Real Live Rock
- Thread starter JCM
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TnFishwater98
Drink more fishwater there! And I still want more!
You will probably discover a lot through the next year. I was lucky and didn’t get a mantis shrimp. I think I read they are in there aren’t many in the area in the fall time but that could be wrong. I had no complaints about Gulf Live Rock.
Acros
Valuable Member
I got my live rock from gulfliverock.com delivered today. It spent less than 36 hours in transit, however it stinks like a fish market. My ammonia is sitting at 8ppm (max on API test kit). I swished the rock in 1.035 sg water for a min and removed some dead worms.
There are 3 clams on the top left rock. 1 is opening and looks fine, the other two have not opened yet, but are still attached to the rock. Should I remove the ones that don't open?
Anything else I should be removing? I see a lot of barnacles on the rock, not sure if I should remove them.
I did a 30% water change already, planning to do at least 2 every day until ammonia comes down to 0.25.
There are 3 clams on the top left rock. 1 is opening and looks fine, the other two have not opened yet, but are still attached to the rock. Should I remove the ones that don't open?
Anything else I should be removing? I see a lot of barnacles on the rock, not sure if I should remove them.
I did a 30% water change already, planning to do at least 2 every day until ammonia comes down to 0.25.
TnFishwater98
Drink more fishwater there! And I still want more!
Mine smelled a little fishy.. Wash out your bags it came in into a bucket you willlprobalky find more stuff....Turkey baster it with gently puff of water to clean off all the ocean silt and who knows what. Water changes to keep water clean as possible. The Turkey Wing Clams are probably fine just watch them. All mine made it in 2 days transit.
Is it in your DT? I used 2 smaller aquariums for over a month and I still have 2 rocks in experimental/QT tanks. Once you get it cleaned off slot if the colors will start coming out.
Is it in your DT? I used 2 smaller aquariums for over a month and I still have 2 rocks in experimental/QT tanks. Once you get it cleaned off slot if the colors will start coming out.
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Acros
Valuable Member
Yes, I put mine in the DT. I can pull it out tomorrow and cure it in a container. That will make it easier to do 100% water changes. All I have in the DT are 4 trochus snails apart form the live rock.
How do I know of a sponge is dead or if a clam is dead?
How do I know of a sponge is dead or if a clam is dead?
TnFishwater98
Drink more fishwater there! And I still want more!
Clams will open and close. In the long run I would go get 2 10 gallon aquariums or 20 gallon and a 10 gallon to put rock in before putting it your DT. That way you can observe through the glass From all angles. This will make for less amount of water for your WC while the rock gets cleaned off. I even went to The Container Store because they have acrylic shelves, riser, and containers.
I put my rock on these risers and shelves so I could observe under the rocks for anything SCARY....Some risers I put on their side so the rock would be elevated but nothing under the bottom. This allowed things to fall to bottom of the aquarium. I took the bags the LR came in and washed out everything in white buckets and let everything settle. The Lowe’s the water and observed with a flash light. You will find a bunch of lively critters.
Took my time
Took my time and slowly moved LR tat passed a the test ....?.... and moved it into the 2nd aquarium to observe more. Finally moved into DT after I moved LR into a fresh bucket of aquarium water and gently blew the rocks again with the Turkey baster.
I did end up removing a few odd looking worms, big brittle worms, and probably other critters that didn’t belong in DT. Overal the LR was pretty clean of anything bad. Advice , just take your time and have fun
I put my rock on these risers and shelves so I could observe under the rocks for anything SCARY....Some risers I put on their side so the rock would be elevated but nothing under the bottom. This allowed things to fall to bottom of the aquarium. I took the bags the LR came in and washed out everything in white buckets and let everything settle. The Lowe’s the water and observed with a flash light. You will find a bunch of lively critters.
Took my time
Took my time and slowly moved LR tat passed a the test ....?.... and moved it into the 2nd aquarium to observe more. Finally moved into DT after I moved LR into a fresh bucket of aquarium water and gently blew the rocks again with the Turkey baster.
I did end up removing a few odd looking worms, big brittle worms, and probably other critters that didn’t belong in DT. Overal the LR was pretty clean of anything bad. Advice , just take your time and have fun
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TnFishwater98
Drink more fishwater there! And I still want more!
I didn’t even test the water I had the new LR in. I was just worried about a bad hitchhiker. All my sponges and such made it.
I really don't know why people keep ordering from them. Time after time people report either long transit times, rock reeking of ammonia or both. I guess it's the low prices?
I wouldn't bother removing anything except dead things that fall off. Just keep the water moving and do some water changes.
taulgrl
Active Member
I definitely recommend water changes with Prime. I couldn’t control my GUlf rock ammonia until I started adding Prime... then things stopped dying and perked up. I cured mine in a big plastic bin with heat, flow and some light for 2 weeks. Had a lot of die off but also had a lot of survivors. i Wish I bought more and had less dry rock but oh well... next time!
taulgrl
Active Member
great sponge! I have one just like it on my gulf rock. Do you do anything special to keep it looking so good?
I would've paid extra for faster transit if I could do it again. That said, still 100% worth the price. Tons of things survived the trip, its way better than dead rock and not much more expensive.
TnFishwater98
Drink more fishwater there! And I still want more!
I believe you’re talking about the sea squirt. Yes I would direct feed down flow of it and let it take it in. Just whatever you feed your corals. One of my power heads came lose recently and unfortunately dislodge it from the rock. I had to remove it soon after because it didn’t look good...
taulgrl
Active Member
Ahhh I thought all along it was a sponge lol. I've been feeding phyto about once a week but my hermits won't stop crawling all over it. Not sure if it is starting to look bad bc of my level of care and feeding or because of the hermits. No coral yet so do you suggest I up the feedings?
TnFishwater98
Drink more fishwater there! And I still want more!
I thought it was a sponge when I first got it. Maybe get some Reef Roids or Reef Chili to feed. They don’t mind and almost like the water with high nutrients my local LFS told me.
Anteres
Community Member
Yep. I took a six month break from SW and am just now coming back. Decided to just take the plunge and order actual live rock this time around in order to shorten the uglies before they start lol. Also for the biodiversity
