Garf Reef Grunge

[MrDJeep123]

I'm thinking of buying around 5lbs to add more diversity to the tank. I have no stars, a porcelain crab that I haven't seen in months, hermits, a cucumber, and a handful of snails. I need more critters. Also I would like to seed the tank with more species of coralline. Who has bought some and what has been your experience (packaging, short term and long term effects, etc.)?

 

[Gopi]

Don't do it. I ordered it and almost canceled after 2 weeks because there was no correspondence from them. Then it appeared in a soggy box. I added some to my 55 and some to my 14. It was really dirty (i guess thats the point). Almost all my corals in the 55 died over the next couple days and the fish in the 14 died. There were marbles and chunks of glass mixed in with the pebbles. The only visible life forms were dead and dying bristleworms. I regret spending the money on it.

 

[MrDJeep123]

Don't do it. I ordered it and almost canceled after 2 weeks because there was no correspondence from them. Then it appeared in a soggy box. I added some to my 55 and some to my 14. It was really dirty (i guess thats the point). Almost all my corals in the 55 died over the next couple days and the fish in the 14 died. There were marbles and chunks of glass mixed in with the pebbles. The only visible life forms were dead and dying bristleworms. I regret spending the money on it.

:waaaht: That certainly isn't good news. How long ago was this? I don't expect it to be clean as they advertise it to be full of life and cool little things. However, marbles and glass is unacceptable in my opinion. Not so much for the fish but for myself and I tend to be on the clumsy side.
I'm wondering if it caused it a cycle and that's most of your things died. Certainly not promising.

 

[Gopi]

It was last spring... I had to do major water changes and really aerate both tanks. The cloudiness was particulate, not bacterial. I definitely had a cycle after things died...corals, fish, snails... And since it happened in both tanks after adding the grunge I'd say thats the culprit. Fortunately, the glass isn't sharp its been weathered but still...

 

[MrDJeep123]

It was last spring... I had to do major water changes and really aerate both tanks. The cloudiness was particulate, not bacterial. I definitely had a cycle after things died...corals, fish, snails... And since it happened in both tanks after adding the grunge I'd say thats the culprit. Fortunately, the glass isn't sharp its been weathered but still...

Well, I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad experience. I appreciate the feedback.

Are there any others that have bought this?

 

[MrDJeep123]

After some research from other forums, it seems many people haven't had a positive experience in ordering. So I think I"m going to pass. I'll definitely be looking at Inland Aquatics or Indo Pacific Sea Farms.