Continuing from my previous coral post, there are corals that are harder to get off the current live rock, so I am including the corals with the live rock.
My tank:
NOTE: About 1/4 (one island) of my live rock is from Tampa Bay Saltwater. The rest of the live rock are "rejuvenated" rocks from Fiji Islands and Marshall Islands. By "rejuvenated", I mean that these coral reef rocks from the 70s were taken out, dried, and left in someone's garage for 5 years before I bought them. I shaped and added these rocks with my TBS island to seed them with the TBS microbiome. I also semi-regularly dose AquaForest Life Source (mud from Fiji) to increase biodiversity. These rocks are ridiculously good rocks--light and porous.
1. Tampa Bay Saltwater (TBS) Premium Rock island - size (LWH) 10"x6"x6", Lb? 5lb? 10lb? I dunno - $100
Poor photo, because of the angle needed to see anything behind that giant leather, but here is the front cave/tunnel:
2. "Easy SPS Island" - size: 10"x5"x7" + 5" of extra height from the SPS + ~1-2" buried in the sand; Lb? No idea -- $150 -- PENDING
This was the construction (all Marshall Islands rocks):
This is what the rock looked like (middle) when it was first added into my 40 with the TBS rocks (right hand island) in May 2023:
3. "Nem Island + black widow" constructed from Fiji and Marshall Islands rocks -- triangular pyramid-shaped -- size: ~6" x 10" x 9"; Lb? No idea -- $200 -- PENDING
This is how it was initially put together (Fiji rock on top, Marshall Islands on bottom):
These are the early pics of the BW nem, first when it was a tiny quarter sized nem purchased from Cultivated Reef, and second when in full bloom with an RBTA under heavy blue Noopsyches (not my full spectrum Orpheks they are currently under.
My tank:
NOTE: About 1/4 (one island) of my live rock is from Tampa Bay Saltwater. The rest of the live rock are "rejuvenated" rocks from Fiji Islands and Marshall Islands. By "rejuvenated", I mean that these coral reef rocks from the 70s were taken out, dried, and left in someone's garage for 5 years before I bought them. I shaped and added these rocks with my TBS island to seed them with the TBS microbiome. I also semi-regularly dose AquaForest Life Source (mud from Fiji) to increase biodiversity. These rocks are ridiculously good rocks--light and porous.
1. Tampa Bay Saltwater (TBS) Premium Rock island - size (LWH) 10"x6"x6", Lb? 5lb? 10lb? I dunno - $100
- This island is made of a few rocks that are constructed into a semi-cave/tunnel. They will likely come apart partially during moving and will have to be re-cemented when placed into your tank--that's just how TBS live rock is. You don't want to dry it out and lose that glorious biodiversity, so you have to glue it all together wet.
- Comes with a maturing colony of mint potato chip pavona, a cyphastrea-like green coral, hidden cup corals, a very large green RFA, and (unfortunately) a lot of Pandora palys.
- There are loads of sponges growing on it.
- Dragon lady bounce shroom not included, but the baby bounce can be included.
- The giant leather (and nepthea) is its own island and not included
Poor photo, because of the angle needed to see anything behind that giant leather, but here is the front cave/tunnel:
2. "Easy SPS Island" - size: 10"x5"x7" + 5" of extra height from the SPS + ~1-2" buried in the sand; Lb? No idea -- $150 -- PENDING
- This piece is a large Marshall Islands rock with two full natural tunnel holes in it that the wrasses love swimming through, and it is set on top of two smaller pieces that create a low arch just above the sand line (also for the wrasses, but the CBB used to do a Millennium Falcon run through it before the wrasses moved so much sand around.
- Comes with Birdsnest colony, Stylophora colony, Anacropora colony, Montipora digitata colony, "Kelly Green" branching Psammacora colony, and red Monti cap colony.
- Must bring a bucket (preferably 5gal) with saltwater in it to transport. I will try to provide some filler, but likelihood of the birdsnest coming off during a bumpy ride is high.
This was the construction (all Marshall Islands rocks):
This is what the rock looked like (middle) when it was first added into my 40 with the TBS rocks (right hand island) in May 2023:
3. "Nem Island + black widow" constructed from Fiji and Marshall Islands rocks -- triangular pyramid-shaped -- size: ~6" x 10" x 9"; Lb? No idea -- $200 -- PENDING
- This rock was constructed to isolate and keep a black widow BTA in place, and it has worked for 2 years. The nem occasionally moves, especially after a split, but only goes round in circles in the top half of the island. The Fiji rock is so knobby that the nems find comfortable places for their foot almost immediately.
- Black widow nem (bought from Cultivated Reef, early pics below) is included, dinner plate sized oral disk and platter-size when extending tentacles. As in the previous post, the BW nem has lost some of its webbing under my very white spectrum lighting--I would like to know if the webbing returns when kept under bluer spectrum.
- Also on the rock are a smattering of irritated zoas and palys. I don't actually know which ones are there since they are mostly closed due to the nem's tentacles, yet they persist. I know there are Daisy Dukes, Cornbred Rainbow Infusions and Hot Toddy/Playboy Bunnies. Might be some red firecracker style zoas underneath the main mass of the nem. There is also a baby RFA on the left side of the rock and I believe one more on the back side, but I haven't seen it in a while.
- The rock is designed to have an accessible cave beneath it where my wrasses like to go and hide when being flashed or chased. I keep a bit of egg crate beneath it to raise it even with the sand bed.
- It also comes with a spotted porcelain anemone crab that lives in the nem, although honestly, I have no idea how long it will continue living. I've had it for probably 3 years already.
This is how it was initially put together (Fiji rock on top, Marshall Islands on bottom):
These are the early pics of the BW nem, first when it was a tiny quarter sized nem purchased from Cultivated Reef, and second when in full bloom with an RBTA under heavy blue Noopsyches (not my full spectrum Orpheks they are currently under.
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