TBS rock question!

[mndfreeze]

Ive been eyeballing your rock for far too long as my new tank build keeps getting delayed. My first tank was done with all base rock and a tiny piece of cured live rock, which meant no pests, but no fun stuff either. I happen to like wierd, creepy and crawly and will probably be ordering a mantis from you soon since I can't ever find the damn indo-pac species I want.

Anyway, my question is...

Often people talk of aptasia on the rock from the gulf. I read either on your site or here somewhere that you said it is a different species of glass anemone and doesn't pest out like the aptasia everyone freaks out about.

How often do those nems occur on your rock, and do you know if berghia nudi's will still eat them? Every pic I've seen they look almost identical but I'm not a nem biologist. I know nudi's are the pickiest eaters on the damn planet so it would be good to know. Most of the other pest stuff I will probablty get I will enjoy, but not those.

Also, is it possible when placing an order, even if not for a huge amount, to ask for really really old placed rock? I've seen your videos pulling up month old to 10 year old and if it is at all possible to have a preference I would love to know.

Thanks!

Troy

 

[jdegrasse]

I received my rock (50 lbs) in January 2011. A month later I found one tiny glass nem. Now I have 3. If I wanted to get rid of them, I very easily could with some lemon juice and needle and syringe. I think they are cool and they haven't harmed anything yet.

 

[noahm]

I believe the gulf species is Aiptasia pallida, not the common A. pulchella (not found in the gulf). I had two or three that never caused any problems and never spread. After 2 years, a newly introduced peppermint shrimp made short work of them. IME not a concern at all.

 

[PorkchopExpress]

i can't say if the ones i got were the problematic species or not but i wasn't taking any chances...i got a bottle of Aiptaisa X and it's worked great so far...i only really had 1 big one...the rest were babies that you really really had to look for...i would say i had a good dozen or so that i eradicated so far

 

[riverviewmike]

I had one curly q anemone attached which has gotten fairly big in size over the last year or so. No problems with Aiptaisa but I have a copper banded butterfly in my tank that is very happy. If I had any Aiptasia I'm sure he would take care of them for me.

 

[mndfreeze]

Hey Richard, I never got an answer on my last question about being able to somewhat specify the age/type of rock? I can't afford 'the package' for my size of tank and was going to use some of the dry base rock I have currently, then order 20 to 40lbs from TBS. However, being I don't need 2 shipments of package rock, the ideal situation would be to order what you would normally send in the second shipment. The stuff crawling with everything.

 

[liverock]

Hey Richard, I never got an answer on my last question about being able to somewhat specify the age/type of rock? I can't afford 'the package' for my size of tank and was going to use some of the dry base rock I have currently, then order 20 to 40lbs from TBS. However, being I don't need 2 shipments of package rock, the ideal situation would be to order what you would normally send in the second shipment. The stuff crawling with everything.

The rock in the Package is the same in part one and part two, just sized differently according to tank size, part one is larger rock....part two top off rock.....and is all the same rock starts out looking like this

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1632368

and ends up looking like this

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2022712

One shipment of just rock is ok as long as the tank is already established and able to handle the bio load....however, all Packages are split into two shipments....as there is way too much life to add everything at once to a new tank....

Richard TBS:spin1::spin1::spin1:
www.tbsaltwater.com

 

[mndfreeze]

Jeebus that was fast. Didn't expect an answer before the sun came up here.

Sounds great. When reading testimonials I got confused when people were stating the second shipment of rock was even more plastered with life then the first. Most likely this tank will end up a 40 breeder or some near similar size tank with a mantis as the main critter and corals way later after most pest hitch hikers dissapear or get trapped, so for a few months at least the only real life will be what comes on the rocks. The more sponges, tunicates, barnicles, bivalves, corals, etc etc the better. Especially the more variety and wierdness to it. Really looking forward to getting this tank set up and ready for rock.

Any issues shipping to Phoenix in the summer? It's pretty damn hot here right now. Hitting about 110 during the day, about 80 to 85 in the middle of the night.

 

[liverock]

Jeebus that was fast. Didn't expect an answer before the sun came up here.

Sounds great. When reading testimonials I got confused when people were stating the second shipment of rock was even more plastered with life then the first. Most likely this tank will end up a 40 breeder or some near similar size tank with a mantis as the main critter and corals way later after most pest hitch hikers dissapear or get trapped, so for a few months at least the only real life will be what comes on the rocks. The more sponges, tunicates, barnicles, bivalves, corals, etc etc the better. Especially the more variety and wierdness to it. Really looking forward to getting this tank set up and ready for rock.

Any issues shipping to Phoenix in the summer? It's pretty damn hot here right now. Hitting about 110 during the day, about 80 to 85 in the middle of the night.

Live rock farmers get up early!

PHX..piece of cake, direct flight on Southwest!

will be 93 here today.....

Richard TBS:spin1::spin1::spin1:

 

[fishnerd]

Richard,

I have been looking for some occulina sp. coral and it looks like getting rock from you is the best way Is there any way to special order such rock I would buy whatever minimum to get the hitchhikers.

Thanks Bryan

 

[liverock]

Richard,

I have been looking for some occulina sp. coral and it looks like getting rock from you is the best way Is there any way to special order such rock I would buy whatever minimum to get the hitchhikers.

Thanks Bryan

I have oculina in stock...shipping is the kicker for small amounts as all the airlines have a minimum 100# charge......and out your way is about $75

Fed ex is very pricy as corals will have to be shipped express overnight and fed ex is not to friendly on package handling, especially corals that can pop bags if handled roughly.

Air freight is the way to go, and typical scenario is I pack them in the morning, and you pick them up after work that day....

sea ya
Richard TBS

 

[mndfreeze]

Tank is finally being ordered and will be roughly 3 weeks to finish. Another question, your live sand is dragged off the aquaculture site just like the rock correct? I'm planning a remote DSB and REALLLLLLLYYY need a proper set of biolife from the sand, not just bacteria and a few random rock hitchers.

God I hate having to wait for things.