"The package"

[nemo66]

Does any one of you have any feedback about "The package" that is sold in Tampa bay Salt Water.

I hope that this is not against the rules but base on what I read, it seems like this is a good way to go as far as bulding a new reef system.

I am going to set up a 120 gls reef tank and I really want to do it right since I had a lot of issues with the way I set up my existing 55 gls tank which I set up with out doing any research and when my fish got ich I added medication that had copper in it. I am still mad at the hourly employee that told me this medication waqs good for eliminating ich but neglected to tell me that it will prevent me for ever having invertevrates in my tank.

Thanks.

Luis.

[Randall_James]

TBS gets lots of raves and a few rants for some of the hitchikers (mantis etc) I personally would love to do a tank with their stuff and I think my next tank will be a TBS setup. I do not mind the headaches as long as I do not have fish in the mix

[JRistau81]

Don't have it myself, but it looks good. Also I think TBS has the best live rock from what I have read on the boards, which is definitely a plus. By best I mean teaming with life of all kinds.

[bertoni]

I think TBS is interesting live rock, too, although I think the cleaner packages are way over-sized. Can you provide a link to the product you're considering?

[Spilo26]

I looked over their site and id go for it live rocks looks really nice for the price.

[Randall_James]

They do have a pretty detailed set of instructions for curing their rock btw. I would read that and make sure you can keep up. They are very big on keeping the ammonia levels down and so you are going to need a good supply of water handy.

[jmait769]

Luis,

I just received both parts one and two this month and I cannot say enough about TBS.:)

If you look at the price of live rock in my area @ $6.00 a pound and see what I got from TBS there is no comparison.

I ordered the 25 gallon “package” which was 58 lbs of rock. 58 X $6 lbs = $348. Then you get 25 lbs of sand, some coral and a box full of critters. I had to pay about $90 in shipping from Tampa to El Paso, TX. The rock arrives completely covered in salt water the same day you order it. Richard was very professional and I believe has put together basically an “instant” reef.

My tank was already set-up with 20lbs of “dead” rock and three pieces of “cured” rock at 15lbs from the LFS. I then allowed the tank to cycle and practice taking care of the tank for a month. After I received the rock from TBS I placed the rock in a Tupperware container the evening I got each package for 12 hours. With the TBS rock I did one water change and all parameters returned to zero within 24 hours.

Yes you will get some hitchhikers you do not want. I had two mantis shrimp which I removed with soda water. I’m actually shipping those to a fellow reefer in Chicago today.
Take a look at my gallery for some pictures and there is a lot of info on TBS in the “Our TBS” thread.

Hope this helps,

Jay

[ENGINEERgoby]

I got the 1st half of my package ~2 years ago and the 2nd half about 1.5 yrs ago (in between we moved so that delayed things). 2 years later I'm still happy. The rock is still very colorful and full of coralline, plus the little cup corals. Some oysters and clams are even still alive. Most of my critters from the package are still alive. TBS live rock is definitely the best, but the most important thing to me was how much life it adds to your tank. My tank has always been full of pods and little shrimp plus various invert hitch-hikers. Most of our hitch-hikers were benign (pink urchin, pistols, porcelain crabs) but we did get 1 mantis with each shipment. I didn't kill the gorilla crabs and there are even some of those guys left. At this point all the porcelain crabs have died though.

Only go TBS if you are willing to do a lot of water changes for both shipments. My 2nd shipment was delayed and there was considerable die-off, which created a lot of ammonia and a horrific smell. I assumed the second shipment would have a minimal cycle but it was definitely not the case.

[ENGINEERgoby]

My additional advice to you though is that if you are interested in TBS you need to act fast unless you are OK with waiting months on end. Hurricane season is now upon us and that was another factor in delaying my 2nd shipment. I just talked to my mom in Miami and there is already a tropical depression out there.

[bamsickle]

Check out their sponsor forum. Lots of info there.

B

Here's the link for the "Our TBS" thread.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=788556

[Iphis]

I have TBS in several of my tanks. One has been set up for years now.

I have received both gulf and keys rock, I think it was called, from the atlantic side. Amazing stuff from both shipments. I got plenty of life on both of them and I still have a lot of the life.

Both shipments I got a mantis shrimp, I didn't mind it too much. I left them in the tank. They destroyed the hermit crabs, who I hated even more then the mantis. :) (I seethe with hatred at the infernal creature that is the hermit crab, hee!)

On my oldest tank, I still have many sponges, clams and turkey wings alive, as well as several urchins and a serpent star.

In my newest tank (About a year old now), it still has some wonderful life on it. The hidden cup corals, anenomes, some absolutely beautiful starfish. The mantis shrimp unfortunately met with my triggerfish in my new tank. I thought he would be smarter then to try and mess with the triggerfish, it was an interesting fight to watch that lasted all of two seconds. Triggerfish is alive and very healthy. :)

There are also two hermit crabs that I got from the atlantic side that are occupying some very large turbo snail shells. These things are huge.

Anyway... the main thing about TBS is putting the stuff in your tank and then sitting down in front of it and watching the plethora of live that teems out of the thousands of orifices on each rock. Make sure you have several identification books handy. :)

Iphis

[Red_Six]

I pondered getting TBS rock just like you. The main thing holding me back was the cost. I wanted to make sure I was getting a good deal, and at the same time I like to have the best. As jmait769 points out the price is actually quite reasonable considering everything you get in the package. I just received part one last week. You can seen photos here (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=842093). I could not be more happy with my purchase. Every rock in my tank is covered in life. I can spend hours each day just looking in my tank. I live in Washington and it is amazing that I have a part of the Gulf in my home. Richard was able to get my Part One to me looking like it was just pluck from the ocean minutes before placing it into my tank. Ammonia levels have not gone above .2 mg/l this first week. I have had very little die off. Actually more has grown than when it first arrived.
As for the mantis I have two, and I will eventually remove them. For now they are quite entertaining to watch; it is a shame they have to go. I guarantee TBS will give you the most fun you will ever have with a box of rocks.:strooper:

[liverock]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7538352#post7538352 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ENGINEERgoby
My additional advice to you though is that if you are interested in TBS you need to act fast unless you are OK with waiting months on end. Hurricane season is now upon us and that was another factor in delaying my 2nd shipment. I just talked to my mom in Miami and there is already a tropical depression out there.

Yup

Only 11 days into the hurricane season and we have this

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/goes/flt/t1/loop-avn.html

the good news is it is not supposed to grow into a hurricane, and we have not had any rain in four months, we are pretty parched down here, so this MAY be a good thing.....I just do not like the direction it is moving, as the Gulf is very warm this year off of Texas, and acts as a magnet for storms...

TBS