank for a while with your already established live rock it'll be just as live as the live rock and you wont have to deal with the bad hitchhikers. Of course you wont have any of the good hitchhikers either.

The reeferrocks.com liverock is very good too. I think that at least their premium stuff is as good as TBS (but I've never ordered TBS), because it looks good and I found new stuff for months.

[NoobieNemo]

i like my TBS, but not that much...i'd buy it somewhere else...and plus you never know what you might get, you might get really lucky and get some cool stuff like other people get, or you could be unlucky like me and get those evil pods that suck your fish until they die...but as for that, it's got tons and tons and tons of life on it...

i just wish it was a little more porous...it would rock then...haha rock...

[JJ70]

Cured Marshall rock is placed on shelves and sprayed with saltwater for a week. And of course their would be no die-off, it's not "live rock", it's rock from the ocean that has been dried out. And coralline algae doesn't really make it live. Now don't get me wrong, if it works for you thats awesome, but for a truly live rock experience TBS or Flordaliverock is the way to go.

You have obviously never seen Marshall Island rock. It's all good though. To each his own.