My rocks came in today! Tank Pics!

[melbell86]

So, thanks to Jmiller, i ordered some Key largo rock about a week ago, and it came in today! I got 25 lbs for 60$. I really wish i had not spent all that money on my other tank decor and got this from the start because i am SUPER happy with the results, and its the look i have always wanted. If you are interested here is the website https://www.marcorocks.com/index.asp. AWESOME shipping, it was fast and free Anyways here is the journey to my FINAL tank decor. I seriously cant believe how Georges demeanor changed after i did this. He seems SO happy. He is exploring, swimming all around the front of the tank (which he NEVER used to do), and looking so green and happy, which makes me happy

Rocks


How i was originally going to set them up in the tank


The final product


Tank is a bit cloudy


george waiting to go into his new home, i think he has grown since i got him a month ago


Happy little puff!


the ghost shrimp is still alive and well haha

[xrayjeeper83]

Your tank looks awesome
George looks really happy

[melbell86]

thanks xrayjeeper Its been a long road but im finally satisfied with everything, and george is too! I know the original circumstances werent the best, but i did what i could and things turned out great. I never thought i could love a fish this much <3

[Flutter]

That looks great!

[jmiller]

You're welcome.

I really like how you placed your rocks. So how many times did you rearrange it before it went in the tank?

[jus85411]

looks great and im sure the puff is much happier with a more natural and better living space

[Pufferpunk]

I've heard a lot of good stuff about Marco Rocks. Great-looking rock there! Was it all dry rock? I suggest adding a bit of live rock to seed it. (Unless this is only BW at the moment.)

[melbell86]

thanks guys!

Jmiller - yeah i rearranged it a bit on the table before i decided to place it, then when i tried to copy it when i moved it into the tank it wasnt working. I probably moved stuff around inside the tank for a good 45 minutes before i got it how i wanted it.

Pufferpunk - it is all dry pre cured rock. Im currently brackish at an SG of 1.005 but i plan to go full marine in the future. If i were to do this, would i just need to buy one live rock and it will seed the rest of my rocks in there now? I heard good things about these rocks for saltwater, because all the holes are perfect for sticking in frags and such.

[Brandon8521]

It looks great. What size tank is that?

Be ready for some serious algea blooms when the rocks start to mature once you reach full sw. I started with pretty much all dry rock when I was at 1.016 and once I hit full sw and added my lighting I got a huge diatom bloom. Im currently going through a little bit of a hair algea bloom. Its just the nature of rocks matureing from what I keep reading.

[melbell86]

its a 26 gallon bow front. So my rocks wont stay pretty and white forever? boooo. haha i hope i dont have a bad algal bloom problem. This might be a dumb question, but is the algal bloom in a saltwater tank the brown diatom algae? Is there anything that can go with my puffer that wont get eaten that eats it. like a turbosnail or something?

[Brandon8521]

Sorry the only clean-up-crew your going to get is yourself. You might be lucky enough to let some hermits coexist but it will be pure luck. Diatoms will more then likely be your first bloom then who knows. I went from diatoms to now a little bit of hair algea (nothing to serius) but its nice to know that something is going on. I keep my nitrates and phosphates pretty much unreadable and still have my algea processes. The good thing that is on your side is that you more then likely dont have powerfull lights wich will help keep any algea in check. A nice well established peice of liverock will shorten the process so when Its at full SW that should be on your shopping list.

[melbell86]

yeah my plan is to get a good piece of live rock to seed the rest when i get to full sw. Day three and george hasnt eaten his ghost shrimp friend, but im sure that friendship will to turn to tragedy eventually.

[melbell86]

im hoping i can have a hermit crab, but i know not to get my hopes up. They have some gorgeous blue hermit crabs with purple shells at the LFS that i would love to have in my tank.

[Pufferpunk]

I'm going thru the crap brown diatom stage on my new puffer tank now.

[jus85411]

still waiting on pictures of that new one PP

i have had a hermit crab in my tank since i first got to SW a while ago with my GSP. the hermit has been harassed, not that ive seen it but i have saw him upside down on the sand with the opening of his shell sticking up. he survived a switch of shells once out in the open somehow. and on his old shell there was a little piece missing im assuming from my GSP. so hermits will most likely be out of the question because part of their natural diet is crustaceans(crabs, shrimp, mussell, etc.). my hermit rarely shows his face in the open, im guessing just exploring in the rock i have and eating whatever he can get his little claws on