alternative to live rock?

To bad I can't take my student loans debt on the boat.

 

and thats coming from someone in alabama? got a source by any chance?

 

I lived in Jacksonville and St Augustine for almost 8 years, getting ready to move back to Jacksonville in a few months. Call your local game wardens office (Fish and Wildlife) and ask them about it. You can also search for Florida Fish and Game laws on Google.

 

I'm willing believe it, FL laws are ridiculous, and this one isn't that extreme for a area that has a reef..

 

well ok, i have looked on google and havnt found squat yet. i belive ya though, i had already decided against it anyway.

 

FWC -Saltwater Fish Regulations Approved Rules Summary

That is a beginning. You said you had changed your mind but its there for anybody else that starts looking for it. The law isn't designed or aimed at the hobbyist. Its aimed at the commercial people harvesting the rocks. The aquaculturers in the Keys and such have a lease and a license to harvest from there but its all rock they put there to start with. The penalty for violation of the law is one I saw in person when they arrested the man, his wife, took the boat, trailer and truck, children went to DCFS and he had maybe 20 pounds of rock and about 5-6 corals he had collected off the coast of Jacksonville.
There is also a movement in Florida now concerning the trade and sell of corals at the hobbyist level that you should check on also. If you have a local club contact them and ask about the new laws. they are slowly revising them to not include the hobbyists and it only covers Florida but something you should be aware of.

 

MAYBE you could get away with it if you scrubbed the hell out of it and you let if soak for a couple weeks before adding to your tank. And you'd only be adding it if the water you soaked it in for a week was completely clear at the end of the soak.

Even then, it's a risk. I don't know how big your tank is but you may only need a couple of pounds of actual live rock then you can add bowl rock ($1.50/lbs) after that. Eventually it will all be nice healthy live rock and you won't have any parasites or dead creatures within the rock that will destroy your water quality.