Recap: LiveRock addition

[dansemacabre]

OK, I just want to make sure I've got right. I'll be getting 30ish lbs. of LR from liverocks.com for my 120. It will be the cycling material. So, when it arrives, I should have made (that morning) a bucket of 1.025SG carbonated water, and a bucket of RO/DI 1.025SG water (probably some tank water). Now, when I get the LR, I should dunk each rock in the Carbonated water for (5 minutes?) a bit, and then move it to the tank water bucket for another minute or so, and then add it to the tank.

What are the main things I should look for to remove? Bristleworms over 4" in length? Mantis/ and pistol shrimp...(No, I don't want the pistols), and what else? What precautions should I use when removing/handling mantis. Where should I put them, and how should I get rid of nasties I don't want? An ethical being the preferred method. It's like 15°F here, so if letting the buggers outside would put them to sleep and then allow them to die w/ the least amount of pain, that'd be good.

I'm assuming I then take what I want, and toss them into my tank. I did read that they will be fine in the carbonated water, and I have a digital, so be looking for me to ask about critters if I don't know to keep or remove

Any other input on keepers or removers that would save me time later? I don't want anything that could harm corals/clams or my inverts. As I plan to keep these in the future.

Thanks for any/all input, advice, and ideas! =] I'll put up pics of the tank when it's setup!

 

[dansemacabre]

Anyone? I want to make sure I do this right...

 

[steve-s]

So far the plan sounds fine but you can easily take the unwanted critters to the LFS. Most will be able to sell them and you should get a bit of store credit. I wouldn't worry too much about the worms, they will most likely not come out anyway. Be on the look out for crabs as well. They can be just as damaging as the other crustaceans. Basically any mobile invert you cannot identify right off should be treated as suspect until properly ID'd.

Might want to have a few small tuperware bowls or other plastic containers handy. If you get too many, housing them in close quarters could cause fighting and you may loose some that might otherwise make good additions.

I would suggest wearing a pair of thick pair of rubber gloves and having something handy to pick up/scoop up the mantis or pistols. Something non metal that will leave them undamaged.

Cheers
Steve

 

[William]

Plastic Salad tongs would be good for picking them up without hurting.


Something like the pic.