A tank with nothing but what you bought?

[Sk8r]

I prefer surprises. A few have been problematic, but nothing I couldn't deal with. Some people fancy killing off every unscheduled invert and growth they spot, but hey, they're half the fun.
I name my big bristleworms. Frodo, Sam, etc. They top out at about a foot, but take residence in a rock and don't do more than extend to reach food.
I've had barnacles, little clams, sea squirts, even a very pretty nudi (no zoas in my tank) that I regretted not being able to feed.
I've had black, white, yellow sponges, and a lovely blue network sponge that was really spectacular over the rocks, lost it when I moved.
A few things I won't tolerate: a hairy crab; crabs above micro-hermit in size (even mithrax green); hydroids; aiptasia; majanos; fireworm (hermodice carunculata) but most everything else the sea gives me is fun.

 

[cvrle1]

My 1st tank that I had 10+ years ago, I used live rock that I got from someone shutting down their tank. It was full of life and was always fun to see what new creature may pop out. Thankfully I didnt have any pests that came with it. This time around I have a bucnh of dead rock that i will use, not because I dont trust LR, but because I got this rock for dirt cheap (it was live at one point) Also, I havent seen anyone locally shut down their tanks in a while, so no idea if I could get LR. I know that there are few places that sell LR, but it is really pricey and I have no idaea if they would ship into Canada. That in it self would raise the price a lot too. I am hoping to find few pieces from local reefers that are willing to sell me some when time comes, so that way I can have some LR to seed all this dead rock with.

 

[Sk8r]

One thing you can do in a club. Trade rocks. The wildlife comes with them. But be sure you're clean!

 

[ThRoewer]

It's been a few years since I bought real live rock (the good ones from the ocean with all the good/bad stuff on it). Yet only a couple of nights ago I spotted a quarter size crab in one rock cavity with a lot of sponge growth in it. It must have lived in my tank for a few years. I don't know if it did any damage, but at this point, I do not intend to hunt it. From what I have seen it is actually kind of pretty.
In the past, I had pistol shrimp, bivalves, little anemones,..., even corals as hitchhikers.
Even in stores I rather go after the obscure stuff than the more boring mainstream shrimp, coral or even fish.

 

[Sk8r]

I was so sad I couldn't keep my little barnacle alive. And I've never seen anything like that blue network sponge-thing I lost in a move.