The Package - Part 1 with pics

[formsix]

We picked up Part 1 of "The Package" on Saturday afternoon from the airport, and I finally stopped staring at it long enough to take and upload some pics. This rock is awesome! I haven't done any real aquascaping yet because I'm trying to plan it out before disturbing all the critters, but hopefully I'll get to that in the next day or two. Getting the shipment from Richard was just as quick and easy as everyone has said, and we are absolutely thrilled with how great the rock looks and all the interesting things on it.

We haven't seen much ammonia in the tank yet. We're testing twice a day and it was at .25 in the beginning, .5 for the last 3 days, and might even be dropping a bit.

Here are pics of the rock and some of our hitchhikers!

Full tank shot -- hopefully it will be aquascaped by the next time I post pics! I think there are more rocks in there than it looks like -- there's a really large flat one in the back right corner, and the ones on the right are stacked awkwardly together for the moment.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/13890873438" title="tbspartone 4 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2917/13890873438_1c25ba7281_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 4"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14074314172" title="tbspartone 9 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5523/14074314172_9344744e31_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 9"></a>

barnacles? They are definitely alive (just not cooperating for photos).
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/13890880270" title="tbspartone 10 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7209/13890880270_32710fd09b_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 10"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14074276061" title="tbspartone 8 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7412/14074276061_fb37325f5c_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 8"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14054363496" title="tbspartone 7 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14054363496_5af6826292_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 7"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/13890873948" title="tbspartone 1 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7299/13890873948_3be05336d0_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 1"></a>

This might be a limpet?
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14074276281" title="tbspartone 6 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/14074276281_b18eacfe50_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 6"></a>

Our cucumber!!
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/13890880930" title="tbspartone 5 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7391/13890880930_517d3a9a96_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 5"></a>

This serpent starfish was one of the first things we saw when we opened the box with the sand. Crazy!!
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14077951814" title="tbspartone 3 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2935/14077951814_dd49a1c41f_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 3"></a>




One of the critters that has been relegated to the sump.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14077474355" title="tbspartone 2 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7389/14077474355_894a262f93_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 2"></a>


We also found two large pistol shrimp (one of whom disappeared from our refugium), and two tiny almost translucent pistol shrimp who make just as much noise as the big guys. There are also a handful of crabs that are hanging out in the refugium until I can photograph them and you all can tell me which ones make the cut for the DT.

There are tons of feather dusters on the rocks (which I think are awesome), and we also found four tiny black urchins each no bigger than a pencil eraser. There are also a bunch of snails and hermit crabs, and probably more things that we haven't even found yet! And this is only Part 1!!!

 

[kelp47]

I also received part one of my package on Saturday, and I had a great experience as well. In fact, I had an almost undetectable cycle, I emailed Richard and he said I was ready for part two this weekend. So I'll be getting part two this Saturday! I haven't posted about mine yet, but will soon. My hitchhikers included a serpent starfish, sea cucumber and a seaweed blenny. The blenny was in the bag of sand! He's a lot of fun to watch &#55357;&#56842;

 

[formsix]

I also received part one of my package on Saturday, and I had a great experience as well. In fact, I had an almost undetectable cycle, I emailed Richard and he said I was ready for part two this weekend. So I'll be getting part two this Saturday! I haven't posted about mine yet, but will soon. My hitchhikers included a serpent starfish, sea cucumber and a seaweed blenny. The blenny was in the bag of sand! He's a lot of fun to watch ��

Fun! How big of a package did you order? The blenny sounds really neat -- definitely post pics when you get a chance!

 

[kelp47]

I ordered an undersized package because I would like to create a simpler rock scape. So I ordered a package with 70 lbs of live rock (I think it's a 38 gal pkg). By the way, I also have some kind of popping creature(s), but I haven't yet found it. And I think I have a hairy crab in there as well. At some point I'll probably try to catch them.

I haven't posted any pictures to "show off" my rock yet, but I did post a few asking about some of the stuff on my rock. You may have some similar and want to check this out to see what kind of response this gets. Hopefully this link will work.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2095557&page=143

 

[chris.scang]

We picked up Part 1 of "The Package" on Saturday afternoon from the airport, and I finally stopped staring at it long enough to take and upload some pics. This rock is awesome! I haven't done any real aquascaping yet because I'm trying to plan it out before disturbing all the critters, but hopefully I'll get to that in the next day or two. Getting the shipment from Richard was just as quick and easy as everyone has said, and we are absolutely thrilled with how great the rock looks and all the interesting things on it.

We haven't seen much ammonia in the tank yet. We're testing twice a day and it was at .25 in the beginning, .5 for the last 3 days, and might even be dropping a bit.

Here are pics of the rock and some of our hitchhikers!

Full tank shot -- hopefully it will be aquascaped by the next time I post pics! I think there are more rocks in there than it looks like -- there's a really large flat one in the back right corner, and the ones on the right are stacked awkwardly together for the moment.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/13890873438" title="tbspartone 4 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2917/13890873438_1c25ba7281_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 4"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14074314172" title="tbspartone 9 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5523/14074314172_9344744e31_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 9"></a>

barnacles? They are definitely alive (just not cooperating for photos).
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/13890880270" title="tbspartone 10 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7209/13890880270_32710fd09b_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 10"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14074276061" title="tbspartone 8 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7412/14074276061_fb37325f5c_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 8"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14054363496" title="tbspartone 7 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14054363496_5af6826292_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 7"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/13890873948" title="tbspartone 1 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7299/13890873948_3be05336d0_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 1"></a>

This might be a limpet?
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14074276281" title="tbspartone 6 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2926/14074276281_b18eacfe50_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 6"></a>

Our cucumber!!
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/13890880930" title="tbspartone 5 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7391/13890880930_517d3a9a96_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 5"></a>

This serpent starfish was one of the first things we saw when we opened the box with the sand. Crazy!!
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14077951814" title="tbspartone 3 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2935/14077951814_dd49a1c41f_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 3"></a>




One of the critters that has been relegated to the sump.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14077474355" title="tbspartone 2 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7389/14077474355_894a262f93_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbspartone 2"></a>


We also found two large pistol shrimp (one of whom disappeared from our refugium), and two tiny almost translucent pistol shrimp who make just as much noise as the big guys. There are also a handful of crabs that are hanging out in the refugium until I can photograph them and you all can tell me which ones make the cut for the DT.

There are tons of feather dusters on the rocks (which I think are awesome), and we also found four tiny black urchins each no bigger than a pencil eraser. There are also a bunch of snails and hermit crabs, and probably more things that we haven't even found yet! And this is only Part 1!!!

Those sea urchins will grow very fast! I had a few in my package from Richard too. I have removed a few and I still have two that are getting huge!

 

[formsix]

I ordered an undersized package because I would like to create a simpler rock scape. So I ordered a package with 70 lbs of live rock (I think it's a 38 gal pkg). By the way, I also have some kind of popping creature(s), but I haven't yet found it. And I think I have a hairy crab in there as well. At some point I'll probably try to catch them.

I haven't posted any pictures to "show off" my rock yet, but I did post a few asking about some of the stuff on my rock. You may have some similar and want to check this out to see what kind of response this gets. Hopefully this link will work.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2095557&page=143

Thanks, definitely useful! I have most of those same things on my rock, and when I get a chance I'll add some of my stuff to that thread to ask for IDs. We also undersized our package a little, but only by about 10 gallons of rock (got the 65g package for our 70/75g tank), and added on some extra sand. Our tank is shallow at 48x22x16 and I was afraid of having too many big rocks with limited options for aquascaping. I really didn't need to be concerned though -- the stuff Richard sent is a great size for the tank, nothing too big to work with, and the biggest problem is figuring out which sides of the rocks to "sacrifice" to the bottom or back of the tank (we want to see it all!!!).

Those sea urchins will grow very fast! I had a few in my package from Richard too. I have removed a few and I still have two that are getting huge!

How cool!! It would be awesome if the urchins do well and grow up in our tank! Right now they are soooo small, but they are moving around the tank a bit, or at least around their respective rocks. I'll make sure to get a pic soon so I can have a reference as they get bigger

 

[formsix]

Part 2 has arrived!! Just wanted to share some quick pics -- I'll share more of all the amazing things we got once everything settles in!

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14113711965" title="tbsparttwofull 1 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5555/14113711965_830b9d02e3_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbsparttwofull 1"></a>

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobydog/14114068194" title="tbsparttwofull 2 by Laura Hennefield, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5109/14114068194_afa6ebc64b_z.jpg" width="640" height="426" alt="tbsparttwofull 2"></a>

 

[liverock]

Looking good, great job on aquascaping....you are an excellent tank master!

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