Care to enlighten me? (cooking LR)

[untamed]

[quote]Live rock is merely rock that is loaded with bacteria.[\quote]

That's one opinion, but maybe there should be different terms to describe Live Rock. I propose that be called "filtration rock", not "live rock"....or call it "live rock" and other stuff "real life rock"....Whatever, but they are very different things and need to be handled differently.

If all one wants is biological filtration, why not just fill one's tank with porous ceramic structures that are shaped just the way you want? That would have to be cheaper and you could create exactly the shapes you want.

I don't think it is legal to harvest rock anywhere anymore. It shouldn't be, anyway. Certainly, no one should purchase anything but aquacultured rock these days. I would like to see the LFS produce more documentation on how the rock that they sell was obtained. I doubt the industry is very regulated in places like Vanuuatu (sp?).

Regardless, it is my experience that the rock sold by most LFS has endured such a trip that it has mostly died anyway.