Why I like diver collected live rock

[56longroof]

Wow. You went all in with 150 lbs. How big of a tank?

150 tall

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

After 55 years of reefing, I don’t quarantine. The juice is not worth the squeeze. Each reefer should do his own risk management assessment.

Here is a list of hitchhikers:

https://gulfliverock.com/hitchhiker-id

Here is another list of hitchhikers:
Tampa Bay Saltwater Live Rock Hikers

when I was a live rock & tank set up business, for 1 year, I had 200 pounds a month shipped to me. That year, I processed 2000 lbs of rock. During those days, I asked for special pieces and in one case was shown a picture with rock in 30’ of water. I approved the rock and on next dive day, rock was collected in the morning and I put it in my tank at midnight: less than 16 hours from being on the reef.

Let’s park at natural food webs using micro fauna & fana.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nutrient-management-by-“old-school”-reefer.784640/
This food web, the sponge loop was discovered by Dutch researches.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279061640_2013_deGoeij_Science_Sponge_loop
As a “holistic reefer” why I like Bryozoans:

“Bryozoans are crucial to marine ecosystems because
they act as water purifiers, filter-feeding to remove particles and improve clarity; serve as habitat builders, creating complex structures for other species like small fish and crustaceans; and are a key food web link, consumed by various predators while also providing food for themselves. Their colonies add structural complexity, support biodiversity, stabilize sediment, and their presence often signals good water quality, making them vital for overall ecosystem health and resilience.“
Specific Contributions:

• Water Filtration: Like other suspension feeders (e.g., mussels, sponges), bryozoans filter tiny food particles from the water, which helps to keep oceans clean and clear.
• Habitat & Shelter: Their colonies form intricate structures, offering shelter, breeding grounds, and foraging areas for numerous small organisms, including crabs, juvenile mussels, and small fish, boosting local biodiversity.
• Food Web Role: They consume microscopic organisms and are, in turn, eaten by predators like fish, snails, and insects, placing them as important links in the marine food web.
• Ecosystem Engineers: Their calcium carbonate skeletons contribute to reef-like structures, adding physical complexity to the seafloor, similar to corals.
• Bioindicators: Because they are sensitive to changes in water chemistry and temperature, bryozoans can act as valuable indicators of environmental health.
• Sediment Stabilization: Their colonies can bind and stabilize sediments, further shaping the marine environment.

In essence, these "moss animals" are integral to marine environments, supporting life through filtration, providing essential shelter, and forming a vital part of the food chain, much like their fossilized ancestors did for millions of years.
And check out what they look like on uncured diver collected live rock.
https://img1.wsimg.com/isteam/ip/90af1256-3dfc-46e5-86cb-4b2dddf55349/premium-deco-rock-17.gif/:/cr=t:0%,l:3.6%,w:92.8%,h:100%/rs=w:440,h:331,cg:true

Great write up on Bryozoans. Love how they add a splash of color too.

Thanks for supporting Florida Live Rock farms.

 

[kevgib67]

Just added 50 lbs TBS and 90 lbs live sand an added the live rock from my 32g last weekend. In over 20 years of reefing I wouldn’t use anything else.

Just corrected it so you get credit @LiverockRocks

 

[kevgib67]

“I’m pretty sure if we go back far enough we are related. When and where is our reunion?“

Kevin,
We could start at Adam & Eve!

That was 5 years ago and I had a rich nephew that gave me an open ended purchase order.

PS: We might have one this Spring in Austin. I just started floating the idea with family members: Castille’s & Roeloffs. Cajuns & Germans makes for an interesting mix.

I was wondering if you could give me the number of our rich nephew?

 

[dvgyfresh]

It’s the only way to start a tank for me!
August to today

 

[Subsea]

I was wondering if you could give me the number of our rich nephew?

Our rich nephew. Cute.

Pittsburg is still a consideration for next family reunion. If we do that, I will send you an invite.

 

[kevgib67]

Our rich nephew. Cute.

Pittsburg is still a consideration for next family reunion. If we do that, I will send you an invite.

Can’t wait to meet him!

 

[Subsea]

It’s the only way to start a tank for me!
August to today

What are the red branching trees in the first picture.

https://www.reef2reef.com/attachments/img_2116-jpeg.4390581/

 

[dvgyfresh]

What are the red branching trees in the first picture.

https://www.reef2reef.com/attachments/img_2116-jpeg.4390581/

LFS live rock - tropic Eden branch , rest of it gulf live rock 20lbs

 

[Subsea]

Is there risk of dish disease or parasites by bringing in rocks directly from the ocean?

Do they need to be quarantined for a while with just inverts or sustained with just a food source?

After 55 years of reefing, I don’t quarantine. The juice is not worth the squeeze. Each reefer should do his own risk management assessment.

 

[LiverockRocks Verified Sponsor]

Is there risk of dish disease or parasites by bringing in rocks directly from the ocean?

Do they need to be quarantined for a while with just inverts or sustained with just a food source?

Many customers with established systems choose to set up a separate observation tank to watch for hikers.

Ocean farmed rock requires life support, so it is important to maintain good water quality, provide flow, oxygenate the water and add a bit of light on the observation tank. 2-3 weeks is plenty of time to watch for undesirable hikers and remove them.

Of course, if the aquarium is brand new - even better. Simply run the tank a few weeks with only rock & sand, trapping hikers as you see them.

TBS Reef Safe Live Rock Hitchhikers

 

[shawtygotbass]

Many customers with established systems choose to set up a separate observation tank to watch for hikers.

Ocean farmed rock requires life support, so it is important to maintain good water quality, provide flow, oxygenate the water and add a bit of light on the observation tank. 2-3 weeks is plenty of time to watch for undesirable hikers and remove them.

Of course, if the aquarium is brand new - even better. Simply run the tank a few weeks with only rock & sand, trapping hikers as you see them.

TBS Reef Safe Live Rock Hitchhikers

It would be a 1 year old system.

I’m more worried about fish disease than hitch hikers. I imagine those odds are dismally low bringing a rock or something in from the ocean directly?

Also, do you know if the hitchhikers (good and bad) and diverse good bacteria would be able to survive from the ocean in a place like Southern California, into a coral reef environment? Temp difference would be 25 degrees.

I ask because when I’m scuba diving, there’s some rubble that has some of the most beautiful red coraline I’d like to add if possible.

 

[Subsea]

It would be a 1 year old system.

I’m more worried about fish disease than hitch hikers. I imagine those odds are dismally low bringing a rock or something in from the ocean directly?

Also, do you know if the hitchhikers (good and bad) and diverse good bacteria would be able to survive from the ocean in a place like Southern California, into a coral reef environment? Temp difference would be 25 degrees.

I ask because when I’m scuba diving, there’s some rubble that has some of the most beautiful red coraline I’d like to add if possible.

Go for it.
I doubt that 50 degree bacteria would die just because you increased temperature to 75 degrees. Other more sensitive organisms might not survive.
I assure you that in the winter the water on the Florida Gulf coast gets into the low 50’s. Three weeks ago, in conversation with Dan at Gulf Live Rock, he indicated that water temperature was 53 degrees when he collected this

 

[shawtygotbass]

Go for it.
I doubt that 50 degree bacteria would die just because you increased temperature to 75 degrees. Other more sensitive organisms might not survive.
I assure you that in the winter the water on the Florida Gulf coast gets into the low 50’s. Three weeks ago, in conversation with Dan at Gulf Live Rock, he indicated that water temperature was 53 degrees when he collected this

Yeah it’s the reds in the pic with the clowns I love. I see similar to that out here, a bit more purple. But deff diff species than the straight purple I see growing in my tank.

 

[Subsea]

When manicuring uncured diver collected live rock, I do use janitors. However, urchins not only eat coralline algae, they eat Bryozoans. So, When urchins get on desirables, I transfer them to grow out tanks, from the display.

While not obvious, in the center, just above two bristle worms, the urchin cleaned some Bryozoan around a Caribbean hard coral polyp.