Live Rock In The Uk

[1entra]

Hi there,

I am looking to purchase some live rock (preferably cured) for my newly set nano reef and was wondering if people can make suggestions of online websites, or shops in the Midlands area that supply good quality porous live rock at affordable prices?

As all the LFS around my area seem to be selling is poor quality lifeless base rock as a substitute for high/premium quality live rock covered in algae and life!

Any recommendations through past expereince of trusted online sellers would be appreciated.

Cheerz

 

[smithrc]

How much are you after?

I might be splitting my nano with about 5kg LR in it.... covered in life

 

[1entra]

Il be after just over 10kg but 5kg would be a start so sounds good! However I wont be needing it till just over 2weeks as I still have not set ma tank up yet as I am waiting on a few bits of equipment. I don't suppose you can save it til then can you?

What else have you got in your set-up that that may be wishing to get rid off? I'm after a reliable refractometer or a decent skimmer if you got one??

 

[xxBarneyxx]

I'm going to be getting my live rock from http/www.live-rock.co.uk

I have spoken to a few people that have bought from them and they have all said how good the rock was and that the service was brilliant.

 

[1entra]

I'm going to be getting my live rock from http/www.live-rock.co.uk

I have spoken to a few people that have bought from them and they have all said how good the rock was and that the service was brilliant.

Sounds good mate, when are you planning on getting the live rock? Can you post back and let us know how good the quality and life on the rock was when you receive it please?

Anybody else got any experience with other dealers of websites?

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Probably not for at least another month. Part of the deal I had to strike with my housemates to let me put the tank in the dinning room was that I decorate it first, then I need to build the stand for the tank (and buy the tank) so going to take awhile. I know a couple of people on this forum use them and have some pics up (cant remeber who they are off the top of my head though).

 

[1entra]

Hi there,

Just a quick update of this thread. I went on to buy 10kg premium cured live rock along with 2kg live rock rubble from Live Rock UK online website. I received the Live rock on Fri 5th October and I've had in the tank for several days now.

So far to be honest with ya I'm abit disapointed with the rock as I was after live rock full of life and critters. I received 4 large pieces of rock that had hardly any coralline algae on them, instead it looked like base rock with the odd dot of purple on it! 2 of the pieces seem to have a macroalgae of some sort growing on them (which I'm not too keen on!) The morning after introducing the live rock into my tank I noticed a few dead bristleworms floating/lieing around my tank! The only real life I have seen so far is a small common crab which is supposed to turn into a pest as it gets older/bigger so I have put the little chap in my refugium for the time being till I decide what to do with it!

The rock hardly seemed to take any space in my 25G tank so I visited a couple of marine shops that stock Live rock in my area (the closest of which is approx 15mile away!) and hand picked some amazing coloured pieces of live rock covered in purple and ful of life! As I was there in person I got to inspect each piece thoroughly and pick the ones I wanted! All in all I bought approx another 12kg live rock!

So using the one I bought online as the base rock, I have stacked the top with all the proper "LIVE" rock most of which is covered in life including loads of Mushrooms, featherdusters, a couple of small clams/oysters and even a few small starfish! So far so good...

I am not trying to put Live Rock UK down at all as I'm sure others may get much better pieces of rock and are delighted with what they receive but these are my opinions from my own experience so personally I would recommend hand picking/buying your live rock (if possible) as although it may cost a little bit extra in comparison to online, at least you get see exactly what you are buying and don't have to rely on somebody else choosing the main bilogical filteration of your marine tank for you!!!

Hope this at least helps others when it comes to purchasing their live rock!

PS. My live rock rubble is absolutely CR*P!! I have not seen a singe dot of purple or any other form of life on it!!! Looks just like ordinary ocean rock that has been broken down to smaller chunks. I think I would have been alot better off getting a large piece of live rock from my LFS and just breaking it into smaller pieces using a hammer to put into my filter compartment in my refugium!!!

 

[STD]

I wouldn't worry about the coralline

If you have suitable lighting and calcium levels it will soon appear

Also coralline reduces the efficiency of the filtration on live rock

 

[andywg]

Also coralline reduces the efficiency of the filtration on live rock

Some have suggested this may be the case with the coraline algae preventing water from flowing around and through the LR in the same way, yet there are tanks where all the rock is covered by coraline growth and there is no detectable difference in the filtration, so such a statement is questionable at best.

 

[STD]

Also coralline reduces the efficiency of the filtration on live rock

Some have suggested this may be the case with the coraline algae preventing water from flowing around and through the LR in the same way, yet there are tanks where all the rock is covered by coraline growth and there is no detectable difference in the filtration, so such a statement is questionable at best.

True not proven

But a lot of people I respect believe it

 

[andywg]

Also coralline reduces the efficiency of the filtration on live rock

Some have suggested this may be the case with the coraline algae preventing water from flowing around and through the LR in the same way, yet there are tanks where all the rock is covered by coraline growth and there is no detectable difference in the filtration, so such a statement is questionable at best.

True not proven

But a lot of people I respect believe it

And a lot of people who were respected a few years ago thought water changes were bad.

Until someone can bring one piece of evidence of coraline growth impairing the filtration process I shall dismiss those claims just like the claims aquarium salt is necessary for best conditions for FW fish.

 

[STD]

Also coralline reduces the efficiency of the filtration on live rock

Some have suggested this may be the case with the coraline algae preventing water from flowing around and through the LR in the same way, yet there are tanks where all the rock is covered by coraline growth and there is no detectable difference in the filtration, so such a statement is questionable at best.

True not proven

But a lot of people I respect believe it

And a lot of people who were respected a few years ago thought water changes were bad.

Until someone can bring one piece of evidence of coraline growth impairing the filtration process I shall dismiss those claims just like the claims aquarium salt is necessary for best conditions for FW fish.

you are welcome to your opinion - I was trying to point out that there is nothing wrong with buying live rock without Coraline

I should have stated in my first post that there are differences of opinion on whether it impedes filtration.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Filteration effectivness aside how long does Coraline normally take to appear?

The reason I ask is I got some LR last weekend which looked pretty bare. Over the last couple of days though there is a definite purple "blush" appearing on it now. Seeing as it has been in there less then a week and the water conditions are less then prefect I was a bit suprised by this. it is a new tank going through a cycle so ammonia is at 0.5 and I havent even checked the other levels yet.

 

[Puncture.uk]

Hi there,

I am looking to purchase some live rock (preferably cured) for my newly set nano reef and was wondering if people can make suggestions of online websites, or shops in the Midlands area that supply good quality porous live rock at affordable prices?

As all the LFS around my area seem to be selling is poor quality lifeless base rock as a substitute for high/premium quality live rock covered in algae and life!

Any recommendations through past expereince of trusted online sellers would be appreciated.

Cheerz

Hi, I have just purchased around 40Kilo at less than £5/Kilo - An absolute bargain! It's covered with sponges, mushrooms, purple algae, clam-type things and other corals etc. I also had about £200 pounds worth of freebies thrown in (unopened Sea Salts, Coral treatments, loads of different chemicals, fish foods etc) - Always check the aquarist Classifieds (or whatever it's called) - That's where I found mine and you can normally pick up fantastic bargains!

Sam

 

[1entra]

Hi, I have just purchased around 40Kilo at less than £5/Kilo - An absolute bargain! It's covered with sponges, mushrooms, purple algae, clam-type things and other corals etc. I also had about £200 pounds worth of freebies thrown in (unopened Sea Salts, Coral treatments, loads of different chemicals, fish foods etc) - Always check the aquarist Classifieds (or whatever it's called) - That's where I found mine and you can normally pick up fantastic bargains!

Sam

Thanks for the reply sam but I have already bougt approx 22kg of live rock already for my tank. Had a look on the aquarist classified ads but was nothing decent on there at the time. Gald to see you got a good bargain though!