TBS or not to TBS?
- Thread starter Mini4x
- Start date
RichConley
Attack of the Killer Cute
let me know before you order..I may wanna hop on that if its okay.
dedfish
That's Mr.Murphy to you!
I've read mixxed reviews and heard different viewpoints on the whole TBS deal. While no one doubts the life that is present in and on the rock that you recieve, some question whether it is a good idea to introduce so many unknown hitchhikers into your system. I haven't seen any TBS rock in person, but from the pictures I've seen I've like the fiji rock better.
delta
Impatient Reefer
I was very happy with the TBS package but IMO not the best for a full blown reef tank. although you get alot of critters (mostly good ones). it took six months to rid my tank of gorilla crabs and i was able to remove all of the six mantis shrimp i got before the rock hit my tank. but i do have a very cool pair of large pistol shrimp and couple hundred porcelin crabs and mini star.
i did eventually have to change out the sand bed being unable to ride myself of phosphates\nitrates due to the amount of detritus buildup in TBS sand. I changed the sand for southdown and problem solved
i would not go the TBS route again, IMO you can get up and running alot cheaper and with less hasles (if there is bad weather you wait whether or not you tank is ready) with dry rock, small amount of live rock, Southdown(or equivelent) with a cup of sand from a fellow reefer or LFS. IMO it will also yeild better results for a reef tank. Some of it has to do with manner in which TBS business is conducted and that my loyalty is to a few LFSs.
i did eventually have to change out the sand bed being unable to ride myself of phosphates\nitrates due to the amount of detritus buildup in TBS sand. I changed the sand for southdown and problem solved
i would not go the TBS route again, IMO you can get up and running alot cheaper and with less hasles (if there is bad weather you wait whether or not you tank is ready) with dry rock, small amount of live rock, Southdown(or equivelent) with a cup of sand from a fellow reefer or LFS. IMO it will also yeild better results for a reef tank. Some of it has to do with manner in which TBS business is conducted and that my loyalty is to a few LFSs.
smcnally
Tankless
If I were you, I'd do kind of what I did. I have a 75 gal tank, and I got their 30 gal package. Then I filled the rest of my tank with Fiji and base rock. The rock you get from them is absolutely beautiful. People still point at my TBS even though all the rock in my tank is purple now. I've had it in my tank since February, and it still has bright yellow, orange, blue, and white sponges on it. In moy opinion it is absolutely worth it to put some in your tank. As far as hitchers are concerned, they are usually only an issue when people get the larger packages. I didn't recieve one Mantis in my package, and only had 2 gorilla crabs.
OP
OP
Mini4x
Sea Box!
I think I also don't want to drop $1100 into sand and rock that quickly..
Anyone got a cup of sand?
I have about 30lb of live rock in my current 25g.. if I buy another 25lb of so of live rock that should get me going.
Won't have my stand until middle of the week, then i get to make 100g of water..
Anyone got a cup of sand?
I have about 30lb of live rock in my current 25g.. if I buy another 25lb of so of live rock that should get me going.
Won't have my stand until middle of the week, then i get to make 100g of water..
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etszoo
Thread Killer
FWIW. I went to see the TBS "store" this spring. The stuff they have is incredible.
The thing I liked best was they seem to turn things over really quick and they cater to
your order. Something about " I just grabbed this off the ocean floor for ya " makes me
feel all fuzzy inside.
The thing I liked best was they seem to turn things over really quick and they cater to
your order. Something about " I just grabbed this off the ocean floor for ya " makes me
feel all fuzzy inside.
RichConley
Attack of the Killer Cute
I'm still tempted to at some point order like 10 lbs of rock from them, just to see if I can get some extra fauna thats not currently in my tank.
~Flighty~
Now with more baby
I got gulf view for my first tank and the rock is nice with lots of life, but it is so dense and has some nasty hitchhikers. I would definately go with dry rock with any future tank I set up (specificly stuff like marc can get from fishy buisiness) and just get some rubble live rocl to sead the tank and to be used to mount frags in the future. You'll save a fortune and be much happier 12 months from now.
Jill & Brian
Reef Hiatus
you can also save a lot of money by using a bunch of dry rock and then getting a small TBS package or using live rock to seed it. If I ever start up a larger tank than the one I have, I will use mostly dry rock to set it up.
Once the corraline starts to spread, there is no difference. I have a bunch in my sump and fuge and a bit in my display. You could not pick out the pieces in the display if you tried.
Once the corraline starts to spread, there is no difference. I have a bunch in my sump and fuge and a bit in my display. You could not pick out the pieces in the display if you tried.
~Flighty~
Now with more baby
All of the gulf view and primium figi live rock is in my sump and fuge in favor of the dry rock now BTW. So much lighter and easier to aquascape, better holes for pods and frag wedging.
here is a random tank shot that shows the dry rock about a month after putting it in
here is a random tank shot that shows the dry rock about a month after putting it in
Attachments
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joefitz
Non-member
I started with a tbs package...I still remember those days fondly -- the life on the rock and in the sand was unreal. I didn't put anything in the tank for many months and I could still sit and stare at it for hours at a time finding new things all the time.
They do have mantis shrimp but I must say, most of the pieces I received were outstanding in terms of shape and whatnot. They may be more dense then other rock but mine weren't nearly as bad as many others have reported. I've had a ton of people comment on how great some of my rock is (shape-wise) and almost everything they point out is the stuff I received from TBS.
On the other hand...I'm still not sure I would do it again. My goal when I was getting into this hobby was to grow corals. The TBS rock had so much stuff on it that it has made it a bit challenging to decide where to put things because the rock was so covered in sponges and whatnot (that have not seemed to die in the years I've now had the rock). There are times when I would definitely have just prefered to have started with a few pieces of live rock and a bunch of 'dead rock'...
So, I'm not sure what you would consider this...I guess a glowing review with a not so positive recommendation?
BTW, I even received a fish hitchhiker in mine but I was too stupid to get the fish over to Becca before it perished (probably from starvation as I never saw it eat).
Good luck.
They do have mantis shrimp but I must say, most of the pieces I received were outstanding in terms of shape and whatnot. They may be more dense then other rock but mine weren't nearly as bad as many others have reported. I've had a ton of people comment on how great some of my rock is (shape-wise) and almost everything they point out is the stuff I received from TBS.
On the other hand...I'm still not sure I would do it again. My goal when I was getting into this hobby was to grow corals. The TBS rock had so much stuff on it that it has made it a bit challenging to decide where to put things because the rock was so covered in sponges and whatnot (that have not seemed to die in the years I've now had the rock). There are times when I would definitely have just prefered to have started with a few pieces of live rock and a bunch of 'dead rock'...
So, I'm not sure what you would consider this...I guess a glowing review with a not so positive recommendation?
BTW, I even received a fish hitchhiker in mine but I was too stupid to get the fish over to Becca before it perished (probably from starvation as I never saw it eat).
Good luck.
willray
Division Champs
I bought the 55 gal package.It is true that there is a shoot load of life on tit. Heck even with the base rock we were watching a lot of new life appear day and night.waited 2 months for 1st shipment and 7 weeks after I cycled for the "decorator" rock.Gorrilla crabs are easy enough to catch with a red light at night.My problem started when I added a little #5lbs high grade marine sand and bamm! nuked by cukes, ammonia bag + death = more ammonia and death,actually nuked 2 seperate times. a lot of beauty was lost.......
1 -No cukes! read way to many stories on RC after the fact.get rid of them
2- good hitch hickers way out number the bad
3-Mantis,Mantis,Mantis,Mantis,Mantis....12 and still counting
4-rare stuff that's only available on aquaculted rock
5-It may be dense but aren't we all. They send many more lbs than u order
6-beauty and more beauty.
7-not to $ even with air frieght
I would not do it (package)again because of the fights I've had with mantis.They are so frigin' smart.
I visited the store on vacation this year. That's the way to do it.bought 20 lbs choice stuff. It came on the plane as cargo.
Airfares are still cheap $49.go select exactly what you want.
1 -No cukes! read way to many stories on RC after the fact.get rid of them
2- good hitch hickers way out number the bad
3-Mantis,Mantis,Mantis,Mantis,Mantis....12 and still counting
4-rare stuff that's only available on aquaculted rock
5-It may be dense but aren't we all. They send many more lbs than u order
6-beauty and more beauty.
7-not to $ even with air frieght
I would not do it (package)again because of the fights I've had with mantis.They are so frigin' smart.
I visited the store on vacation this year. That's the way to do it.bought 20 lbs choice stuff. It came on the plane as cargo.
Airfares are still cheap $49.go select exactly what you want.
