# Best place to buy holey rock?



## Cloud

Several months ago I bought a couple large pieces of holey rock on eBay, but it wasn't exactly cheap. I was wondering where you folks all buy your Texas holey rock?


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## DJRansome

Texas is the best place, shipping rocks is expensive. Can't get it here in NJ from landscapers...it's not as popular here as something to use in your landscape.


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## Cloud

I live in Minnesota and won't be going to Texas anytime soon, lol.


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## fmueller

Texas Holey Rock (THR) used to be outrageously expensive in Ohio. Until a couple of years ago a dude started selling the stuff out of Cincinnati. He goes around fish club meetings, auctions, conventions, and so on, and sells the rocks from the back of his pickup truck. His prices are per pound and very reasonable. In fact, I have bought rocks from him to decorate a 125G and a 75G, and I never had any real interest in THR before. What I particularly like is that most of his stuff is not yet bleached, which also makes it cheaper. You could bleach it yourself, but I prefer the more natural look.

Back to the subject of how and where to get THR, apparently he gets the stuff delivered by semi-trailer from TX. I believe he found a trucking company that was running empty backloads from TX to OH, and is hauling pallets of THR for him for peanuts. Of course you need to order several tons at a time to make it worth their while. I understand by now he has a nice side-business going, and there is no reason somebody in Minnesota could not do the same


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## anthraxx4200

i actually had a similar issue when tracking down lace rock. it only comes from utah and is nice and cheap down there (17$ a ton as landscape material) so rather then pay LFS price and get it that way i figured id try calling some LFS down there. long story short i got passed around a cpl of times, put in touch with a distributor, and finally came out with a number for a guy about 40 miles away who sold me the stuff for .50$ a lb. just saying that if you give it a little legwork you never know what you might find. (USPS shipping if it fits it ships boxes are great for shipping rocks, loose smaller rocks should be able to fit 20+lbs per box at 15$ per box) its cheaper then paying the weight thats for sure. GL to ya!


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## Bikeman48088

anthraxx4200 said:


> i actually had a similar issue when tracking down lace rock. it only comes from utah and is nice and cheap down there (17$ a ton as landscape material) so rather then pay LFS price and get it that way i figured id try calling some LFS down there. long story short i got passed around a cpl of times, put in touch with a distributor, and finally came out with a number for a guy about 40 miles away who sold me the stuff for .50$ a lb. just saying that if you give it a little legwork you never know what you might find. (USPS shipping if it fits it ships boxes are great for shipping rocks, loose smaller rocks should be able to fit 20+lbs per box at 15$ per box) its cheaper then paying the weight thats for sure. GL to ya!


You can ship a pallet load (1500pounds max) from Tucson - Detroit for $290 via UPS Freight. I'm sure that you can find even better rates with private carriers, as you mentioned above.


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## Sparrow19

I'm in Texas and get it from the local rock and landscaping company. Its $.13 a pound, HA. Sorry... : (


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## Bikeman48088

Sparrow19 said:


> I'm in Texas and get it from the local rock and landscaping company. Its $.13 a pound, HA. Sorry... : (


No need to apologize. I have 21% of the world's freshwater supply surrounding me. :wink:


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## oyster dog

Cloud said:


> I live in Minnesota and won't be going to Texas anytime soon, lol.


It seems like half of the Minnesota population comes to south Texas for the winter. You could easily find someone who can bring some back for you.


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## drummerboy1248

A local landscaping rock supplier in west TX has it for $.50/lb. One of the owners is a cichlid guy, so I get a discount and end up getting holly, slate, river rock, lace, lava, or whatever for $.10/lb. He is now hunting mer down some driftwood as he has a line on that too.


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## CoryNelson84

im in dallas where can i go to get some holey rock


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## fish_gazer

Had to google it. It wouldn't really work for me, my aquarium rocks are much darker than that.

Basically, I used the old fashioned legwork method, and went to nearly a dozen pet stores that sold fish over a period of a few weeks and rummaged through their rock and driftwood supply. The furthest I drove was about 55 minutes away.

In doing this you will come across all kinds of unique shapes and sizes and can actually begin the build in your head as you travel from one store to the next.

As great as online shopping is, and I do a TON of it, you really need to see and hold aquarium rocks and driftwood in your hands before you buy them...well, at least I do.

Anyway, I ended up with probably 30 pieces (some of which were huge), which was way more than I needed at the time, but is perfect for my current set-up.

So if you do go out and see something unique, buy it if it's reasonably priced even if you don't plan on using it right away. Because during your next major water change or aquarium build, you might find a need for it. And it's better to have and not need than to need and not have.


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## DJRansome

In Texas, a local landscape supplier (not Home Depot or Lowes) will likely have holey rock. Not so much around here in the northeast.


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