Secret to getting cheap rocks

[misterted]

So like a lot of other people, when I needed rocks for my tanks I would go to my LFS and pay $2.99/lb. of lace rock. But there were never 1 lb. pieces there, they were always at least 3lbs. I built up quite a few of them over the years by spending roughly $30 every time I went.
So now I need more rockwork for my 265 tank and I really didn't want to spend $300 for 100 lbs. of lace rock. I asked my friend Bill (Fischfan) ehat to do and he suggested I visit my local landscaping supply company. So I went to one called John Guire in Long Branch. They weighed my car, I went in, loaded the trunk with river rock from the Delaware River, they weighed my car again and said, "that'll be $3 please"....oh really? I said....How much did I gather? The guy says, not that much, about a hundred pounds.
OMG, $3!!!

Anyway, Here's to you Bill. You should be featured on the next Real men of Genius for Budweiser.

:heh:

[emartin]

Glad you had a good experience there. Was that the only place I mentioned to you? If it was there is also Farrel Landscape supply in Shrewsbury that has difference kinds of granite rocks and large river rock (small boulder size) for super cheap as well. If I remember correctly John Guire only has river "pebble" (baseball size) rocks and the kind you got and that I buy from them the delaware granite rocks otherwise just gravels and belgium block.

I love John Guire Co for rocks and other stuff... I live literally like half a mile from them LOL. I remember one time when I only took like 30lbs of rock they just gave it to me haha.

Edit: Here's the website of Farrell's company. They have a better variety but for the close proximity of John Guire Co I never bought from Farrell yet. Plus everytime I head up to the hudson valley to atlantis I always bring back river rocks...
http://www.tflandscapesupply.com/stone.htm
http://www.tflandscapesupply.com/fieldstone.htm

But if you every do want lace rock, buy it from the source...still expensive but lace rock imo is great for tanks for fry to grow in but just not worth the LFS price... I hear some places in the country can buy Holey Rock and Lace Rock at landscape places for cents per pound... There's websites you can find on google that you can buy 25lb boxes of it for like $30. I'm sure if you go through rock supply catalogues you can find a place to buy a pallet or two. It's just like with Oolitic Sand and Holey Rock out west and down south... What's common there is just marked up insanely here on the upper east coast!

~Ed

[fischfan13]

So like a lot of other people, when I needed rocks for my tanks I would go to my LFS and pay $2.99/lb. of lace rock. But there were never 1 lb. pieces there, they were always at least 3lbs. I built up quite a few of them over the years by spending roughly $30 every time I went.
So now I need more rockwork for my 265 tank and I really didn't want to spend $300 for 100 lbs. of lace rock. I asked my friend Bill (Fischfan) ehat to do and he suggested I visit my local landscaping supply company. So I went to one called John Guire in Long Branch. They weighed my car, I went in, loaded the trunk with river rock from the Delaware River, they weighed my car again and said, "that'll be $3 please"....oh really? I said....How much did I gather? The guy says, not that much, about a hundred pounds.
OMG, $3!!!

Anyway, Here's to you Bill. You should be featured on the next Real men of Genius for Budweiser.

:heh:

Thanks Ted...how much do I owe you, LOL.
Three cents per pound, eh?
Back in 2001 I paid one cent per pound....damn inflation.

[Greenhacker]

And just think those rocks are none different from what you would find if you went for a walk in the woods, which is how I collect the rocks for my tanks. I do my best not to "dig" up rock, but pulling loose rocks on a small scale does not cause any substantial erosion or disruption to our river ways and habitats.

No matter where I get my rocks I scurb and and bleach them over night and then rinse them and let them sit and dry for a day or so. I have Iowa limestone in the majority of my Tang tanks with a couple of signature rocks that weigh near a 100 lbs and are full of cool fossils.

Needless to say I can't get lace rock or texas holly rock, but it's hard to find those even at landscaping companies.

Good Luck and post some pics!:odd043:

[Zippo]

So like a lot of other people, when I needed rocks for my tanks I would go to my LFS and pay $2.99/lb. of lace rock. But there were never 1 lb. pieces there, they were always at least 3lbs. I built up quite a few of them over the years by spending roughly $30 every time I went.
So now I need more rockwork for my 265 tank and I really didn't want to spend $300 for 100 lbs. of lace rock. I asked my friend Bill (Fischfan) ehat to do and he suggested I visit my local landscaping supply company. So I went to one called John Guire in Long Branch. They weighed my car, I went in, loaded the trunk with river rock from the Delaware River, they weighed my car again and said, "that'll be $3 please"....oh really? I said....How much did I gather? The guy says, not that much, about a hundred pounds.
OMG, $3!!!

Anyway, Here's to you Bill. You should be featured on the next Real men of Genius for Budweiser.

:heh:

You can do that with natural gravel too, peastone is what i used mostly. They had some larger too. Light or dark colors. :) Never was a fan of sand so i never checked on it.

[bovsbaitboxes]

become a landscaper I have 4 tons of slate (like bluestone) and about 3 tons of delaware stone (from bowling ball size to pea gravel) sitting in my yard from rip out jobs and extras