Liverock via Boat?

[StevenPro]

Anyone care to comment on this?

http://www.livestockusa.org/BOATROCK.html

Have you seen those super low prices on live rock lately?
Do you think the suppliers must have been taking advantage of
you before if it's cheaper now? Think again my friends!

Welcome to boat rock.
The majority of live rock from the Pacific,
which almost all comes through Los Angeles, California,
is now being brought in by boat.

That's right, boated to the U.S. from Fiji, Tonga, and
even a load from the Marshall Islands was boated here.
I'll bet a big flock of birds was following
that boat across the sea!

Rest of the article can be read here: http://www.livestockusa.org/BOATROCK.html . The majority of the body content removed at the request of the copyright owner. - Len

 

[Anonymous]

Yah, where is MACNA, they need to way in on this issue :lol: :lol: See my comments on RC, this site is nothikng but a joke. Check out the clarion page, it's even funnier. He says that Clarion gate clarions were bought for a grand each by the wholesalers. Being we saw them listed as low as $500, I doubt they paid a grand

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showt ... did=739486

 

[JennM]

My live rock supplier told me about boat rock about 3 years ago. I don't think he was necessarily referring to the entity linked above, but somebody had brought a crapton of rock out of someplace a couple of years before, and couldn't move it. At the time he sent me a link to it but I don't have it anymore - but basically they were trying to unload the stuff as cheaply as possible and they lost their shirts in the process because they ended up with more overhead from boating it, than they would have from flying it. Add to that the fact that they were stuck sitting on it for a long time...

The rock I got in this week still had an eel in it... the eel did not survive the trip, however...

No boat rock for me.

Jenn

 

[Anonymous]

Well that explains why I get some boxes of rock infested with ants. And what's worse is that on a couple of boxes which I thought smelled unexplainably rotten, I found dead, paper flat, maggot infested rats stuck to the outside bottom of boxes. I've seen and see a lot of nasty crap in my days and I have to admit everytime I find one I get the dry heaves.

What a shame cause I always thought better of the place I got them from.

 

[JennM]

Well that explains why I get some boxes of rock infested with ants. And what's worse is that on a couple of boxes which I thought smelled unexplainably rotten, I found dead, paper flat, maggot infested rats stuck to the outside bottom of boxes. I've seen and see a lot of nasty crap in my days and I have to admit everytime I find one I get the dry heaves.

What a shame cause I always thought better of the place I got them from.

EWWWWWWWW!

I've only ever ordered rock from 2 suppliers - and most of my 4 years have been with one supplier - but the stuff I get is brought in, cleared in LAX and shipped out again the same day. I literally get it as straight from the source as can be. Never ever had a problem with bugs (occasional fruit fly or some kind of gnat) but usually I end up finding some crabs, worms and other varmints that survived the trip - but never any infestations, or rodent scat or remains or anything like that.

Must remind my live rock guy about how much I appreciate him.... yikes!

Jenn

 

[dizzy]

Maybe you have to have a precription. :wink: The Drs. seem to have it. Steve Pro posted this over on Reef Central in the Borneman thread:


From Eric's article, "Unfortunately, the massive increases in the harvest of Pacific live rock resulting from the Florida ban have dropped retail prices from around U.S. $10/pound to around U.S. $2-3/pound. Wholesale prices hover around U.S. $1.50/pound, making it very difficult for aquaculture facilities of live rock to compete in the marketplace."

Live Aquaria has Fiji at $2.00/poundhttp://www.liveaquaria.com/product/...cfm?pCatId=2392

Marine Depot Live has Fiji on sale for $3.84/pound
http://www.marinedepotlive.com/fiji...live-rock-.html

Dr. Mac's Cheapest is Kaelini at $1.98/pound
http://www.drmaccorals.com/sys-tmpl/fijirock/

And for comparison, Tampa Bay is $4.00/pound when bought in a package.

All of these online vendors should be cheaper than any retail shop. So, I would say the $2-3/pound figure Eric uses is likely low.

Furthermore, I checked with one wholesale vendor this morning and their special sale price this week is $1.99/pound for Fiji.

By the way, I don't believe any of these prices reflect added shipping charges

 

[gussy]

I was the one who posted the orginal link. I purchased some Marshall Island rock from him and happen to notice that link. Some of the information are not accurate and might be a typo, but I'm sure the guy won't just make up the information. I did ask him about it and he said that wholesale price of Fiji LR is less than $2. Wholesale Fiji LR in N. Ca can be hand for $2.50.

 

[Kalkbreath]

There is about a thousand "boat" boxes setting on a certain loading dock at LAX.
Its been there for weeks and is slowly dwindling down box by box day after day. :roll:
The realy funny thing is its labled "Premium live rock" on the box!

 

[JennM]

It probably *was* premium - 6 months ago! 8O

As long as there are folks out there who want something for nothing, and people in the trade willing to turn a blind eye on it all, that kind of crap will go on.

I could certainly tell the difference - most educated hobbyists could too. Sad that there are enough people out there who can't tell a live rock from a long-since dead one.

Dead rats and maggots -- nice. NOT.

Jenn

 

[clarionreef]

Hey,
If it sits in a wharehouse for a month or more....ya might as well have brought it in on a boat!
Steve

 

[StevenPro]

So, it is true? Someone did ship in via boat "live" rock?

 

[Raskal311]

I have been seeing boxs of LR makred JBJ, are these boat rocks?

 

[gussy]

I guess it doesn't matter if it came in the boat as long as the boat has a big water filled tank!

Was this a sudden over supply issue? I've been seeing a lot of "older" Fiji rocks in the bay area lately. While they don't have maggots or rats...they smell horrible. I've also seen a few that don't smell but looks really dry.

 

[JT]

HMM, someone must be trying to drag me out of hiding with this thread. :wink:

- JT

 

[JennM]

This isn't new. I heard about it first over 3 years ago. I guess it's "new" to this forum, but it's not new, period.

Jenn

 

[JT]

No, definitely not new and the rumour going around about the JBJ labeled boxes is that the rock is supplied by Walt but I haven't confirmed this rumor myself. It's definitely someone elses rock though, JBJ doesn't have any collection facilities of any kind anywhere.

- JT

 

[JT]

Yah, where is MACNA

Who the fudge cares? MACNA is a hobbyist conference, the author of the article must have made a freudian slip for "MAC" or is just ignorant and sloppy.

- JT

 

[Anonymous]

love you to JT :lol: And I do thank you for that post, I had no idea which either was

The author is a live rock dealer, shouldn't he know the difference between the two. He claims vast insider knowledge, yet doesn't or can't catch, the difference between the two?

As for "boat rock", this story is at least 10 years old now, I heard about it a LONG time ago. For those that remember, it has to do with M.I. and C.

 

[JT]

****, even old stories are new to some people. Hell, I've been "rockin' the boat" for 8 years now and some people still don't know me. :lol:

- JT

 

[Anonymous]

HMM, someone must be trying to drag me out of hiding with this thread. :wink:

- JT

It worked :lol: