Reliable Online Rock Suppliers?

I am leaning towards TONGA live-rock. Im cycling my tank with it. The Drs.
Foster and Smith site have it for about 3/5 the price of everyone else.
Are they cool? Alternate suggestions always appreciated.

StringerBell wrote:
I am leaning towards TONGA live-rock. Im cycling my tank with it. The Drs.
Foster and Smith site have it for about 3/5 the price of everyone else.
Are they cool? Alternate suggestions always appreciated.

I've bought livestock from them and been satisfied. Keep in mind that their live
rock is uncured, which means that you will not only be cycling your tank; you
will be curing the rock as well. Emmens offers this advice -
"Put it into a tank with a filter after cleaning off any dead or decaying stuff,
perhaps any large sponges, but no more. Shake out and search out small crabs and
mantis shrimps. [get rid of them] Circulate the water briskly for a week or two
with frequent partial water changes until no smell, clouding, or dying off
occurs. Use a low light level, say around 10,000 lux."

You can expect the stuff to stink up your house for a while; Fenner states that
curing rock in your house may be an experience that you will not easily forget.
Emmens implies that this curing should be done somewhere other than your main tank.

Emmens suggests buying only 1/4 to 1/3 your rock at one time, adding each batch
after the preceding batch has completely cured. The general idea is to put in
the first batch of cured rock and wait on the nitrite levels to peak. When they
start to fall, add the next batch of cured rock. That would be difficult for
you, since F&S ships 30 pounds or so at a time. Perhaps you could build your
reef in two stages.

I've been thinking of buying some Caribbean rock from F&S and curing it in my
quarantine tank. You can bet your butt that I will clear this with my wife
before placing the order. :-) I can buy cured live rock of indeterminant origin
from my favorite LFS, but I've not been entirely happy with the quality and
quantity of hitchhikers; that's why I'm leaning towards mail order.

You might also be interested in this special
http://www.marinedepotlive.com/fiji-...ive-rock-.html
Note that the price includes shipping, which makes it a better deal than F&S.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

Premiumaquatics.com has beautiful rocks!! Can buy it cured or non-cured.
Their rocks has the most live critters/plants that I've ever seen and have
very nice colors. I've ordered twice from them and both times was amazed at
how nice the rock was.

Susan
"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:zbsIg.36432$NF3.6019@trnddc05...
StringerBell wrote:
I am leaning towards TONGA live-rock. Im cycling my tank with it. The
Drs. Foster and Smith site have it for about 3/5 the price of everyone
else.
Are they cool? Alternate suggestions always appreciated.

I've bought livestock from them and been satisfied. Keep in mind that
their live rock is uncured, which means that you will not only be cycling
your tank; you will be curing the rock as well. Emmens offers this
advice -
"Put it into a tank with a filter after cleaning off any dead or decaying
stuff, perhaps any large sponges, but no more. Shake out and search out
small crabs and mantis shrimps. [get rid of them] Circulate the water
briskly for a week or two with frequent partial water changes until no
smell, clouding, or dying off occurs. Use a low light level, say around
10,000 lux."

You can expect the stuff to stink up your house for a while; Fenner states
that curing rock in your house may be an experience that you will not
easily forget. Emmens implies that this curing should be done somewhere
other than your main tank.

Emmens suggests buying only 1/4 to 1/3 your rock at one time, adding each
batch after the preceding batch has completely cured. The general idea is
to put in the first batch of cured rock and wait on the nitrite levels to
peak. When they start to fall, add the next batch of cured rock. That
would be difficult for you, since F&S ships 30 pounds or so at a time.
Perhaps you could build your reef in two stages.

I've been thinking of buying some Caribbean rock from F&S and curing it in
my quarantine tank. You can bet your butt that I will clear this with my
wife before placing the order. :-) I can buy cured live rock of
indeterminant origin from my favorite LFS, but I've not been entirely
happy with the quality and quantity of hitchhikers; that's why I'm leaning
towards mail order.

You might also be interested in this special
http://www.marinedepotlive.com/fiji-...ive-rock-.html
Note that the price includes shipping, which makes it a better deal than
F&S.

George Patterson
Coffee is only a way of stealing time that should by rights belong to
your slightly older self.

thanks for suggestions--

I found this seller on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/FIJI-LIVE-ROCK-W...QQcmdZViewItem

The description says that the rock is cured. The price is more than right,
he has 98.7% positive feedback , and he`s East Coast, so am I so I`ll save
on shipping.

This looks like a good way to get started for me. Does anyone have
experience with this seller?

Don't know the seller but remember, you WILL be curing the rock. Even if
you went to the pet store down the road and put it in your aquarium soon
after, you will have some degree of curing. Everything on the rock won't
make the shipping trip. That in mind, start reading about curing to prepare
yourself. When the brown stuff comes up (diatoms), it normally freaks out
newbies. Then you'll have a few steps afterwards...

G'luck,

B



"StringerBell" wrote in message
...
thanks for suggestions--

I found this seller on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/FIJI-LIVE-ROCK-W...QQcmdZViewItem

The description says that the rock is cured. The price is more than right,
he has 98.7% positive feedback , and he`s East Coast, so am I so I`ll save
on shipping.

This looks like a good way to get started for me. Does anyone have
experience with this seller?

That in mind, start reading about curing to prepare
yourself. When the brown stuff comes up (diatoms), it normally freaks out
newbies. Then you'll have a few steps afterwards...

Thats when the fun begins. right. Isnt that the time to add critters like
crabs and snails?

Just remember to be patient when curing the rock. It could take days or
weeks or even months, depending on how big your vat is and how much rock you
have.
http://www.livestockusa.org/CURING.html
This is a helpful link for curing rock. Good luck

"StringerBell" wrote in message
...
That in mind, start reading about curing to prepare
yourself. When the brown stuff comes up (diatoms), it normally freaks
out newbies. Then you'll have a few steps afterwards...

Thats when the fun begins. right. Isnt that the time to add critters like
crabs and snails?