Live rock

gaboon

gaboon

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How do you tell the different kinds of live rock apart? (Kenyan, Fijian etc.)

Also, what shops have the best selection of LR and who has the cheapest?
 
Well your local lfs should be able to tell you the diff , but in general kenyan is a lot heavier and cheaper than fijian and malayian as they are more coral based (dead coral skeletons) in some cases. I find the best wayto test is by smelling it if its really bad like something rotting than it needs to be cured in a seperate vessal if it smells sort of ok than its sort of ok to use, if it smells like the ocean than its fine to use almost striaght away.
 
Also, Gaboon - to add to Tridan - I think that the rocks from Kenya are mostly round'ish in shape (and heavier), where-as Fiji is more flat and sometimes branching (looks like tree branches - due to being from dead coral pieces)....

Also, usually Fiji/Malaysian, etc live rock have mostly much more macro algae, and sometimes even corals growing on it.

Corralline algae colors also differ between the different live rock from the different locations (i.e. Kenya is mostly light colors, i.e. pink, white, light green - whereas you will find a lot of darker colorer corralline algae on Fiji/Malaysian,etc...)
 
Personally i would go for Fijian - the most expensive you can afford, live rock is a very important part of your reef eco-system, fijian rock seems to offer the most porous and therefore most surface area, this will help your nitrate cycle/bacteria growth.
 
cool thanks for the info. How much would a kilo of kenyan and fijian generally go for?
 
gaboon.check out eco aquatics for the LR.he's got some wicked stuff!all different shapes and sizes
 
gaboon said:
can you mix the two?
Click to expand...

You can mix the rock, just like when you buy a frag, you may not get top quality fiji rock under it, it doesn't do any harm, it may in fact help by giving you more bio diversity
 
Yes. It is even beneficial as you get greater diversity...
 
Thanks guys, spoke to Andew @ Eco Aquatics, R100/kg, Nearly fell off my chair. Now I know where my bonus is going (if I get one)
 
Hehe, it could be worse gaboon... Like double...
 
Gaboon ,R100/kg is a real bargain .We never see prices that low in Cape Town.I normally pay between R150 to R200 plus .
 
Sheesh R89 for kenyan doesn't sound good... It's still "ok" at R50...
 
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