Build A Reef Rock

[johnmaloney]

So I am taking a break and thinking about our aquaculture spots, (we are in the process of working on a submerged lands lease), and I came up with this idea:

 

 

Build a Reef Rock - for every pound you buy 20% is matched and left to build a reef. With conservative sales of 200,000 pounds of rock sold over a 10 year time frame, would leave 40k pounds behind. (Weights are based on dry rock - we plan to wholesale it, so I think the numbers would be larger). Whether or not we are around wouldn't matter, I would have this as a restriction on a lease to another party, or by entering into an agreement with the state, and then any subsequent purchasers would be in the same position. Will work on the details later, but where there is a will there is a precedent.

 

Back to the story... In the end it would be enough to build a 1000 square foot reef about 15 feet high or so, minus sinkage etc.... but we are using concrete pallets as well to build a base so...

 

May not be a lot but it is something. Since the rock will be base rock mined inland, (from a very small machine dug mine) the net effect will work to enhance the environment. The built in cost to the final product would be about $.50 for the rock left behind. By trademarking the rock, I think the extra $.50 would be worth it in the end. But the final verdict will come from the consumer. As you may well know we survey every idea we have with the people here. I don't know what your LFS sells rock for, but for the purposes of this survey assume the following:

 

Your LFS has two types of primo live rock. Both are pretty expensive, in the $7 and up range, the are roughly the same in quality. One is $.25 more expensive than the other, (we plan to split the cost between ourselves and the retailer, and assume they will pass it on to you), but is a Build a Reef Rock. Which would you buy, you can be honest. The other rock is maricultured too, just none is being left behind.

[johnmaloney]

Ok so not a great idea huh? Oh well, that is why I try them out.

[yellowslayer13]

not a bad Idea but what would the rock end up running?

[johnmaloney]

no idea what an LFS would charge, prices aren't set in this industry based on cost, (well they are to some extent), but more at a level that people would be willing to pay. We would certainly be able to match other maricultured rock, and this would be a higher quality than any other Florida maricultured rock, (they all used those brick like garbage rocks you see coming from there). Nice sometimes in the end but why start with such an inferior base? For price sake just imagine the two rocks are the same price at whatever they are charging you right now, except that they are charging an extra $.25 per pound for build a reef rock.