Collecting your own live rock

[zooom101]

I have a 30 gallon salt tank, and I dont really wanna spend 80 to 100$ on live rock. I will be going to the Gulf Coast of Florida in a week to go fishing. I have noticed when going through the channels out to the open water that there are barriers made of rock. There are also Islands made entirely of rock. I was wondering if this could be used as "Live Rock." Some of the rock is intertidal and some is submerged all the time. It tends to have some oysters on it too. I understand that it wont look as good as rock bought from the store but I am just looking for rock to filter the tank. Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks,
Billy

 

[Eelzor]

Welcome to the forums zoom! - I would want to do that too because it saves a lot of money. I suppose getting live rock from somewhere would work but I am not sure if itis legal, at least here.

 

[devinf]

It is wonderful to be able to collect your own rock, sand and livestock. We do it often at the aquarium (just two weeks ago we scored 5 rainbow mantis shrimp and a couple of nice sized starfish), But you MUST check with local authorities.

Many of the coastal areas are protected and you would need a scientific collection permit (kinda difficult to obtain) just to start. Then you would need to notify any fish/game folks about what you hoped to collect and at what time of the day you will be there. Then you have to have your collected samples verified. This is in California, but I would assume similar laws in Florida.

Don't risk it either. A lobster poacher got caught cutting traps just a month or two ago by the local fish and game types. He not only was fined VERY heavily, but also lost all of his SCUBA gear and the car he drove to the beach (seizure laws anyone? )

So check with the state authorities before you take a chunk of rock home with you. If they allow it, I encourage you to try it out. Just the experience of being out there looking at the stuff will make you a better aquarist.

Devin

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

I believe it's illegal due to over harvesting of live rock. Also, you might not want to collect it from the ocean due to the fact that their could be all sorts of pests lurking on it (mantis shrimp eggs, aipista anemones, bristle worms).
You could buy 1 piece of live rock and a large amount of base rock (Dead live rock ). The one live rock will eventually populate the base rock and soon all of the rocks in the tank will be "Alive".

 

[De Plano]

Live rock needs to be at least wet, and I think submerged all the time.

 

[bonjo]

i agree with de piano , also the transportation water must not get into the tank and last but NOT least watch out of metals!!!! and the difficult part is that you can't see em

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

if it isn't illegal you can wrap it in newspaper soaked in the saltwater. it doesn't need to be submerged 24/7, but it's not a good Idea to keep it out of water for too long.