Our Tbs

[krajacich]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6553944#post6553944 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CirolanidHunter
Hey all,

How many of you are using pH probes to constantly monitor your pH? I'd like to get an accurate one, hopefully reasonably priced too, but accurate is the key. I'm tired of not knowing if my pH is 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 or 8.4 (Hard for me to guage Salifert test kit).

Brian

I also have a pinpoint pH monitor, which I love! Has anyone here bought the calcium one? I've been thinking about splurging on one of those?

Has anyone noticed my self-control lately? I haven't bought a coral in MONTHS.....(it's slowly killing me )

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6554820#post6554820 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lunner
After having this TBS package for awhile now. Do you guys like their live sand better or wish you had used finer sand as sand bed?

And whats the thoughts of their rocks after a year now?

Thanks

All in all, I'm very happy with my TBS rocks. The shapes are wonderful, the colors (initially & now) amazing....to me the main draw back is the hitchhikers. I still have quite a few gorilla crabs in the tank, which I would love to get rid of. I would prefer finer sand but I don't really mind the TBS sand....plus I mixed in about 45 lbs of sugar-fine sand with my TBS stuff.

If I had to do it all again, I would probably get the TBS again but possibly a smaller package size. I have a 72g bow and got a 70g package and having a bit less rock might be nice, of course if I ever get my sump set-up I can stash some in there.

 

[bkelley02]

I just read in another thread that the calcium monitor is not worth the money yet. Too much calibrating and it can't/shouldn't be left in the water. No personal experience with it though. Might need to spend that money somewhere else.

 

[BrianPlankis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6554820#post6554820 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lunner
After having this TBS package for awhile now. Do you guys like their live sand better or wish you had used finer sand as sand bed?

And whats the thoughts of their rocks after a year now?

Thanks

Well, I've only had my rocks for seven months, but I'm still very happy with them. I prefer the TBS rock MUCH more than the "other" florida rock I got. TBS is lighter and has much better shapes.

I was very annoyed with the Cirolanid Isopods I got, but if I had developed my cool trap earlier I would have been rid of them MUCH faster. But then I wouldn't have this cool nickname and avatar right? (EDIT: FWIW, I got the majority, if not all, of my Cirolanids from the "other" rock, not TBS)

The gorilla crabs are annoying, but the rest of the stuff is pretty cool. I've got Christmas tree worms, brain corals, tube corals, cup corals, some sponges, a few tunicates hanging on, horseshoe worms, bunches of feather dusters, clams, etc etc

I will say the clams, a lot of sponges, and most tunicates didn't last. I think my brain corals are AWESOME and combined with the other hitchhikers it was well worth it (after developing the Cirolanid trap that is, didn't feel like it DURING the Cirolanid explosion).

Brian

Thanks for the input on pH controllers everyone! I found the Milwaukee one online, I'm going to research that more as it can also be hooked up to a Ca rx in the future.

 

[jezzeaepi]

I cant wait to post some pictures of my tank here with my tbs rocks! Unofrtunetly the storm fronts keep coming through and stirring up the sediments there so they havent eben able to dvie for like 2.5 months or close to that =(

Anyways, reading this thread everyday helps me through this tough time of being ridiculed by friends, lol. Every time someone comes over they make fun of me for my rediculously expensive water holder. lol, but this thread reminds me why its worth the wait. Keep posting pics please! =)

Peace

 

[lossman]

I agree with everything that Danielle said about the TBS package. I could not imagine starting with bare rocks with no life on them!! Even now, 9 months later, I see something new popping out all the time. New feather dusters here, new sponges over there, new plants on that rock, and, unfortunately, another darn gorilla crab last night!!!!! Grrrrrrrr!!!!

 

[bobt2]

i have the pinpoint ph, i really like it. i just move the probe between the 3 tanks. i see the new reefkeeper has a ph probe option. 10 months into my first tbs package, i still love it. most all of my life is still with me. the only drawback with the package is theres not a lot of room for corals with 2 lbs per gallon of rock and the anomenes outgrow the tanks

 

[bobt2]

this morning i realize i have 2 large pistol shrimp in my 75.one of them has made a home in a hole in the rock right next to the sun coral and he comes out when i feed it to get his share!

 

[lossman]

How awesome!!! The most we get to see ours is when we feed the tank, we put a piece of silverside outside his entrance. We might see the tip of his claw reaching out to pull the fish in, but generally, somehow or other, he sucks the fish down into his den without us seeing a bit of him!!

Last night I was checking out the tank after lights out. Much to my shock I find we have two more tiny gorilla crabs, two tiny mithrax crabs and a porcelin crab!!! Sheesh!! I thought Harely ate all the tiny crabs but these must be smarter than he is!!

 

[patsan]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6564633#post6564633 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bobt2
this morning i realize i have 2 large pistol shrimp in my 75.one of them has made a home in a hole in the rock right next to the sun coral and he comes out when i feed it to get his share!

2 of the big orange ones?

 

[bobt2]

yes pat, orange. one was looking out his hole and the other was walking on the sand between 2 rocks. this was before tank lights on with just room light

 

[lunner]

For a 55gal long, is a 34 gal package enough?

Thanks

 

[lossman]

I would say yes. Personally, if we had to do it over again, I would probably put a bit less rock in the tank to make more of an open area in the front. I still love the way our tank looks, but I have seen other arrangements now that I think would have looked just as nice in our tank. I'd suggest going to the photo gallery and looking at whole tank shots to see what you might want to accomplish in your tank before ordering.

 

[krajacich]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6567048#post6567048 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lunner
For a 55gal long, is a 34 gal package enough?

Thanks

I would say yes. You can always add extra sand if you want and oftentimes corals you purchase (after cycling) come attached to a rock.

 

[phil519]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6567048#post6567048 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lunner
For a 55gal long, is a 34 gal package enough?

Thanks

Personally I went with the 35 package (your choices are 30, 35, 37, 40).

I'm pretty sure they shipped me more than that.

What kind of tank is that? a standard 55 is 48x13x20. You will find that because of the narrow shape of the tank (assuming yours is also four feet) aquascaping isn't easy with the rocks.

I like my rock but I wish the rock were lighter. If you do happen to get a mantis - (I got five) - they are not "the end of the world" - as long as you are okay with an invert getting whacked once in a while. They are quite intelligent and I found no lack of individuals wanting to take/buy the critters off my hands. The cirolanids on the other hand are really gross (sorry I'm not fond of things that attach to my fish).

While the number of hermits might work for other tanks - personally I found I had entirely too many (on top of the fact that they gave so many freebies).

Overall my experience has been overwhelmly positive even with my note above. Good luck!

 

[lunner]

Yeah, mine is 48x13x20 also. Do you have pic of your 55gal?

Thanks

 

[BrianPlankis]

Hey all,

I was wondering what FREE photo hosting sites that people use other than photobucket? I'm not entirely happy with photobucket's interface and thought I would try some others.

Thanks,

Brian

 

[patsan]

Brian, I use photobucket and am very happy with it. I also pay the $25 a year, so I am not limited by the amount of pictures I store. Plus I don't mind the interface.

Other sites you might want to look at are snapfish.com or bravenet.com or http://picsplace.to/

 

[phil519]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6571987#post6571987 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lunner
Yeah, mine is 48x13x20 also. Do you have pic of your 55gal?

Thanks

I haven't taken any in a while - will try and snap some and post later.

I use photobucket - it's so so. I do not pay anything extra...I just delete old photos. Call me stingy.

 

[lunner]

I almost got everything set up. Waiting for T5 retro and do some piping this weekend and I should be set. But it seems the problem will be waiting for the TBS package with the problem they are facing down south.

 

[bobt2]

sounds like a long wait, i waited about 2 months for each of my pkgs, but this is going to be longer with the water problems their facing. BUT IT'S WORTH THE WAIT !