1st half of Package arrived, however it was ice cold, should i be concerned?

[cordell]

well it just occured to me as I was looking at the "The Package" chart, I realized that the package for the 35gallon tank has exactly the amount of live rock that I wanted to order anyways, and it has enough good live sand to seed my 120lb of aragonite that is already in the tank. After doing my math (yea right), I realize that if I were to buy just the rock(70lb) and sand(35lb) at the normal price, I would end up paying $420 before any shipping or packaging materials are added. That is almost the same price as the 35g package and it comes with the other critters and stuff! This just seems like the more practical way to go since I can't get the package for my size tank (75g) and I was going for that amount of LR and LS anyways. What do you guys think? I'm tryin to get some bang for my very few bucks, and I know that with tbs I will get it either way I go!, but any opinions on my idea?

I of course would be adding more rock later.. but I think this will entertain me and the tank for now.. and will get it well established.

 

[delta]

yes it give you alot to entertain you. its just like old times my first reef was overtaken by tube worm they multiplied so fast i had to scrape them off the front glass to see in. never mind my protien skimmer,
i still cant get out the worm skeletons
that was built with wild harvested florida LR but due to living arangement i had to give up the tank to a friend
how lucky was he

thats the math we have all been talking about, i just hate buying all the life as an extra pod seeds, LS seeds, cleanup crew when i can get it all at the same price as just cured LR from most any other dealer
thats the math most cured Rock is $5 dollars a lbs well TBS its about 6/lbs for package LR plus they throw in LS, clean up crew and who know what else you might find..
all for that one low price

but to me live rock is just that rock full of life just waiting to invade your tank.
i just dont like tanks that dont change from day to day

don't get me wrong i do have a tank stocked with fiji LR and SPS i do love the tank but i just miss the little things you get from TBS LR

 

[mx250]

Don't be so quick to discount how many hitchikers you have - they will show up slowly over a period of weeks. The "smart" ones have dug themselves pretty deep into the rock after being plucked from the ocean floor, dumped into a holding tank, shipped in an airliner at 5 miles high, and then plopped into your tank!

 

[Dexter1334]

I agree with mx250,
I got my first half early in december, I didn't see many crabs at first. I looked last night and there must have been 30 and that's just from the first delivery. Some of them were small but they are growing fast. I also got several brittle stars one small red star of some type, at least 5 anemones, (Not sure what kind yet) two christmas tree worms, all kinds of snails, sponges, coral,clams,mussells, and several types of shrimp, (one mantis).
You will find new stuff every day for months.

 

[docklink]

tlouie.... Just curious since it's been a couple weeks now, have you seen critters coming out ?

 

[tlouie]

Well my rock has tons of the usual outside critter like mussels, those clear worms etc.

As far as hitchhikers, I have found a small black snail with a bright red foot, looks like a true nasarius snail, only with a black shell and red foot.

I think i got some kind of conch snail, I saw it once on the glass, but haven't seen it again.

I also found one bad crab, its brown, sharp clawed, and hairy.

I think i might have a mantis or pistol, I hear occasional clicking. The exact source still eludes me.

I also got some small, 1" long by 3-5 mm wide lancelets in the sand.

tlouie.... Just curious since it's been a couple weeks now, have you seen critters coming out ?

 

[Dexter1334]

I have the first half of the 125 gal package delivered early december. The largest rock just fit in the tank and was touching the glass front and rear. I decided I needed to adjust it so I got a big masons chisel and a big hammer and knocked off one lobe of the rock which jutted out. The operation was a success. The rock was soft, sandstone I believe, and by knocking of that one corner I was able to position the rock so it was away from the glass and still see my three christmas tree worms.

I placed the rock in a big tub prior to the hammering so I wouldn't break the tank and in the process knocked off 4 pistol shrimp, one clam, 1 large red crab, 12 smaller crabs with striped legs and brown pentagon shaped bodies (unidentified yet). I never saw any of these the before I took the rock out.

In addition every day I see new types of life. I have a white crab about the size of a dime that has attached itself to the bottom of a piece of clamshell. Another crab living in a clump of red hair algae and completely covered with red hair algae so he is invisible unless he moves, two unusual large snails about an inch and a half long, in addition to dozens of smallsnails. Several small brittle stars ( I can usually only see their legs poking out). One small fuzzy red starfish I only see if I move a rock. Lots of pods and worms. New types of algae and plant growth, new sponges orange, blue,black and purple. I also have several different types of hermit crab that have suddenly appeared.

I think many of these were too small to see when I first got the package some are very small yet. The red crabs are getting large and there is at least one mantis drilling holes in my rock.

The longer you look the more you see and you only see half of what is there

 

[Dazz]

12 smaller crabs with striped legs and brown pentagon shaped bodies (unidentified yet). I never saw any of these the before I took the rock out.

Those are porcelin crabs. They are filter feeders and oportunists eating detritus. Very good to have in your tank. Mine have been multiplying and I now have well over 30 including multiple adults that are 2"+ claw to claw.

 

[mx250]

Do the (12) small crabs look like this:

http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/images/krabbi2.jpg

If so, the are porcelain crabs, and are desireable crabs (they won't bother anything and are cool to watch).