Buying live rock online: Overnight shipping a must?

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Cksnffr

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Aug 5, 2013
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Some places (like LiveAquaria) don't offer anything but overnight for live rock. Other places (like Premium Aquatics) will do overnight or ground. And other places (like Gulf Live Rock) do just ground.

Overnight shipping obviously is expensive--almost as much as the rock itself, sometimes. For live rock that will be used to cycle a new tank, what would you recommend?


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OrionGirl

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Aug 14, 2001
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It depends on how close you are and how long it will take. I'd pay for overnight--the less time in shipping, the less die off there will be and the more cool things that will survive.
 

authmal

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Aug 4, 2011
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If you can, avoid the shipping and just go to your LFS and grab some (preferably cured) live rock. Especially if you're not going to go all live rock initially, that'll probably get you the best bang for your buck.
 

OrionGirl

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Well...for my dollar? Cured from the lfs is little better than dry rock. Yes, I'm sure it has bacteria on it, but it seldom has anything more than coralline algae on it. Big woop.
 

TL1000RSquid

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Apr 6, 2011
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Cured will cycle it just fine, my last 2 tanks were started using cured rock and a little live sand.
 

OrionGirl

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If cycling is all you're looking for, why buy live rock? Just get dry rock and go with fishless cycling. I buy live rock because I want the things on and in it--that includes bacteria, because the bacteria are there...but the sponges and bivalves and algaes and peanut worms and feather dusters and micro stars and everything else are amazingly cool and justify the expense of ordering online and having it shipped.
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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You'd be surprised how many critters come on a single 5lb piece of good LR. It will seed a lot of dry rock very quickly. You'll have micro stars and pods running all over the place in no time.
 

OrionGirl

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Aug 14, 2001
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That said--it might be worth looking at the option to buy locally for the bulk of your rock, get the tank stable with that, and then buy some really nice rock to go on top of the less decorative stuff. I certainly don't think you need ALL of your rock to be encrusted, but the infusion of critters and color are well worth it.
 
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