First half in place

[dklaue]

I just picked up my first half of a 25# package this morning, and it is now happily sitting in my cloudy tank. So far I have found what appears to be a clear/white sea slug, a brown hermit crab, and some type of snail, along with various sponges and algae. I’m anxiously waiting for the water to clear enough to take a closer look. I think I saw some type of tube coral on one rock. I have to say, everyone was telling the truth when they said it was hard to figure out how to place the rock. There is just so much life you don’t know which way to place it.

Thank you so much Richard, I can’t wait for the cycle to see the second half.

 

[liverock]

Re: First half in place

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9615026#post9615026 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dklaue
I just picked up my first half of a 25# package this morning, and it is now happily sitting in my cloudy tank. So far I have found what appears to be a clear/white sea slug, a brown hermit crab, and some type of snail, along with various sponges and algae. I’m anxiously waiting for the water to clear enough to take a closer look. I think I saw some type of tube coral on one rock. I have to say, everyone was telling the truth when they said it was hard to figure out how to place the rock. There is just so much life you don’t know which way to place it.

Thank you so much Richard, I can’t wait for the cycle to see the second half.

Cool!

wait till tomorrow, water will be clear and the critters will be a crawling!

Richard TBS

 

[rklaue]

:wave:

 

[dklaue]

Well, 2 days in and ammonia is still under 0.2

I do have one worry I hope someone can help with. In the first pic, I have a white colored sponge that was solid, but last night a hole opened up in the middle and it puffed up a little and looks a bit like a volcano. Is it dieing, and should I clean it off just to be safe, or is it normal?

New finds are a keyhole limpet (left side of first pic), and I have caught the briefest glimpse of what I think is a porcelain crab that is hiding out in the catacombs of my biggest rock (in the third pic). The clam shell in the last pic is just an empty shell unfortunately, but still looks nice.

Thanks
David

 

[dklaue]

3 days down and ammonia is still less than 0.2. I have found my skimmer is now running very clean today.

My hermit crab is king of the tank, patrolling from one end to the other all day long

My one sponge that developed a hole seems to be repairing itself, so I think it will be ok. I have noticed once in a great while the sponges will spitting out clouds of particles. I take that as a good sign that they are filtering water.

New finds today:

The biggest surprise was in my big rock that must be totally hollow. I found a gorilla crab sharing the catacombs with my porcelain crab. Neither one has come out of the rock that I have seen. I have to use a flash light to peek in and find them.

I can see the tentacles of a serpent star I think, and guess he would be about an inch tip to tip based on the tentacles.

I have spotted a few tiny feather dusters becoming active.

I also noticed this morning 3 small white specs about the size of a pin head on my glass. I couldn’t see any detail, but they did move around on their own, and as it brightened up, climbed down and disappeared again.

 

[scowiii]

awesome looking rock make me anxious for my order richard. But with the Easter weekend I couldnt be home to maintain the water changes so I have to wait till next sunday to get my package shipped. Im so anxious.

 

[dklaue]

5 days down, and ammonia is still less than 0.2. My big rock has been dubbed the Hyatt, something new seems to show up in it every day.

More new finds:
Right after the lights went out on Tuesday night, I found what looks like the Peanut worm shown on the TBS site coming out of the Hyatt. He quickly disappeared when I got too close.

This morning while hunting for the Gorilla crab in the Hyatt with the flashlight to get a picture of him, I found a second Porcelain crab about half the size of the first.

A tiny Cerith snail about a quarter inch long was spotting climbing some of my algae then disappeared.

I found some orange tunicate on the stone I place in the back.

Some different type of coral, not sure what yet, but its tentacles have a different look and are much thinner than the others.

I am still baffled by these puffs of debris that come out of the rocks. They no longer seem like they are coming from the sponges, I swear some came from bare areas of rock so I’m guessing there are small holes and something in the rock is causing it.

 

[rklaue]

The Hyatt! :lmao:

More pics!!!:bigeyes:

 

[rklaue]

I mean more pics please! :bigeyes:

 

[highflight]

The pictures look great. How much rock is that in the pictures? and in what size tank is it in?

I am thinking of ordering about a 60-75 gallon "package" to go into a 90 gallon tank. Can anyone tell me what constitutes part 1 and part 2 of a "package"?

Also, as for the ammonia numbers you mentioned, did you have anything in the tank before adding TBS stuff? or did you start it in a new tank?

Looks great.....can't wait.

 

[ybenormal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9652910#post9652910 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dklaue I am still baffled by these puffs of debris that come out of the rocks. They no longer seem like they are coming from the sponges, I swear some came from bare areas of rock so I’m guessing there are small holes and something in the rock is causing it. [/B]

I had the same in the TBS rocks that I got about 14 months ago (my how time flies). Someone suggested it was peanut worms. I don't see the puffs of dust anymore so they either died off or finally got all of the sediment out of their hiding places. It was interesting to watch the little volcanoes erupt though.

 

[dklaue]

The pictures look great. How much rock is that in the pictures? and in what size tank is it in?

My tank is a 20 gal high, I got 25 pounds in the first half with the 25 pounds of sand, and that is about 20 pounds of rock. I put some of the sand and rock into the sump under my tank, about 5 pounds rock and sand. I will be picking up the second 25 pounds tomorrow with the critters that come with the second half of the package.

Also, as for the ammonia numbers you mentioned, did you have anything in the tank before adding TBS stuff? or did you start it in a new tank?

This was a brand new tank, the only thing in it is what Richard provided.

Here are 2 pics of the crabs. They have been very shy and don't come out of the Hyatt's main entrance.