How can I tell if the LFS sold me DEAD Live Rock?

If you have a web site, you can post a picture for
everyone to look at.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Noah Body wrote on 8/13/2006 8:24 PM:
Thank you for your reply Alex. I understand what you mean by having patience
and waiting for the rock to mature. I have had freshwater tanks for years
and waiting for a tank to cycle is common practice here. I just didn't
want to go though this process, only to find out that my rock was dead in
the first place. I know that there will be "die off" of the live rock and
then the water parameters will normaize and I'll be able to add to it. I
just don't see any difference in colors on my rock at all, except for maybe
a couple of spots that are bluish. ( a good thing).
My two Mollies that are in the tank just today had another set of live
babies, so I'm assuming that's a good sign as far as water quality ... the
first ones were removed to lessen the bio-load on the tank, and these ones
are going in my hospital tank to be given away later.
Alex, would it be alright for me to send you a very high quality picture
of the rock to get your opinion? I am just remembering reading that I should
NOT have the lights on while cycling the tank, but I'm going to read up on
that after posting this message here. The reason I say this is I think there
is a light coating of algae forming on the live rock ... and for all I know
... this might be bad by not allowing the coraline to grow.
By the way, the tank has been running with mollies in it for three
months before introducing the live rock. I have been monitoring my water
parameters closely and everything seems fine, but it's hard to get real help
from the LFS because they refuse to accept that fact that a nano tank can be
set up and run with a "noobie" in charge, but I have this tank beside my
computer desk in the rec room where the whole family spends most of their
time... so I'm always on top of the tank checking and testing.
Anyway .. sending you or anybody who reads this a 5 meg dig pic would
put my mind at ease as to weather I have purchased good rock or not. One
thing about this rock is .. it was on sale for 30 % off and then the guy did
not add tax to it ... so I got 10.5 pounds of rock for $85.00 Canadian. I
know that I should have at least another 5 or more pounds in there .. but I
just didn't have that much to spend.

Caper

I miss the really good Florida live rock back before it
became illegal. It was some really nice live rock. There
is aquacultured Florida live rock, but it's often not that
great - depends on how long it was down, not (how long it
was buried under 100 tons of rock :-).

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Tidepool Geek wrote on 8/14/2006 12:31 AM:
Noah Body wrote:
would it be alright for me to send you a very high quality picture
of the rock to get your opinion?

Hi Caper,

Much as I'd like to help you evaluate your rock, I'm just about certain
that I can't. Two reasons:

1. However it looks to your eye is pretty much how it's going to look
photographically. Unless you can bring a microscope to bear on it any
life present would almost certainly be invisible at this point.

2. I'm really not all that knowledgeable about how tropical live rock
should look. My interest and any small expertise I might have center
around cold water aquariums and their inhabitants. The nature of the
cold water hobby is that virtually everything is collected rather than
purchased and, at least at present, most of that collecting is done
locally such that any specimens, rock, or sand can be moved from the
wild to the aquarium in an hour or two - totally different from the
tropical situation.

My personal opinion agrees with Susan and Wayne; your rock is, almost
without doubt, far more 'alive' than it looks right now.

You may be able to speed things up a bit by inoculating your sand bed
with some sort of detrivore kit in the faint hope of migration between
sand and rock. Here's a list of suppliers that was recently posted on
another forum (IOW: I haven't got a clue if any of these places is any
better than any other):
http://ipsf.com/

http://inlandaquatics.com/

http://billsreef.safeshopper.com/

http://www.essentiallivefeeds.com/

http://www.garf.org/




Optimistically yours,

Alex

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message ...
If you have a web site, you can post a picture for
everyone to look at.

And if you do not have a website you can use
one of many services like photobucket.com etc.

Okay .. I have just learned how to put pics on a website and add URL's to
them so that you can click on them. . . and I thought I knew everything.
.... anyway's .. here's the links to the pics for my live rock.



http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06243.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06242.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06241.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06239.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06238.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06237.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06236.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06235.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06234.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06232.jpg


PS: the water level is low in the pic because I am doing a water change and
can't find the salt to make up some more.. so I'm off to the LFS now. Also
... I just put in a powerhead and it just blasted into the crushed coral,
sending a covering of white "sand" all over my live rock, so now I have to
shake it off of everything. Does this happen to other setup's? ... I feel
like I should have washed all the fine's out of the coral before putting it
in ... if I distrub the bed in the slightest .. I get white crushed coral
all over everything .... which I don't like.


Caper

Yea most people usually like to wash the coral sand before
putting it in the aquarium. But bacteria will slowly grow
and will reduce the amount of this, as the bacteria helps
hold it together, and helps filter it out.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Noah Body wrote on 8/15/2006 10:15 AM:
Okay .. I have just learned how to put pics on a website and add URL's to
them so that you can click on them. . . and I thought I knew everything.
.... anyway's .. here's the links to the pics for my live rock.



http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06243.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06242.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06241.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06239.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06238.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06237.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06236.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06235.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06234.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06232.jpg


PS: the water level is low in the pic because I am doing a water change and
can't find the salt to make up some more.. so I'm off to the LFS now. Also
... I just put in a powerhead and it just blasted into the crushed coral,
sending a covering of white "sand" all over my live rock, so now I have to
shake it off of everything. Does this happen to other setup's? ... I feel
like I should have washed all the fine's out of the coral before putting it
in ... if I distrub the bed in the slightest .. I get white crushed coral
all over everything .... which I don't like.


Caper

I just did a 20 % water change, added another AquaClear 150 to the back of
the tank, and also added a 201 powerhead. I know can see the difference in
the water movement., but one thing I did notice is that now I have a so
called "pest" clinging to the side of my glass. I think it's called Aptasia.
I know that this type is a pest and to kill it as soon as you find it, but
since this is my very first living thing in the tank as far as the live rock
is concerned .. I'm going to watch it for a few days before removing it.
I'll post a pic of it and you tell me for sure if it's a pest or not.

Caper

I hope you didn't get charged for more than base rock prices....
It's probably live, but not very lively :-)

Noah Body wrote:

Okay .. I have just learned how to put pics on a website and add URL's to
them so that you can click on them. . . and I thought I knew everything.
... anyway's .. here's the links to the pics for my live rock.



http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06243.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06242.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06241.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06239.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06238.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06237.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06236.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06235.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06234.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06232.jpg


PS: the water level is low in the pic because I am doing a water change and
can't find the salt to make up some more.. so I'm off to the LFS now. Also
.. I just put in a powerhead and it just blasted into the crushed coral,
sending a covering of white "sand" all over my live rock, so now I have to
shake it off of everything. Does this happen to other setup's? ... I feel
like I should have washed all the fine's out of the coral before putting it
in ... if I distrub the bed in the slightest .. I get white crushed coral
all over everything .... which I don't like.


Caper





--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove –SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

Thanks for taking a peek at the pics Ric. On the glass was a big " 30
% OFF" sticker and after telling the guy my life story about just getting
into reef tanks, he didn't charge me any tax either.... so I paid $83.00
Canadian for 10.5 pounds of rock. and as far as getting it "lively" .. I can
only assume from you looking at my pics that it's not exactly TEAMING with
life? ..


"RicSeyler" wrote in message
.. .
I hope you didn't get charged for more than base rock prices....
It's probably live, but not very lively :-)

Noah Body wrote:

Okay .. I have just learned how to put pics on a website and add URL's to
them so that you can click on them. . . and I thought I knew everything.
... anyway's .. here's the links to the pics for my live rock.



http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06243.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06242.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06241.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06239.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06238.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06237.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06236.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06235.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06234.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06232.jpg


PS: the water level is low in the pic because I am doing a water change
and can't find the salt to make up some more.. so I'm off to the LFS now.
Also .. I just put in a powerhead and it just blasted into the crushed
coral, sending a covering of white "sand" all over my live rock, so now I
have to shake it off of everything. Does this happen to other setup's? ...
I feel like I should have washed all the fine's out of the coral before
putting it in ... if I distrub the bed in the slightest .. I get white
crushed coral all over everything .... which I don't like.


Caper



--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove –SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

Noah Body wrote:

Thanks for taking a peek at the pics Ric. On the glass was a big " 30
% OFF" sticker and after telling the guy my life story about just getting
into reef tanks, he didn't charge me any tax either.... so I paid $83.00
Canadian for 10.5 pounds of rock. and as far as getting it "lively" .. I can
only assume from you looking at my pics that it's not exactly TEAMING with
life? ..


I looks like what is sold generally as "base rock". But I'll tell you
one thing, you never know
what might pop out of it in the future, even a year or more later. And
after a while with proper CAL
levels you will get coralline on it. And you got plenty of places to
attach corals :-)


"RicSeyler" wrote in message
. ..


I hope you didn't get charged for more than base rock prices....
It's probably live, but not very lively :-)

Noah Body wrote:



Okay .. I have just learned how to put pics on a website and add URL's to
them so that you can click on them. . . and I thought I knew everything.
... anyway's .. here's the links to the pics for my live rock.



http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06243.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06242.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06241.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06239.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06238.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06237.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06236.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06235.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06234.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...3/DSC06232.jpg


PS: the water level is low in the pic because I am doing a water change
and can't find the salt to make up some more.. so I'm off to the LFS now.
Also .. I just put in a powerhead and it just blasted into the crushed
coral, sending a covering of white "sand" all over my live rock, so now I
have to shake it off of everything. Does this happen to other setup's? ...
I feel like I should have washed all the fine's out of the coral before
putting it in ... if I distrub the bed in the slightest .. I get white
crushed coral all over everything .... which I don't like.


Caper




--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove -SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson







--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove -SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

* Noah Body wrote, On 8/15/2006 9:15 AM:
Okay .. I have just learned how to put pics on a website and add URL's to
them so that you can click on them. . . and I thought I knew everything.
... anyway's .. here's the links to the pics for my live rock.

Good job. Maybe someday I'll learn how to do that....
Not too lively, is it...but nice-shaped pieces!

PS: the water level is low in the pic because I am doing a water change and
can't find the salt to make up some more.. so I'm off to the LFS now. Also
.. I just put in a powerhead and it just blasted into the crushed coral,
sending a covering of white "sand" all over my live rock, so now I have to
shake it off of everything. Does this happen to other setup's? ... I feel
like I should have washed all the fine's out of the coral before putting it
in ... if I distrub the bed in the slightest .. I get white crushed coral
all over everything .... which I don't like.

Yeah, rinse, rinse and rinse again. Even rinse SAND. I set up a 150 FO tank
years and years ago using crushed oyster shell from a feed store over an
under-gravel filter.
Rinsed it outside in winter in Montana, froze my FINGERS off, among other
things. What a mess. Stuff compacted nastily, too, but I had a nice
well-buffered healthy tank for a long time.

Cindy