base rock from jeff's

[chromis]

Just got my fish club email from jeffs exotic fish and it advertised 1.50 a pound Vanisi base rock. Anyone who lives near Jeff's know how this stuff looks? I was thinking about getting a box of Vanisi base and a box of premium figi for my 55. Is it just boulders or interesting shapes?
Advice appreciated
Andrew

[chromis]

anyone?

[Elmo18]

Chromis,

I called up Jeff's Exoticfish when I ordered my 45lbs of Vanisi. This was the premium stuff, not base, though ($115 box). I asked about the regular Vanisi, and I think I spoke to Jarod, he said there's no coralline, bare pieces, whereas the more expensive stuff has coralline and macro algae. In fact, he's right because the rocks that arrived to me had orange, purple, and green coralline, and algae.

I think the base is good if you're getting large pieces to secure the bottom of your rockwork. In this way, you won't see the bare rocks anyway, since you will then put better looking rocks on top to cover, plus other corals (mushroom rocks, etc.). Over time, the coralline should start spreading to the base rock.

Regards,
Ilham

[ravenmore]

chromis-

You can also use regular limestone and tufa rock for base rock. These can usually be purchased VERY inexpensively from landscape supply stores. If you seed with a few pounds of live rock and get a good detrivore kit from www.ipsf.com or the like it should work just fine for you. Not exactly what you were asking about but I thought I'd mention it. I have a lot of tufa in my tank and it's hard now to tell the difference from the live rock I purchased for $10/pound.

------------------
I didn't do it. Nobody saw me do it. You can't prove anything.

Website

[chromis]

Hmm, think I will stick with live rock- corraline not important, its the benificial bacteria. I am going to try to order and and get it flown in saturday. If I go all premium figi, Ill probably get it at the marine center to save on shipping. So does anyone else have opinions?
thanks
Andrew

[BLUESMAN]

I would recommend the rock from www.themarinecenter.com .I have 90# and very pleased with it...lots of life and a few sponges lots of plant life.Best of all it only cost me $234 with air line shipping.One other place you could look at is www.paragonsales.com.

[golfish]

I like Fiji more than the Vanisi when it comes to life. I bought 50lbs of ultra Fiji and 50lbs of premium Fiji from Jeff a little over 2 years ago. The Fiji came with lots of fun stuff.Three months ago I bought 100+lbs of Vanisi rock (not base) and it has very little life, lots of coralline but no fun stuff. I like the size and shape of Vanisi rock better than Fiji....

Mark

[chromis]

Thanks, if I go with all Figi then Im getting it from the marine center since its closer.(air freight) I think the base rock is probably just boulders so it looks like Ill be ordering from marine center.
thanks again
Andrew