Tampa Bay Saltwater... Anyone have experience with them?

[kylemagoo]

thanks!

[Origami]

Yes. They are a provider of Gulf aquacultured rock which they farm offshore under a license granted by the state of Florida. The rock is mined and dumped offshore and left there for a few years before it is harvested for resale. It is rather dense, oft times blocky, but always very well encrusted with purple coralline. It comes with a lot of life on it - a variety of macroalgae, including Caulerpa mexicana and many hitchhikers, good (red mithrax crabs and snails) and bad (including gorilla crabs, whelks and small mantis shrimp). The rock is shipped underwater and, consequently, cycles quickly (in about a week, if you follow Richards (TBS proprietor's) directions. It is shipped counter to counter - that is, airport to airport (for example, Dulles). Richard is pretty generous with "bonus" goodies - gorgonians, anemones, etc. - when he makes his shipment. However, much of this stuff does not last the first year with many of his customers because of the special care requirements that they are not yet prepared to provide.

 

I speak from experience having started out with TBS rock. What I have left over today from about $1400 (after shipping) spent to equip a 90 gallon tank are 180 pounds of rock, 90 pounds of sand (in a remote refugium as it's too coarse for my liking to use in a display), 1 cucumber, several snails, 1 serpent star, and a gorgonian.

 

In the end, it's a convenient, but pricey, start to the hobby. If I had to do it again, I'd probably pay $20 and join WAMAS as a full member (hint!), and wait and buy some rock from another member that's already cured, doesn't have to be shipped, and save myself a ton ($750 to $1000) of money that I'd put into getting better equipment and livestock into my system. Seriously.

[DJBoy98]

+1

 

You should just wait those 4 weeks for someone here sell their LR. There's always someone breaking down their system.

 

Check out www.reefcentral.com also. There are those in the Dc area that don't make it to Wamas but get on there.

[zygote2k]

I've bought nearly a ton of rock from TBS. I have always been satisfied. Their customer service is great too. When a batch of rock was more than 3 days late due to a tropical storm, they replaced it with another fresh batch. The rock is fully encrusted with life- you won't find better rock in the local area.

[kylemagoo]

thanks all for the feedback

[sen5241b]

They are the best.

[mogurnda]

I have bought several loads of it, and I love it. Some of the corals that hitchhiked in are now 7 years old, and there