Bali rock?

I'm starting a new tank after being away from the hobby for 10 years. I've started looking around for live rock.

A shop not too far from me is promoting Bali rock. I'll be using btwn 30 and 45 lbs. Is this superior to Fiji?

If you could point me to any articles I would be greatful.

 

TBH i have never understood the differences between the different rocks. To me rock is rock - just rocks from different parts off the world come with different hitchikers or/and look different.

 

Thanks Pheonix,

I am really interested in the "different hitchikers"

 

I'd look at aquacultured rock. Its better for the environment. Drs Foster and Smith has fiji cultured rock on thier web site. Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums. Also, you can get Florida aquacultured live rock from Florida Live Rock. Looks as good as the real stuff, cuz it is real, but they are harvesting rock that was put in the ocean for the purpose of being harvested...as opposed to collecting natural rock. I used gulf view rock in my 65 reef, and am really happy with it. Going to use the Fiji rock in my 120 just to try something different.

 

"Live rock" is thrown around so easy these days. To be honest live rock is nothing more than rock that has been colonized by bacteria. I myself would never fill a tank with 100% live rock but that is just me.

Also I have seen alot of fish stores that are just buying base rock keeping it in thier sump for 3-4 months then selling it as "Live" rock.

I honestly would just buy base it is like 6 times cheaper and you get to watch everything happen.

I bought my base rock from Marcos rocks and I am 100% happy with what I got. Then I got myself 2 good pieces of rock from my lfs that have been in his tank for like 2 years to seed it.

That is just my 2 cents

 

I agree that the Florida rock is better for the environment, but the downside of the Florida rock is that it is quite often not nearly as porous as other rock - Fiji, etc. This means the bacteria has substantially less surface area to live in. As a result it's also heavier, and 30 -50 pounds of Florida rock won't provide you as much as 30-50 pounds of Fiji.

Just my 3 cents

 

thanks Zach

I'm considering at the Bali because it is supposed to be more porous and lighter. But honest to God, I probably wouldn't know Bali from Fiji if you put in my lap!

 

The differences like phoenix stated, are mostly apperance. Size, shape, density and amount of encrusting organisms will vary not only from piece to piece but locale to locale.
In my experience in ordering and selling live rock, the differences sometimes can be glaring.
Fiji is typically the densest, and more boulder in shape. It usually doesn't have as many holes or "caves" in the rock. It also comes in pretty covered in sponges and bryzoans. It is by FAR the most common rock on the market, be it in stores or online.
Bali is one of it not, my favorites. It is typically very light per size and very "holey", not just porus but large fish sized holes. Odd shapes are prevalent and you will RARELY see just a boulder or softball shaped piece. It is usually fairly encrusted w/ coralline and in all the #s I bought I always found some kind of hitch hiker, typically a mithrax crab of sorts.
Marshall Island, IME has been fairly dense but NOT as bad as Fiji. I have seen a fair amount of flat, shelf type pieces, but also "mountain" shaped pieces as well. Also fairly coralline covered.
Pohnpei, another of my favs... Pieces are always different, some look like shelf pieces, some look like GIANT, blastomussa skeletons, they always have great shape and caves in the rock. They tend to have a good amount of coralline of varying color but also tend to have a good amount of sponges and bryzoans on it.
Aquacultured rock is a very peculiar thing. Again w/o incriminating myself any further, working in a SMALL mom and pops I have ordered, aquacultured rock before. I thought, yes I am HELPING the environment!! Actually I learned later on that typical aquacultured rock in no better, and sometimes actually worse than harvested rock.
In countries other than the US where rock is cultured, they use limestone to create cement, which in turn is made into "rocks" which are placed in the ocean for about a half a year. The producers of the fake rock use a colorant in the cement to give it a red color as compared to cement grey. Still sounds good huh? Well in Fiji or elsewhere, they don't mine limestone, they dredge the rock from the reef, grind it down and create limestone, limestone is CaCO3 as is coral skeletons. So they are grinding up liverock to make cement to make fake live rock. Needless to say, I don't order aquacultured rock any more.
Floridian rock is different as there is no shortage of terrestreal limestone in the US. Heck we can even ship bags of lime to Florida, have them create the cement rock and pitch it in the ocean for a while.
Sorry to get off subject..... Choose the rock that looks interesting to you, and what feels right.

Happy Reefing and Good luck!

 

I would also deffentily not do all live rock. Just a couple of peice of choice live rock and then the rest in base. Better for enviroment and better for your pocket book. you could try and get the whole pallett too. Some fiji and some bali and the rest base. Best of the world. There is always room for smaller rocks in the future if you just have to have them.

 

Doc

Thanks for your input, if it looks good...go ahead and get it.