The Thread ~
Act XV ~ Scene One
LadyOctopus
I think this can be chalked up to a learning experience.
Not a pleasant one.
How many of us can attest to ordering something online which did not arrive as the site portrayed?
This is what happened to Damselblue, and she has expressed her frustration and dismay.
Please also keep in mind that the original intent of this thread was for Damselblue to ask hobbyists' opinions on whether this would be considered ...
"GOOD" i.e., quality rock ... or "BAD" - i.e., don't keep it in your system because those shapes are neither conducive to the healthiest beneficial bacteria population nor are they conducive to the highest quality or number of pods one could have.
WOW! I thought Damselblue just asked a
SIMPLE QUESTION!"Does this look like good Live Rock or Bad LR?
I just want to know if this looks like good LR or bad LR."
I didn't realize her question was that complicated!
Shape? Pods? (of the highest quality)
Bacteria population?
I don't recall Damselblue asking anything about those!
This dense, mound, boulder-like shape can be used as a "filler" or a "base" in the bottom of a large reef structure.
It can and will be populated with some beneficial bacteria and pods and even color up with time and the right conditions. This is all true.
If Damselblue had a large enough tank, she could follow these suggestions, go to her LFS for "cherry picking" nicer shapes to stack on top of these.
Given her limited space and budget, which she blew on rock which at most looks like a quarter of what the seller's website represents, this is not really possible.
A quarter of what the website represents ... ?
I think I must have eaten something VERY BAD!
Okay ... I've got a great sense of smell,
but maybe my eyes ain't so good ...
Here's one of Damselblue's photos, (with an adjustment to the light levels).
And, here's one that was on the website ...
Sal
This dense, mound, boulder-like shape ...
Agree.
The least a supplier can do for someone buying a box of live rock is to provide the customer a variety of shapes and sizes so the customer can build a reef - a structure through which water can flow and the animals can take refuge in.
I'm not saying this is a deliberate practice of this supplier, I'm sure it's not, but it happened at least this one time.
LadyOctopus
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ...
1. Why are the shapes of most of Damselblue's rock so unlike what is pictured?
2. Why don't the photos represent examples of the actual product that is offered?
3. Are these photos from rocks that were being shipped some months past?
4. When was the last time these boxes were actually looked into for quality control?
5. Why are there no boulder-like mounded shapes pictured in the Fiji Ultra-premium section of the website?
This would have forewarned Damselblue of the types of shapes she may be receiving.
(The website stated "Large pieces are not uncommon"... serving as either a description or a "forewarning.")
The real issue has not been addressed. I think things have gotten so blown out of proportion and the personal attacks have to stop. Damselblue is neither trying to SLANDER this company or FALSELY PORTRAY the actual product she received.
She is simply very disappointed and defending her decisions, which keep getting questioned.
I certainly agree with ya there, m'Lady ... it's definitely gotten blown out of proportion!
Damselblue is not a professional photographer with years of experience in the field of capturing the details of each shot.
She is DOING HER BEST to show what she is talking about.
Again, with all respect to m'LadyOctopus ...
no one ever expected Damselblue to be a professional
photographer, but a little bit of light and positioning
of the rocks would have helped us all out a bit.
It is duly noted that one should follow the recommendations of the seller if one would like the seller to be receptive to complaints about the product.
In all of the research Damselblue has done, she found what she felt was good protection against bad hitchikers. Nothing done during the acclimation process affected the shapes of the rock received - can we focus on that for once?
The simple matter of the difference in type and quality of shapes the advertising medium portrayed and what she actually received (with the exception of ONLY ONE piece) keeps getting pushed to the side here and clouded with talk about coralline algae coverage - which everyone knows will regenerate with time, and whether or not the high saline dip shocked the various life forms within the rock. Also possible to regenerate with time.
And, for individuals who have posted negatively about Damselblue's complaints, I have another message:
Have you forgotten what it was like when you started your first system? The amazing highs and lows brought with each new discovery?
Why are you criticizing a conscientious new hobbyist instead of attempting to educate and promote good reefkeeping practices?
Dearest LadyOctopus ... My opinion doesn't
matter here much, I'm just here
to squawk a bit, but did you happen
to notice that the "only one piece" looks like
an awesome SHOW PIECE that you normally
don't find in a box of live rock from Fiji?
As for amazing HIGHS and LOWS ... I'm with you on that one!
In any case, can you PLEASE do me a favor and try not to pick on the hobbyists?
They are attempting to conscientiously educate and promote good reefkeeping practices to an overly critical new hobbyist. These folks have been trying to help out here! By the way, conscientious means to try to do the right thing.
...Continue to Act XV - Scene Two
