From the new Live Rock USA store at MM 85, by Pasta’s studio. And it’s for saltwater aquariums.

The owners recently started harvesting live rock from a 600,000 pound tract of limestone that was hand-set in an aquaculture zone off Islamorada ten years ago. Now that the rock has matured, they collect it, store it in a dozen big curing tanks out behind the store and ship it all over the country to reef tank owners. They actually pump the seawater up through the ground underneath the store to circulate in their curing tanks. I was impressed.

And if limestone aquaculture is anything like owning a gravel quarry, these guys are going have a real business on their hands. Even without selling to tourists.