+1
Not getting an order is like delaying christmas by a day. Hopefully you will get your stuff soon. If not, you might not have many moving hitchhikers to photograph when it arrives.
Tabasco's 45g cube build-finally!
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+1
Not getting an order is like delaying christmas by a day. Hopefully you will get your stuff soon. If not, you might not have many moving hitchhikers to photograph when it arrives.
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Tabasco1
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Oh, it is not in purgatory. I am in pretty good communication with the vendor. Pretty much he packs it in the morning and I get it in the afternoon, its a same day thing. Sent on United and I will be picking it up at the airport. He won't pack it up until we have a clear window to work with so that the rock is super fresh.
Ah, that is really cool. Who did you buy from? That type of shipping seems like it would be very expensive. What happens if it gets bumped after he takes it to united?
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Tabasco1
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I bought through Tampa Bay Saltwater, they were the original leaser of land in the gulf to seed live rock. At least that is what their website story says. hahah. So the rock has been down there for 12 years ish.
It is a bit pricey ($120 for shipping) so I can really only afford to get a small amount. It is that much because I live in a small town with a small airport. If I actually lived close to a big airport... like Denver it would cost $.75/lb for freight. He only ships freight as FedEx is too pricey. The package I am getting comes with 20lbs of rock, 10 lbs of sand, and then a small clean up crew comes with it your typical hermits, snails, cucumber, serpent star and a pep shrimp which I told him not to include. The rock comes shipped in water so that there should not be much if any die off during the 8 hrs of transit. Some people have even gotten gobies as hitch hikers. We will see what it shakes out to. Could be a bunch of junk that is full of trouble. I don't think so though. I am hoping that it will give alot of diversity to my tanks micro fauna. I will just have to be very diligent in the cure process.
I will supplement with about 50lbs of dry rock after I get this rock in tip top shape.
It is a bit pricey ($120 for shipping) so I can really only afford to get a small amount. It is that much because I live in a small town with a small airport. If I actually lived close to a big airport... like Denver it would cost $.75/lb for freight. He only ships freight as FedEx is too pricey. The package I am getting comes with 20lbs of rock, 10 lbs of sand, and then a small clean up crew comes with it your typical hermits, snails, cucumber, serpent star and a pep shrimp which I told him not to include. The rock comes shipped in water so that there should not be much if any die off during the 8 hrs of transit. Some people have even gotten gobies as hitch hikers. We will see what it shakes out to. Could be a bunch of junk that is full of trouble. I don't think so though. I am hoping that it will give alot of diversity to my tanks micro fauna. I will just have to be very diligent in the cure process.
I will supplement with about 50lbs of dry rock after I get this rock in tip top shape.
Wow Goby hicth hikers would be a sweet find. Yeah living in a small town never bodes well for shipping!
That is really cool. I will need to give them a try the next time I want to set up a tank, just to see what I get.
Dry rock is the best way to make up for money spent. You get a lot more rock per pound than live rock.
Its tomorrow now 
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Tabasco1
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I know. It is killing me. But ended up that I have to be in Denver on Friday for work so I am having it freighted to Denver to save $ on shipping and then I can get a bigger package of rock. . SO, Friday is when it will be here! Firm!!
Glad others are as excited as I am!
. SO, Friday is when it will be here! Firm!!Glad others are as excited as I am!
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Tabasco1
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Total bummer though, just looked at my curing tank and there is a bunch of precipitate looks like. Don't know what else it could be and don't know what would have caused it. Lot of white little specks floating around, enough so the water looks cloudy. So what?? Make all new water now? I don't really trust it.
Thats weird....what did you put into your curing tank besides water??
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Tabasco1
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The salt. It had been in there circulating for a couple of days. I primed up the skimmer the day before I noticed the change and that is the only think I can think of is that I didn't get that cleared out enough.
It will remain a mystery though. The whole thing got dumped last night. I turned the skimmer back on for about 5 minutes to get that all worked through in case there was some more junk in it. I started making new water last night and will finish it tonight, give the skimmer a real thorough bath. I guess it is a good thing everything was delayed.
Tomorrow noon is the delivery. Man, I hope it is good!
It will remain a mystery though. The whole thing got dumped last night. I turned the skimmer back on for about 5 minutes to get that all worked through in case there was some more junk in it. I started making new water last night and will finish it tonight, give the skimmer a real thorough bath. I guess it is a good thing everything was delayed.
Tomorrow noon is the delivery. Man, I hope it is good!
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Tabasco1
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Ok, got the rock!! Been a rough day though, more on that tomorrow.
But, VERY impressed with what I got. Tons of extras, very generous with the rock. There is no way that is only 20lbs. Some of my hitch hikers are an urchin and a pink sea cucumber, also pulled about 7 boring snails, forget what they are called and 2 small crabs. So far that looks about it for the bad ones, but will examine alot more closely tomorrow. Rock has alot of encrusting sponges that are pink and red and overall pretty clean.
PIcs and full write up tomorrow.
But, VERY impressed with what I got. Tons of extras, very generous with the rock. There is no way that is only 20lbs. Some of my hitch hikers are an urchin and a pink sea cucumber, also pulled about 7 boring snails, forget what they are called and 2 small crabs. So far that looks about it for the bad ones, but will examine alot more closely tomorrow. Rock has alot of encrusting sponges that are pink and red and overall pretty clean.
PIcs and full write up tomorrow.
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Tabasco1
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Long story short, picked up my rock at DIA yesterday and a blizzard rolled in so the mountain passes to get back home were closed. So sat in my car for many hours blasting the heat and finally got home at 9:30. All things considered I don't think I lost anything.
No pics today as I am pretty exhausted. So quick update on the rock.
Richard at Tampa Bay Saltwater was awesome to work with and he is the owner. And let me just say wow, he hooked it up. The rock looks great. Lots of various types of feather worms, red, pink, peach, grey encrusting sponges on all rock, spagetti worms and no nuisance algae. I ordered 20lbs of rock and would be shocked if there was less than 30, but probably 35lbs.
Good hitch hickers- pink sea cucumber and black sea urchin
Bad hitch hikers- 2 crabs about a 1/2" and so far about 7 boring snails.
Under observation- a shrimp w clear body about 1"
The clean up crew is great. But let's talk about the freebies.
5 different sponges that are amazing that run from bright yellow ball sponge to a bright orange tree sponge.
1 flame scallop- hope I can keep that guy alive, have to read up on
3 gorgonians
1 anemone- don't know what kind and RIP he wandered into an intake last night
No pics today as I am pretty exhausted. So quick update on the rock.
Richard at Tampa Bay Saltwater was awesome to work with and he is the owner. And let me just say wow, he hooked it up. The rock looks great. Lots of various types of feather worms, red, pink, peach, grey encrusting sponges on all rock, spagetti worms and no nuisance algae. I ordered 20lbs of rock and would be shocked if there was less than 30, but probably 35lbs.
Good hitch hickers- pink sea cucumber and black sea urchin
Bad hitch hikers- 2 crabs about a 1/2" and so far about 7 boring snails.
Under observation- a shrimp w clear body about 1"
The clean up crew is great. But let's talk about the freebies.
5 different sponges that are amazing that run from bright yellow ball sponge to a bright orange tree sponge.
1 flame scallop- hope I can keep that guy alive, have to read up on
3 gorgonians
1 anemone- don't know what kind and RIP
he wandered into an intake last night
Long story short, picked up my rock at DIA yesterday and a blizzard rolled in so the mountain passes to get back home were closed. So sat in my car for many hours blasting the heat and finally got home at 9:30. All things considered I don't think I lost anything.
No pics today as I am pretty exhausted. So quick update on the rock.
Richard at Tampa Bay Saltwater was awesome to work with and he is the owner. And let me just say wow, he hooked it up. The rock looks great. Lots of various types of feather worms, red, pink, peach, grey encrusting sponges on all rock, spagetti worms and no nuisance algae. I ordered 20lbs of rock and would be shocked if there was less than 30, but probably 35lbs.
Good hitch hickers- pink sea cucumber and black sea urchin
Bad hitch hikers- 2 crabs about a 1/2" and so far about 7 boring snails.
Under observation- a shrimp w clear body about 1"
The clean up crew is great. But let's talk about the freebies.
5 different sponges that are amazing that run from bright yellow ball sponge to a bright orange tree sponge.
1 flame scallop- hope I can keep that guy alive, have to read up on
3 gorgonians
1 anemone- don't know what kind and RIP
Sounds like a nice shipment overall - order 20 and get 30+ lbs is a nice deal!! So the shrimp - Did it look like a pistol shrimp or a mantis shrimp?
Free gorgs are nice and the different color sponges is a nice score too. Looking forward to some pics later!!
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Tabasco1
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Yeah- I forgot to mention I got a freebie fish and macro assortment with mermaid fan, shaving brush and some calaerpa. I think the fish is a blenny of some sort. They definately hooked it up.
Some of the sponge on the rock looks like it is starting to peel up though. I don't know if it is salvageable once it starts doing that and if I should just remove it. It is not turning white yet so I have been leaving it.
The shrimp is definately not a mantis shrimp and I don't think it is a pistol either. Unfortunately I released him into the curing station and so I see him but don't get a good view of him to take a pic. He is mostly clear with reddish antenae.
The protein skimmer has been a pain to get to work consistently, but made some progress in that dept. and finally getting skimmate.
Some of the sponge on the rock looks like it is starting to peel up though. I don't know if it is salvageable once it starts doing that and if I should just remove it. It is not turning white yet so I have been leaving it.
The shrimp is definately not a mantis shrimp and I don't think it is a pistol either. Unfortunately I released him into the curing station and so I see him but don't get a good view of him to take a pic. He is mostly clear with reddish antenae.
The protein skimmer has been a pain to get to work consistently, but made some progress in that dept. and finally getting skimmate.
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