I ordered 80lbs of live rock from TBS and about 100lbs of live sand for a new tank I'm putting together.
I'm very surprised by how many sponges are on the rock I received. Very many of them, not much in the way of tube worms though, which is unfortunate because I like them. No gorgonians or coral that I spotted.
Hitchhikers I found were about 5 pistol shrimp and a donkey dung cucumber. Also some small crabs and brittle stars.
There is a very weird yellow cone shape object as well... Is it a sponge?
Ammonia peaked at .25ppm and is now zero after three days. Nitrite is 0.5ppm today. I added a few hermit crabs to the mix today, and I plan on asking Richard to send me the last 40lbs on monday.
This is a pretty interesting cuke. Is he a filter feeder? He hasn't moved around much.
Very unusual sponge.
A very nice piece of encrusted rock.
Another nice piece
2 Kinda blah pieces
All and all pretty good. I'd like to say the sand was very gross and dingy looking when I got it, but it perked right up and now is very bright and clean looking. Just all silt I guess! Protein skimmer produced half a gallon of skimate the first night, but it's calmed down now and the water is crystal clear. Tank is cycling at a very accelerated rate and I'm sure another week or so will see it good to go.
Thanks for taking care of that communication problem Richard, and I look forward to seeing what you have for me in my second shipment.
David
I'm very surprised by how many sponges are on the rock I received. Very many of them, not much in the way of tube worms though, which is unfortunate because I like them. No gorgonians or coral that I spotted.
Hitchhikers I found were about 5 pistol shrimp and a donkey dung cucumber. Also some small crabs and brittle stars.
There is a very weird yellow cone shape object as well... Is it a sponge?
Ammonia peaked at .25ppm and is now zero after three days. Nitrite is 0.5ppm today. I added a few hermit crabs to the mix today, and I plan on asking Richard to send me the last 40lbs on monday.
This is a pretty interesting cuke. Is he a filter feeder? He hasn't moved around much.

Very unusual sponge.

A very nice piece of encrusted rock.

Another nice piece

2 Kinda blah pieces


All and all pretty good. I'd like to say the sand was very gross and dingy looking when I got it, but it perked right up and now is very bright and clean looking. Just all silt I guess! Protein skimmer produced half a gallon of skimate the first night, but it's calmed down now and the water is crystal clear. Tank is cycling at a very accelerated rate and I'm sure another week or so will see it good to go.
Thanks for taking care of that communication problem Richard, and I look forward to seeing what you have for me in my second shipment.
David