So with the tank fully operational I decided it was about damn time for some rocks! The thing is my budget for this tank was low, so I was hunting for some deals and place to cut some cost. It dawned on me that I should perhaps take a look at craigslist to see if anyone was getting rid of some rock, and maybe take it off their hands. After scanning through hundreds of "
Now for those who don't know much on the whole salt water game, live rock is EXPENSIVE. When I first started, most of the rock went for 10 bucks a pound, if not higher like 15 bucks for really nice, interesting pieces. At best, you could get some regular rock for 5 bucks a pound, but most places rarely carried simple 'base rock' around. So doing the math it would work out to be about 2.50 a pound on these rocks! I was not planning on letting this go.
So after some talk with the person selling it we agreed to meet and I'd take the rock off his hands. I showed up to his apartment and was slightly....astonished by what I saw. His set up included a very basic, in system water filter with a lot of stony coral being light by what appear to be a normal fresh water light. The coral inside were dying, most already there. A few pieces looked ok, but not to the splendor that they should be. The man offered the pieces to me for free...in which I reluctantly agreed to.
"Maybe I can get them to a place where they'll live..." I thought...not entirely sure why I was taking them. "No way I'm going to be able to keep them alive...my system is WAY too new..." Honestly, thinking back, I should of told him no, but these ARE living animals...I could not let them stay there. The wife and I quickly rushed them home and we loaded the rocks into the tank and I sat there thinking what to do with all the coral that laid in the containers we shipped them in. "Maybe I should leave them..." crossed my mind several times...but I couldn't do something as horrible as that. Reluctantly, I added them to the tank. Put them in areas where the reef leds would get them well in good and pushed it out of my mind.
In the morning I called a few local fish shops in town and offered them the pieces. I told them the condition, in which most turned them down immediately. I dont blame them. Why attempt pieces that could be diseased and / or dying. Whatever it was, no one would have them. So I guess they are staying with me then...going to ride the rollercoaster of a new tank. Many may not make it but I'll do my damnest to keep them alive.
When I got home today many of the corals were blooming. Several polyp colonies look to be in full bloom, and one of the pieces of what looks like stag helm coral seems...decent. Some of the others look dismal...if not already dead. Time will tell though... All the images in this post are from the tank and the different rock and coral pieces. I'll update with anything I get!
Next post some time tomorrow will be about my favorite additive I found at MACNA that in my opinion does wonders!
