Is this the exciting future of Live Rock? Must See!!!

[IUfan]

I'm setting up a temporary holding tank for my fish while I move.

How long will this live rock take to cycle and gain the bacteria needed to support around 25 fish?

Plan on having a 300 gallon Rubbermaid for the temp tank, I have existing live rock in my system I will transfer to the holding tank, and then remove to set up the tank in new home, there will be a period of a few days there where I'll totally reliant on this rock, so not sure how much I should get?

Thoughts?


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[C.Eymann]

Definitely the best looking rock I have ever seen, I have dumb question for TBS What if you find a coral start on one of your mariculture rocks that is an endangered species, like Acorpora cervicornis, Acropora palmata, Monastera cavernosa, anullaris etc etc? Are you required to leave it? As their could be legality problems? Sorry if it's a dumb question but I'm just curious..

 

[CuzzA]

I'm setting up a temporary holding tank for my fish while I move.

How long will this live rock take to cycle and gain the bacteria needed to support around 25 fish?

Plan on having a 300 gallon Rubbermaid for the temp tank, I have existing live rock in my system I will transfer to the holding tank, and then remove to set up the tank in new home, there will be a period of a few days there where I'll totally reliant on this rock, so not sure how much I should get?

Thoughts?


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Typically there is very little cycle, if any. Maybe a couple days of a small spike in ammonia, which will quickly vanish. Obviously, you should do your due diligence and test often with any new setup, temporary or not.

Personally, I would be reluctant to throw 25 fish into the tank with the new rock. While 95% of the hitchhikers that come in on the rock are beneficial, you will still likely need to keep an eye out for crabs.

A better alternative would be to use your existing rock to support your existing fish in the temp holding tank. If it were supporting the fish before, it should support during a move and temp tank. Although I would have water ready to do an emergency water change. When you get your new "viewable" tank setup, add the TBS rock and then remove any unwanted crabs through trapping and manual removal. Once you're confident there are no crabs in the system then I would add the old rock and fish. Bad crabs would be stone and gorilla crabs. The many porcelain crabs you'll get are good.

Definitely the best looking rock I have ever seen, I have dumb question for TBS What if you find a coral start on one of your mariculture rocks that is an endangered species, like Acorpora cervicornis, Acropora palmata, Monastera cavernosa, anullaris etc etc? Are you required to leave it? As their could be legality problems? Sorry if it's a dumb question but I'm just curious..

There are no restrictions on the aquaculture rock if coral is found on it. However, if you start fragging and trading/selling it you could find yourself in trouble.

 

[hobbzz]

Here' some pics of previous TBS rock that has gone in my tanks.

Wow I wish my tbs stuff looked like this. I'll have to take some pics when I get and and see what I did wrong.

 

[d2mini]

Wow I wish my tbs stuff looked like this. I'll have to take some pics when I get and and see what I did wrong.

That's some of the old old old TBS rock that had been in the gulf for a VERY long time.

Here's the new Walt Smith rock that I just got this week...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=24563960#post24563960

 

[hobbzz]

I got mine a few months ago and it had very little on it that survived. I did get at least some of the new Walt Smith stuff. I would have happily paid extra for stuff that had what your pics did on it. Do you know if you can pay a premium and request the older stuff like that?

 

[d2mini]

I got mine a few months ago and it had very little on it that survived. I did get at least some of the new Walt Smith stuff. I would have happily paid extra for stuff that had what your pics did on it. Do you know if you can pay a premium and request the older stuff like that?

Just ask for it.
FWIW, that stuff does dwindle over the next few months.
Those pics were taken when I opened the boxes.
My new walt smith stuff in the link above definitely has less than those really juicy pics you quoted with my dog, but we're talking months vs years.

 

[hobbzz]

Yeah I noticed. I don't really have any of the life left as far as sponges, barnacles etc. Never had any macros to begin with. My gorilla crabs, pistols, and mantis are going strong though LOL. If I try it again I'll definitely have to ask for the older stuff.

 

[CuzzA]

Yeah I noticed. I don't really have any of the life left as far as sponges, barnacles etc. Never had any macros to begin with. My gorilla crabs, pistols, and mantis are going strong though LOL. If I try it again I'll definitely have to ask for the older stuff.

Did you make any attempts at feeding it?

Much of the life is going to need to be fed. Phytoplankton and I hear Zeovit SpongePower works great.

 

[hobbzz]

Other sponges grow in my system fine, as well as macro. I feed heavily, a few cubes a day, all sizes of food suitable for lps and sps and I don't use any mechanical filtration so fine particulate foods are available 24/7, not the least of which is the best coral food...fish poop from 16 fish. The stuff I received was definitely a newer batch that was not in the water for a long time, and looked absolutely nothing like what d2mini posted. I got no macro, lots of coralline, three different sponge types, barnacles/tunicates, feather dusters, stomatellas, gorilla crabs, some cool orange/blue pistols that my UF wife loves which I will keep if they pose no threat to small fish, a wennerae mantis which I will be keeping, some astrea snails, polyclad flatworms, lots of awesome purple procelain crabs which are unfortunately being eaten by the mantis and pistols. I was just trying to get clarification on what exactly he ordered so I can specify that next time. I wasn't sure if that quality/grade of rock was from "the package" or could be purchased as rock only.

 

[CuzzA]

No doubt. I dove with Richard the other day and took some video. I'll do a quick edit and get it up so you can see him work. I don't know what rock you got, but I can at least show you video that Richard cherry picks every rock. In fact I was trying to hand him, what I thought was great looking rock and he would turn it down for better stuff.

In fact I handed him one rock that was just mind blowing gorgeous and couldn't figure out why he didn't accept it until we got topside and he told me that particular tunicate doesn't do well in captivity so we leave it.

Again, not sure what rock you have, but at the end of the day cubes and fish crap aren't going to keep NPS alive. I would try feeding phyto and SpongePower. I'll bet you'll have much better success at keeping some of those finicky creatures alive much longer, if not indefinitely.

 

[hobbzz]

I feed a mixture of usually 8 different types of frozen food every day. Including frozen food for corals and filter feeders. I mix up enough in one container for a few days and keep it in the fridge. Every time I make up a new batch, I include one or two cubes of coral specific food, depending on brand. Maybe I'll need to step that number up. I have angels and a moorish idol in my reef so I have already been doing this to keep their food sources cultivated, hence all the food for coral/filter feeders. Especially since moorish idols feed heavily on sponges in the wild.

 

[d2mini]

I feed a mixture of usually 8 different types of frozen food every day. Including frozen food for corals and filter feeders. I mix up enough in one container for a few days and keep it in the fridge. Every time I make up a new batch, I include one or two cubes of coral specific food, depending on brand. Maybe I'll need to step that number up. I have angels and a moorish idol in my reef so I have already been doing this to keep their food sources cultivated, hence all the food for coral/filter feeders. Especially since moorish idols feed heavily on sponges in the wild.

Try Phytofeast from Reef Nutrition. Or the Sponge Power.
I'm trying Phytofeast myself this time.

 

[hobbzz]

Will do. I use their oyster feast and love it. Well, everything in the tank loves it, I haven't tried it yet lol.

 

[saf1]

IPSF / indo pacific sea farms also has a good coral food. Reasonable price and easy to keep. I have used it in the past. Can shoot them an email and see if that may work.

 

[CuzzA]

Try Phytofeast from Reef Nutrition. Or the Sponge Power.
I'm trying Phytofeast myself this time.

I think phyto is really important and often left out of many reefers feed plans. They also make the mistake of running their skimmer or not waiting long enough before turning it back on. The skimmers suck phyto out as fast as you dump it in.

I used Phytofeast as well with good success.

 

[solidcore]

anyone remember the first live rock from florida way back in the late 80's. It was chock full of life. Xmas tree worms and just amazing. Each rock was alive and could be viewed like a coral.

 

[taricha]

They also make the mistake of running their skimmer or not waiting long enough before turning it back on. The skimmers suck phyto out as fast as you dump it in.

That my skimmate turned whatever color my phyto mix was, convinced me of exactly what you say.

 

[saf1]

That my skimmate turned whatever color my phyto mix was, convinced me of exactly what you say.

Yup. Turning off the skimmer, and leaving it off for certain types of feeding, is a pro tip.

 

[hobbzz]

anyone remember the first live rock from florida way back in the late 80's. It was chock full of life. Xmas tree worms and just amazing. Each rock was alive and could be viewed like a coral.

Yes I do, that and Fiji. That stuff was awesome. I was always amazed what made it through the journey alive or at least came back.