Should a store have their live rock attached to their systems?

[marblesab]

You don't want Big Al's rock anyway.... man it stinks something terrible - even when it's not sticking out of the water!

[asylumdown]

My favourite way to buy live-rock now:

Develop a relationship with one of the LFS. Ask them very nicely if they'll order an extra box just for you the next time they do an order. Pick up the box the day it arrives on the airplane before it's hit any system of any kind. It's not that much more expensive than buying it out of their bins as it's something they do anyway and the shipping cost is split with the rest of their order, and your chances of picking up any nasties from the holding tanks are eliminated. You need to cure it yourself, but you have all the control in the situation.

I got a 66 pound box of Walt Smith rock from Fiji that way. Best Live rock I've ever seen.

Diseases aside, store holding tanks can be aiptasia factories, and anyone who has been through that hell before will know the value in skipping that step in the process.

[hkreefjunkie]

No! I would never buy Live rock from a store that has it attached to their system! Thats just asking for trouble in the long run! I'd look for a store that has it separate with power heads and airstones in them.

[albert_dao]

Live rock is a crappy product in the first place.