Live Sand & Live Rock

[JerryReef]

I am currently in the market for LS and LR. I was wondering if it is preferable to purchase from a vendor closer to home; Or it doesn’t make a difference.

I am in Stamford, CT area, any recommendations, as I am looking for a good assortment of LR and also some Somoan Pink sand?

Thanks

[dattack]

Well it pretty much depends on the vendor. You have to look at the people who received live rocks and live sand from different vendors and judge on the quality of the rock. Most of the rocks anyhow are guaranteed to arrive within a few days anyways but the longer it takes to get to your house, the more dieoff you will find in your rock.

I haven't really mailordered anything live on the east coast but if you find one there that has a good reputation, I say go for it. There are 3-4 mail order places within 1 hr. of my home in Southern California and I just walk in and buy it without the shipping cost. And if you are buying rock to cycle your tank, buy the uncured live rock because you will probably have more life in your rock anyways. Even if you buy cured rock, you will see dieoffs also if you mail order.

Concerning buying live sand, I would just buy "dead" aragonite sand and it will eventually seed with the live rock anyways when cycling. Furthermore it will be cheaper on your budget. Anyways, most of the live sand that I purchase at my LFS are labeled live and their definition means that it just have beneficial bacteria. There are not to many starts, bristleworms, creatures etc. You can eventually seed the sand with a detrivore kit at various online vendors and that will make your sand come to life.

Good luck

[JerryReef]

Thanks dattack!

Jerry

[David]

Yea, what Data said. A lot of folks on the east coast are using that "Southdown play sand" from Home Depot, I would look into that. For that price you can afford deep sand bed easy. Go with the freshest LR you can get, don't pay for "cured" rock. Plan on letting tank sit for a month or two, more if you can stand it, remember that patience is the crucial element in setting up a reef tank. I have sometimes suggested a smaller, second tank for the impatient. Go ahead and load it up, have a ball! When you see what a mistake that was you will be glad you took your time on the big one.

[CaptainK]

Hi JerryReef,
I agree with the above about getting the Southdown Tropical PlaySand for your sandbed. Here on the eastcoast you can pretty much always get it from Home Depot's.
As far as getting LR, I have yet to find a place, at least here is Mass.,
that has good quality and price.
I have ordered the majority of my LR from Premium Aquatics, I forget exactly which state they are in. But for what I order it is still cheaper and looks better than that of the rock found in the only LFS that carries the stuff.
HTH,
CaptK

[wastedincome420]

Hey JerryReef,
Welcome to my nightmare..LOL.. I live in NH and am going through
The same thing you are.(I pretty new and have a 105g that I'mtrying to get setup) I know that theres a place in conn. callled "Paragon
Aquatics?" That sells LR and LS that might be a place for you to check
out. I heard lots of positive feedback about there LR from someone that lives in VT and drives all the way down there too get the nice rock.
I also agree with the others about using "south down" for the base of a Deep Sand BED. I paid $4.27 a 50# bag, I bought five bags
and that was still cheaper tha 1 30# bag of CaribSea at my LFS (and it the SAME stuff from the same place )
Another thing you'll prob. find out is there is actually quit a bit of fellow reefers in the NewEngland area
I wish you the best of luck in you new set-up. I hope to get mine going ASAP....Well as soon as this bad case of pheumonia thats been keeping me from doing much of anything other then trying to read up on this entire hobby

[Tarek]

I'd suggest getting your LR via mail order from Premium Aquatics, Southdown Tropical Playsand from a local Home Depot, and then seed the DSB with detritivore kits from IPSF and/or Inland Aquatics.

Putting together your own LS-DSB is much cheaper by buying the dead Southdown sand, and then seeding it with mail order detritivore kits. Also, if you buy in medium-large quantities, the cost of LR turns out to be cheaper by mail-order, as their prices are always much cheaper than at the LFS, and the cost of shipping is compensated for by this..

Good luck.

-Tarek

[JerryReef]

I have also heard good things about Paragon in Hamden, CT and sea-critters in Florida. There are a few more that I’ve been introduced to, just slipped my mind.

wastedincome420 wrote:

Another thing you'll prob. find out is there is actually quit a bit of fellow reefers in the NewEngland area

Funny you should mention that, as we are planning a meet, the Southern New England group Nov 18 up at Cheshire

I did manage to get a garage full of Hm Depot SD sand, Cap., David.

Thanks for stopping by guys, and most appreciative of the links…….bookmarked

Jerry
===


A mind that is stretched by new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.....

[wastedincome420]

WOW it sounds like you guys in conn. have a great lil' club
going on down there Wish i was was a lil' closer to ya'
I wonder if there is any thing like your group near me in NH?
Even Boston's a lil' too far for me to travel that much.
Best wishes too all of you

Wastedincome420@aol.com

[amcarrig]

JerryReef: Ummm, did you say a garage full of Southdown? I tried to get some at my local Home Depots and they won't be restocking until spring. Feel like parting w/1 bag of that Southdown at our Nov. 18 meet? I'll understand if you say no (sniff sniff). Let me know!!

[JerryReef]

Did I say that I was going to be there that cold Nov. weekend

Sheeze!!……. there is no getting away from a mountain biking Legal Secretary, is there? They somehow track you down! These NERC types ;;

Ok....so how about a trade we'll talk about it ;) go ahead make my day :eek3:


Jerry
====

The tragedy of life is not so much what we suffer, but rather what we miss. ....

[amcarrig]

JerryReef: Yup, you've gone ahead and committed to meeting on November 18....I will be there, oh yes, I will be.....Anyhow, as for a trade, I'm afraid my meager 20 gallon offers no collateral value. Give me about 6 months to finish setting up my 55 and 90 gallon and we'll have a tete-a-tete. I am, however, willing to give you cash if you really want to part with a bag...and only if you really really want to part with just one little itty-bitty bag.....just one miniscule little bag...won't even make a dent in your supply....but only if you really want to....really

[JerryReef]

.......and only if you really really want to part with just one little itty-bitty bag.....just one miniscule little bag...won't even make a dent in your supply....but only if you really want to....really

just one little itty-bitty bag .... huh .......R U sure we're talking about the same thing ..... these darn bags weigh a ton ..... with 50 lbs of Caribbean in each bag.

Ok…I’ll take the rain check

Jerry
===

I am a part of all that I have met

[amcarrig]

Jerry: Me Strong Like Bull!! I once picked up 200 lbs of it (almost twice my weight in sand!) from Home Depot and put it in the trunk of my new Beetle. Needless to say, I had to avoid every pothole in the road on the way home. That stuff has some serious poundage. Looking forward to meeting you on the 18th!