Our Tbs
- Thread starter JohnL
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Ok lets revive this thread...
I have a ton of questions for you fellow TBS'ers now that I've had my rocks for a few months. Lets start with this one..
The rocks from TBS tend to be more boulder like then branching. From up close you can see the intricacies and textures of the rock, but from afar it tends to resemble just a pile of rubble. For me, this presents a big problem with aquascaping my rocks in a pleasing fashion. The other problem with rock is that there are so many corals, sponges, bivalves, and turkey wings on the rock, that they are almost impossible to stack without crushing some poor creature, or blocking them from getting the light/flow they need.
I find myself moving small rocks around every time I clean the tank in attempt to make it look a little better here and there. I am very careful to check the bottom of the rocks that I'm moving to make sure no one is getting squished. My 5 or 6 biggest rocks make up the bottom layer, with the smaller rocks stacked on top and in front of them. I though about using epoxy to glue cooler shapes, but some of the rocks are too big almost to get through the opening in the top as it is.
So what all have you done about your aquascape? If you could include pictures that would be awesome(I know I know, Im a hypocrit because I have no pics.. its 3am my tank lights are off Ill shoot some tomrrow =P)
Peace,
Jesse
I have a ton of questions for you fellow TBS'ers now that I've had my rocks for a few months. Lets start with this one..
The rocks from TBS tend to be more boulder like then branching. From up close you can see the intricacies and textures of the rock, but from afar it tends to resemble just a pile of rubble. For me, this presents a big problem with aquascaping my rocks in a pleasing fashion. The other problem with rock is that there are so many corals, sponges, bivalves, and turkey wings on the rock, that they are almost impossible to stack without crushing some poor creature, or blocking them from getting the light/flow they need.
I find myself moving small rocks around every time I clean the tank in attempt to make it look a little better here and there. I am very careful to check the bottom of the rocks that I'm moving to make sure no one is getting squished. My 5 or 6 biggest rocks make up the bottom layer, with the smaller rocks stacked on top and in front of them. I though about using epoxy to glue cooler shapes, but some of the rocks are too big almost to get through the opening in the top as it is.
So what all have you done about your aquascape? If you could include pictures that would be awesome(I know I know, Im a hypocrit because I have no pics.. its 3am my tank lights are off Ill shoot some tomrrow =P)
Peace,
Jesse
BrianPlankis
Premium Member
Jesse,
Actually, most of my rock from TBS came in some very nice shapes, only a couple smaller ones were "boulder" shaped. The rest have a variety of valleys and caves. Of course the majority of my live rock came from gulf view and those rocks are much more boulder like.
So the boulders form the base of my structure and the prettier TBS rock is on top. I also supplemented with three large pieces of live rock that I made myself. One has three legs to minimize contact with the sandbed and the other two are shelves I made to maximize the number of corals I could put directly underneath my MH lights.
I'm not sure how pretty this tank is, but I made it very practical and functional, which is kind of my style
With the combination of three different kinds of rock I am pretty happy with how the aquascaping turned out, although I do occasionally toy with it when I get a new coral.
Brian
Actually, most of my rock from TBS came in some very nice shapes, only a couple smaller ones were "boulder" shaped. The rest have a variety of valleys and caves. Of course the majority of my live rock came from gulf view and those rocks are much more boulder like.
So the boulders form the base of my structure and the prettier TBS rock is on top. I also supplemented with three large pieces of live rock that I made myself. One has three legs to minimize contact with the sandbed and the other two are shelves I made to maximize the number of corals I could put directly underneath my MH lights.
I'm not sure how pretty this tank is, but I made it very practical and functional, which is kind of my style
With the combination of three different kinds of rock I am pretty happy with how the aquascaping turned out, although I do occasionally toy with it when I get a new coral.Brian
Do you have your rock piled against the sides and back walls of the tank Brian? Does this cause any issues with dead spots for you? I found that keeping my rocks closer to the tank walls created dead areas and nuisance algae.
Anyone else care to share there aquascaping expereince?
Anyone else care to share there aquascaping expereince?
Stormtrker
New member
All right 2-3 wks later I am finally going to be able to post pics. This is my 75G will all TBS rocks from the Keys. Tank is exactly 1 year old in spite of Katrina!!
Just yesterday I found a large patch of purple/pink tunicates on the back side of one rock. I am still amazed with the life that hitchhiked on this rock and with finding new stuff even 1 year out.
Sorry for the large pics.
Carla
Just yesterday I found a large patch of purple/pink tunicates on the back side of one rock. I am still amazed with the life that hitchhiked on this rock and with finding new stuff even 1 year out.
Sorry for the large pics.
Carla
BrianPlankis
Premium Member
I do have a couple of rocks that touch the side walls and back walls, but very limited contact. Because of the design of the tank the built in overflow makes it very hard to get flow in the back left corner. I wouldn't call it a dead spot (no black spots in sand), but definitely lower flow than I desire. I still think Oceanic should go back to corner overflows, MUCH better than these stupid offset ones.
I think I actually have too much directed flow in my tank, I have trouble keeping the sandbed in place in the front of the tank. I'm thinking of adding one more powerhead, but its flow would be directly into the stream of my SEIO 1500. That in theory should disperse the flow and make it more random. Someday in the future I'll have a tank with a horizontal overflow and closed loop, or at least a return pump with multiple nozzles.
I have a tiny bit of bubble algae and a couple spots of other nuisance algaes, but I trim it once it gets to be the size of a half dollar and it hasn't spread much. The bubble algae is in a high flow area only, go figure.
Brian
BrianPlankis
Premium Member
Very pretty pictures Carla
Brian
Brian
elzool
New member
Having the same tank as you, I can agree. I was dumb and followed the instructions which showed the return coming out on that side.
Wish I hadn't, but I do have great flow in that corner. Luckily my return was a Loc-Line with a Y fitting. So one end I have pointed straight down and the other end and I have wrapped around the front of the return.
Wife tells me I can pick up the Tunze Nanostreams in 2007 along with a controller. Then I'll have me some flow.
Maybe even fish by then!
jmait769
-CSHFLW
Hey! Great to see everyone is still watching this thread!:thumbsup:
Danielle, Carla and Brian â€"œ Great shots of the tanks!! Awesome!
jezzeaepi â€"œ I too have moved mine around a lot but have settled on the way it looks now. I bought some small branch type rock at the LFS to add some variety.
Spiffyguy â€"œ I do not have Key rock but here are some pictures of my Gulf rock. Both of the larger rocks have tunnels and lots of holes.
Left side. This tunnel goes out two places behind the rock large enough for the fish to swim through. This use to be a Mantis home!!
Closer picture.
Right side pic. That Hawkfish is a photo hog!!
I'm slowly starting to get all the equipment to start my sump/refugium. I also had to order a larger skimmer for this tank. I want to get rid of that BioLife in the background. Worst purchase I have made so far!!
You can see some more pictures in my gallery!
Jay
Danielle, Carla and Brian â€"œ Great shots of the tanks!! Awesome!
jezzeaepi â€"œ I too have moved mine around a lot but have settled on the way it looks now. I bought some small branch type rock at the LFS to add some variety.
Spiffyguy â€"œ I do not have Key rock but here are some pictures of my Gulf rock. Both of the larger rocks have tunnels and lots of holes.
Left side. This tunnel goes out two places behind the rock large enough for the fish to swim through. This use to be a Mantis home!!
Closer picture.
Right side pic. That Hawkfish is a photo hog!!
I'm slowly starting to get all the equipment to start my sump/refugium. I also had to order a larger skimmer for this tank. I want to get rid of that BioLife in the background. Worst purchase I have made so far!!
You can see some more pictures in my gallery!
Jay
elzool
New member
uhhh, nope
I still have a boatload of crabs and two more known mantis.
I've been pulling rocks out every couple days and flushing them with seltzer water to get the baddies out.
Luckily the mantis are both bright and colorful so I might make some trades and/or money off of them.
I still have a boatload of crabs and two more known mantis.
I've been pulling rocks out every couple days and flushing them with seltzer water to get the baddies out.
Luckily the mantis are both bright and colorful so I might make some trades and/or money off of them.
I meant the good hitchikers I have too many of lol. Im going to try re-arranging some of my rocks again, but this time im going to attempt to stack them higher.
So heres a new question.
What kind of corals "get along" well with TBS hitchiking corals? Anything that I add is going to eb in very close proximity, if not touching the TBS coral. What have you found that works well? Anything that should really be avoided?
Is that a Tubinaria pelata in your last pic Smcnally? Thats the only thing Ive added to the tank so far and it seems to be doing great.
So heres a new question.
What kind of corals "get along" well with TBS hitchiking corals? Anything that I add is going to eb in very close proximity, if not touching the TBS coral. What have you found that works well? Anything that should really be avoided?
Is that a Tubinaria pelata in your last pic Smcnally? Thats the only thing Ive added to the tank so far and it seems to be doing great.
So no ones had problems with other corals stinging their hitchhiking corals? Theres just no way Im going to be able to add anything without it touching them.
Im heading back to my LFS to get something new this weekend. I dont really trust the LFS employees, so I dont want to take their advice on waht to get. Id much rather hear it from you guys. I wanted to have a mixxed reef of a few LPS, some Zoa's, and a few softies. I may try one or two SPS eventually.
Take it easy,
Jesse
Im heading back to my LFS to get something new this weekend. I dont really trust the LFS employees, so I dont want to take their advice on waht to get. Id much rather hear it from you guys. I wanted to have a mixxed reef of a few LPS, some Zoa's, and a few softies. I may try one or two SPS eventually.
Take it easy,
Jesse
BrianPlankis
Premium Member
Jesse,
I don't know of anyone that has examined what is more powerful than the TBS corals. It could be that mushrooms would hurt them, or zoas, or brain corals, etc etc. I would think zoas wouldn't directly hurt them, but could overgrow them, same with mushrooms. I know that my acan frag and my frogspawn both stung my TBS corals (tube corals) and killed them. So avoid those. I have not noticed other things hurting them, but I have a lot of space between my corals right now.
Brian
I don't know of anyone that has examined what is more powerful than the TBS corals. It could be that mushrooms would hurt them, or zoas, or brain corals, etc etc. I would think zoas wouldn't directly hurt them, but could overgrow them, same with mushrooms. I know that my acan frag and my frogspawn both stung my TBS corals (tube corals) and killed them. So avoid those. I have not noticed other things hurting them, but I have a lot of space between my corals right now.
Brian
W Ellis
Premium Member
Hello everyone. I am starting to setup my first SW tank and am very impressed with what i have seen from all your pics of TBS rock. I live only about 30 minutes from TBS and hopefully will be able to make it out to see them in the next couple of weeks. I am like a kid at christmas time.... I cant wait.
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