Buying Used Live Rock

I'm thinking about getting some live rock to start up my tank from another local reef guy. I've been reading a lot of negative stuff about buying rock from other people, but it seems to me that if it's been established for years, is of high quality and is in a tank that's healthy, what's the difference? I mean here in Chicago the live rock at my LFS is covered in aiptasia and looks like junk. And it's more than twice as expensive. I'd rather take my chances on this.

I don't want to take unnecessary risk starting up, but it seems to me that there are risks whenever the live rock is introduced, it's a sort of x variable. Even the Florida Live Rock available can have nasty hitchhikers like mantises, aiptasia, bristleworm, bryopsis, etc. Not to down it, I plan on buying some next year (for my already being planned second tank), but I'm just pointing out my logic.

What are other opinions? Taking established rock from a healthy tank to start up a new one?

 

as long as it is a healthy tank and you dont buy it sitting in a bucket.... some nasty stuff can come with live rock. i have bought some stuff from a guy on the net and it had aspistia on it..i couldnt see it at the time but it was there.

 

I bought live rock from people before and they came with a couple hitchikers but the rock was full of life and worth it in the end. Especially for like a buck a pound. I wouldn't have bought any of the rock though if it didn't look premium.

 

Thanks for the quick replies! It's $4/lb which is pretty good for Chicago, I feel I have analyzed the market here pretty well over the last 2 months. I did find $1/lb live rock but it had "been treated with copper since the tank's inception 4 years ago" which made it totally unsuitable for my reef purposes.

I agree about the premium thing, I don't plan on buying what's not worth $4, which I am aware is a little on the pricey end.

Bunner: It's in his tanks right now, definitely on board with not buying stuff sitting in buckets. That's not worth $4/lb!

 

yeah i would get it especially if it is in his tank right now that is another way how you know it is good by the look of his tank... sounds awesome lucky u ^^

 

It's a done deal Got the rock home yesterday afternoon. He even hooked up a free coral, plus some sponges hitchhiked along too.

The tanks looked great, nothing but coraline algae.

 

Kewl,

Got any pics?

 

I'll put some up soon. Let's just say I was enjoying certain privileges of being over 21 last night and am a little sluggish today. . .

 

Watch the coral, cause i did the same thing bought an established tank, with most of the original water, same sand, bought the live rock from an established tank, and we still had die off even tho the rock was fully submerged in water on the ride home. Our ammonia was sky high for about a week and half. So just be cautious with the coral if placing directly into the tank while it cycles.

 

Being this is the only tank I have up, I really had no other choice than to put the coral into the tank. I hope it makes it, but I'll wait and see. It has actually opened up today and is waving about in the current. Still waiting on the reply from the guy about what it is exactly.

I'm actually hoping that there's an ammonia spike because I need the cycle to start, but at the same time I don't want the coral to be harmed. . . It's a tough spot, I can only hope for the best it seems.