Back up to Sept 30th, I removed the cycled rocks and media from the 15 gallon, and started the IM 25 gallon. It would run for just over a week before I returned from Tampa with the live rock.
While walking the beach at Indian Rocks Beach, I discovered a large clump of macro algae rolling around in the surf. I checked the fishing regs and since I had a saltwater fishing license, I was allowed to harvest a 5 gallon bucket of it. I only took a medium sized chunk, and stuck it in a bucket with a bubbler. We would leave the next day.
We picked up the rocks in a Lowe's parking lot, and drove the 8 hours home where I immediately unpacked the box. It was more important in my mind to make haste than to take pictures, so I have none. However the rock was packed very well, in water, double bagged, in a cooler. I immediately saw the urchin and lots of macros. It far exceeded my expectations. Remember, this is the "Premium" rock. I let it sit for a week bare bottom with strong flow, and fished out a few undesirables, but overall the rock was awesome.
Tiny polyclad flatform (damaged by my tweezers)
Gorilla crab the size of my pinky nail.
Whelk
Several decorator crabs
Predatory worm of some time (he was attacking the whelk)
Red Mithrax crab (size of my pinky nail) I had kept the 15 gallon wet, and I started a hitchhiker tank called the Sin Bin. This is the Mithrax grown up after several months.
And then I added Freddie 2. He has just gone missing by the way. Have not seen him in 3 or 4 days while I am in the middle of an ich flare up. I assume the worst. I kept a softball sized chunk of the red macro I picked up on the beach and gave the rest to my LFS. They were quite pleased.