My new 75 gallon setup. Opinions welcome (picture intense)

[ironmanxl1]

I've gotta thank Zack for putting up with all my questions over the last few weeks. He really hooked me up with some good rock. I ordered 30lbs Gulf and 20lbs Keys and I'm completely happy. I've taken step by step pictures so bear with me. I also see a few things that need an ID so feel free to shout out some knowledge if you recognize something.


75 Gallon setup. 2 maxijet 1200's. fluval 404. Seaclone 100 (upgrading soon..i know)

Hirocks.com rock. Great looking rock. Way better than the stuff at the fish store and it's cheaper.

Just after adding the hirocks.com rock.

The lr.com rock came wrapped in paper towels,inside a plastic bag, in packing peanuts inside this styrofoam container inside a bag inside a cardboard box ...nice packing guys .

This is in the keys rock box. I thought that was a bunch of dead bristle worms. Until I moved the rock and a little saltwater dripped on it. Then IT came alive. 8O

A closer look.

It turned out to be a GINORMOUS brittle star. The thing was bigger than my hand. Here it is inside a 5 gallon home depot bucket.

What is this?

He lives.

What's that old banana looking thing. If you see something on the rock just tell me what is is cuz i'm clueless.

I should kill that right?

What's the bubble gum thing?

The white thing in the center?

If I see anything else I'll take a picture. I also hear a popping noise. Just a single click. Is that a pistol?

 

[Scatcat]

Cool lots of stuff living. I hope it makes it through your cycle. Looks good.

Rachel

 

[Phyl]

I'm guessing bubble gum and banana are sponges. Not sure about the one near the end though (was that another shot of bubble gum?). The worm in "What's that" is a eunicide worm. My thought on that would be if you're going FO go ahead and add it, but if you're going to do corals put it in the fuge (or the toilet, your choice). I wouldn't want another one of those in my reef. They grow massively. Mine was over 12" and I'd only had the rock since November.

I'm going to say that those are probably aptasias but better pictures when the water clears would be good for ID purposes.

Single popping noise should be a pistol (mantis do a double click) but if you want to be sure take your rock and dip it into salted seltzer (bring it up to your running SG) and the critters will jump out.

Remove any crabs with black tips. The crabs that you later find with the fans are porcelains and are beneficial and IMO cool (she says until one of them grows big enough to eat something I care about, lol).

The corals that you have on there look like the one at the bottom of my sig. I can never remember the name of it!

Looks great, enjoy!

 

[ironmanxl1]

thanks for the help. Already I see dozens of feather dusters opening up. I see a bunch of worms too. Unfortunately there are probably a dozen aiptasia of all shapes sizes and colrs in the tank that i can see. I'll have to get rid of those before it becomes a problem. I'll take more pictures soon.

 

[lando]

Looks great! You are well on your way. If you are just cycling, you may need to do sme water changes to keep the ammonia/nitrite levels down a bit to preserve the life on the LR. This will prolong your cycle but hopefully keep the life. You have some great looking rock.

 

[ironmanxl1]

More pictures.

What kind of star is this? What do i feed him. He's BIG.
His legs are 5 inches long.

 

[ellisz]

That is a big star for a hithhiker. Not sure if it is good or bad though. I would guess it would be ok. Most are.

 

[NewFishGuy]

each arm is 5"? More than 10" across.....that is a HUGE hitchhiker.... 8O

 

[ironmanxl1]

each arm is 5"? More than 10" across.....that is a HUGE hitchhiker.... 8O

well ..the arms WERE 5" each..before they fell off. I think he has 1 whole arm left and a bunch of stubs. I've done two 10% water changes. I tried to take out as much dead stuff that I could see. ammonia is about 1.0 right now. I'll do another water change tomorrow.

 

[dralarms]

Cool. Mike did you right (as usual) that's one nice bristle star. feed him shrimp, algae wafers, fish food, fish crap , ETC.

 

[MT79]

If the star only has one leg left, don't get too attached to it. Being shipped "dry" it stands little chance of survival. You have ALOT of aiptasia nuking to do!! Best of luck.

 

[dralarms]

Being shipped "dry" it stands little chance of survival

I disagree, I have not lost the first one from ANY of my liverocks.com shipments, It should grow the legs back but you will have to target feed it for a while.

I would nuke the large aptasia's and get some pepermint shrimp to keep the smaller ones at bay. They will keep them gone or at least to a controllable level.

 

[MT79]

I have not lost the first one from ANY of my liverocks.com shipments

FWIW, If it did survive I would be very surprised. LR.com or not, a star out of water for a dozen+ hours that is also exposed to temp. fluctuations doesn't stand much of a shot IMO-even a serpent. Add ammonia and nitrite to the mix from the cycle the rock is causing= not good, as shown by the "shedding" of it's legs.

 

[dralarms]

If it did survive I would be very surprised

I've had some of mine for over a year and 1 came in nearly cut in half.

a star out of water for a dozen or so hours that is also exposed to temp. fluctuations doesn't stand much of a shot

Actually there is a small amount of water in the bottom of the bag, not much mind you but a little. In mine there was about a quart.

Add ammonia and nitrite to the mix from the cycle the rock is causing= not good.

True but I still have a green brittle star that just went through a nasty cycle where we moved the tank and stired up all kinds of stuff from the sand and it's healthy, kicking and eating everything in sight.

The guy's at liverocks.com are very careful when they place a star in an order of rocks, they place the rock where the star can useually find a place to hide and then place some water in the box as well. I have odered at least 4 or 5 times, out of that I have 7 to 10 bristle and serpant stars of which ALL survived.

 

[MT79]

7 to 10 bristle and serpant stars of which ALL survived.

Well I stand corrected! Don't try that w/ linckia stars. Serpent stars are very hardy, but the fact it shed it's legs says it is majorly stressed. Also, exposing them to cycles can't be GOOD in the long run.

 

[dralarms]

Yea they are pretty hardy, I'd never try that with a linka .

fact it shed it's legs says it is majorly stressed.

I'm not sure if that's a sign of stress or an injury. Either way keeping the water as stable as possible is very important to it's recovery.

exposing them to cycles can't be GOOD in the long run

Agreed but sometimes it can't be helped, I mean if it's the only tank you have you just can't leave it sitting out on the counter till the cycle finishes.

 

[MT79]

I'm not sure if that's a sign of stress or an injury

I've read stress. In this case I think that is the obvious cause.

Agreed but sometimes it can't be helped, I mean if it's the only tank you have you just can't leave it sitting out on the counter till the cycle finishes.

Well, in short, that is why I think it is more of an inconvenience than a bonus to receive one of these in LR that needs to be cured after shipping- But we are getting off track now

 

[ironmanxl1]

Well to answer your question..the starfish died..in many many pieces. There was some type of red crab that I didnt see until after the star was dead. I think the crab was killing the star and eating it piece by piece. I found the chewed up center near the hole where I found the crab. Unfortunately the death of the star left pieces all over my tank which caused the ammonia to skyrocket. I think the ammonia spike then killed the crab. So the crab got his in the end. After MANY water changes the tank is getting back to normal. Theres still plenty of life on the rock and now I hear clicking in the tank.. I think it's a pistol.

 

[dralarms]

I think the crab was killing the star and eating it piece by piece

Sorry about that, I think it would have survived if it hadn;t been for the crab.

 

[ironmanxl1]

yeah well. If it wasnt for the crab eating the star I wouldnt have even known the lil bugger was in there. And by the time I wouldve figured it out it might've eaten a fish. Ahh the circle of life. I think i'm gonna take my frustrations out by buying some crab legs tonight. Vengeance is mine!