Tampa Bay Saltwater Live Rock Deal?

[advocate777]

Tampa Bay saltwater has a deal on live rock. I know it is expensive. Does anybody who has used them for live rock and live sand recommend them? Any input would be great. Their description of their live rock seems awesome....but are there any customers out there who can verify it before I order?
Thanks!:Cheers:

 

[FishyReef]

I haven't used them, but a few people around here have and speak very highly of them, including d2mini and Bifferwine - which would be good enough for me if I were ordering :)

 

[Amba]

TBS is bottom line the best you can get. If you can afford it, don't get anything else.

 

[Northstar24]

I'm with Fishy here - if Dennis and Sarah approve, its definitely legit

 

[Bifferwine]

I can verify. :) You will get more than you order, quality-wise and quantity-wise. TBS is the best quality live rock you can get. It comes with tons of hitch hikers -- sponges, corals, etc. There's always the risk that it will come with some bad hitch hikers, but that risk is worth it.

 

[Samhain]

And if you don't believe her customer testimonial, just look at Dennis (d2mini's) latest build thread. Or his 130g cube, for that matter. A pic is worth a thousand words, and his pics are AWESOME!

 

[Bifferwine]

Just keep in mind, you have to pick your boxes up at the airport. In order to keep the rock as fresh as possible, it's shipped in the cargo hold of passenger aircraft. You'll be putting the rock in your tank the same day it was harvested from the ocean (sustainably harvested, I should add. It's maricultured).

 

[advocate777]

I'm gonna go with them - it looks awesome-:bounce:
it says you should have the tank ready with ro:/di water at 75 degrees. For a 75 gallon tank - i have filled up the tank already 1/2 way. That way, when I put the live rock in it will not all overflow.
Do you think I need to build hidden platforms for the live rock or just aquascape it right on the sand?
should I just make sure the salinity is right but not worry about ph, alkalinity yet? Also, how do you heat water after you get it from your cold RO/DI like for water changes. My water is really chilly as I get it from my garage sink and it is getting cold now up here in Pennsylvania.

 

[Bifferwine]

Don't place the rock on the sand. The rock should be placed directly on the glass. If you place it on the sand, the sand will shift beneath it (from powerheads, snails, burrowing fish, etc.) and that can cause a rockslide.

Most people do not build any sort of platform. They just stack the rocks on top of each other.

Make sure the salinity and temperature are correct. Don't worry about the rest of it for now. People heat their water using a heater from the pet store.

 

[d2mini]

I'm gonna go with them - it looks awesome-:bounce:
it says you should have the tank ready with ro:/di water at 75 degrees. For a 75 gallon tank - i have filled up the tank already 1/2 way. That way, when I put the live rock in it will not all overflow.
Do you think I need to build hidden platforms for the live rock or just aquascape it right on the sand?
should I just make sure the salinity is right but not worry about ph, alkalinity yet? Also, how do you heat water after you get it from your cold RO/DI like for water changes. My water is really chilly as I get it from my garage sink and it is getting cold now up here in Pennsylvania.

Make sure you read his instructions:
Live Rock - Tampa Bay Saltwater Aquacultured Live Rock - The Package Setup

Follow that procedure and you will be golden!
As biff said, stick a heater in your ro/di container. And make sure you have plenty on hand per the setup instructions.

And tell Richard that Dennis from Houston sent ya! I had the priveledge of being invited to fly down there and go out on his boat and pulling my rock out of the water with him earlier this year. Got to see the whole process start to finish in person. It was a blast. :D