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View Full Version : First 1/2 of my TBS shipment is en route.


Shak
05/27/2004, 10:25 PM
Arriving tomorrow at 9:45am. I was inspired to use this rock, regardless of hitchhikers and density, mostly due to the large amount of life that remains that way due to the extreme care in handling and transport.

It also intrigues me to attempt a different approach than the so called "best" way to do it, even though the "best" way is hotly contested these days (DSB vs. BB).

Anyway, I have X-mas eve syndrome going on right now, so I thought I'd share. I'll probably start an ongoing new tank thread in the next few days, and show off my severe lack of skill at photography.

Shak
05/27/2004, 10:27 PM
Oh...forgot to add that i'm sure i'll have some mantis shrimp and gorilla crabs, I'll bring them to the swap for you all! lol

opihi
05/28/2004, 01:27 AM
TBS does seem to have a lot of life on it. please take some pics of those rocks. how much did you end up paying per pound, and for shipping?

i've always been partial to the shapes and density (or lack there of) of marshall island rock. i had some great pieces of MI in the past.

Shak
05/28/2004, 05:39 PM
Shipping was about $130 for 225lbs shipping weight (rock is shipped in water).

I recieved about 80lbs of rock and 75lbs of sand on this shipment, holy #$% this stuff is nice. It is more dense than Marshall Island, but I got some nice shapes and more life than I've seen on any of the live rock I used to resell. I will probably put some MI in later if im not satisfied with the 2nd batch but I am sure it will be fine, especially if its as good as this 1st batch.

After rinsing rock in clean SW, and putting it in the tank, I decided to go through the water in the bags and see what had dropped off. 4 red serpent stars, 3 black serpent stars, 7 reticulated serpent stars, 5 small (1/2 ") pistol shrimp, 2 x-large pistols (2.5"), 2 small and 1 large feather duster worms, 3 - red crabs, furry legs, smooth carapice, about 3/4" in diameter, 1 gigantic limpet looking creature, another huge worm (4-8 inch long tenticles, approx 60-70 of them, red gills that were displayed after I put him in some new SW) which I havent I.D'd yet, and a small (3/4" from head to tip of tenticle) Octopus!

Everything even in the bottom of the rock bags was alive and kicking, except for the Octopus, he didnt make it (probably lucky for me!). I've taken pictures of the entire process today and i'll try and get them in my gallery tonight.

Shak
05/28/2004, 07:17 PM
Ok, think I have identified the huge tube worm. It appears it has left its tube, but according to what I've found on this species it will rebuild from sandband, and lives in the sandbed as well.

If you have Sprungs book, Inverts. quick reference, its is almost identical to the picture on page 142 (bottom). Eupolymnia crassicornis or Spaghetti Worm. It differs in two areas, what I assume are its gils, the red fleshy parts extruding near its mouth, are quite a bit larger and more colorful. Second, its body isnt zebra striped to this degree, it has light stripes but is mostly just brownish. The picture is almost exactly its actual size as well, its huge.

Almost everything I collected from the bottom of the rock bags are in the tank now after observation in specimen cups and identification, with the exception of the two large pistol shrimps and the keyhole limpet. Since I will be keeping SPS the limpet couldnt go in the tank, so off to my refugium it went and is happily trying to right itself on the sand bottom.

Dont know what i'll do with the pistols, they arent colorful at all, perhaps due to stress but doubtful. They are also very large and I am fearful of the damage they could do to any small fish.

Anyone want them? PM me.

TippyToeX
05/28/2004, 10:50 PM
Sounds great Matt. :thumbsup: Looking forward to some pictures.

I wish I could take those pistols! I am getting some yasha haze's and Griessingei gobies coming in late next week. Going to QT them for some friends and make pistol matches (pistols come in a few weeks after the gobies). Eh, thats my poor timing. :)

Shak
05/29/2004, 12:20 AM
Gah, I guess I will have to visit one of the LFS and see if they will take them. It is ethically impossible for me to get rid of them or let them die, if no one will take them i'll have to purchase another tank :(

I have guilt.

Shak
06/01/2004, 01:59 PM
Well I had to put the pistols in the tank, felt bad for them. They have each taken up residence on opposite sides of the tank. Funny to watch the little guys dig themselves in, they are some serious homebuilders. Still no mantis shrimp have made an appearance, crossing my fingers.

Tank looks to be fairly well cycled already, im impressed. Ammonia rose to about .5 until I did some rock cleaning and found a bivalve that didnt make the journey. Now its next to unreadable, nitrites went up to .5 as well but now down to .25 and nitrates are up to 10. Perhaps another 2-3 days and I should have 0 am/nitrite and order the second half.

Still trying to get my pictures up, for some reason the USB port on my new computer isnt hooked up. Hopefully I'll get it figured out today.