Gulf-View Rock

[oceanhighz]

well, I've read repeatedly about how happy people are with their rock they get from gulf view, and I have a few questions that I can't seem to find the answers to with the search button. First question is when you recieved it, did it need to be cycled, or, did you cycle it, and if you did need to, for how long did you cycle it? My next question is what kind of goodies did you get on it, that is, if you got any(inverts, coral, macro?). I was looking at their coraline rock, I am guessing that is what people order. Any info people have, I would appreciate, I am looking to get some for my 20 high, but I'm not sure as to how I would cure it if I did get it. I guess if I decide to get it and need to cure it, I could set up a curing vat. TYIA

 

Brandon

[SteveC]

There's a little bit of die-off so you do need to cycle it. Mine took less than two weeks until ammonia/nitrites/nitrates were all zero. It was a really gentle cycle, though. Ammonia never got above 1 ppm, and was more like 0.5 ppm most of the time.

 

I got an order of half coraline rock and half deco rock. The deco rock comes with the most life, and the coraline rock is good for stacking the deco rock on (and it also comes with a ton of life).

 

I've had it for a month now and so far I've seen: cup corals, star corals, porites (I think), octocoals of some kind (these just came out about about two weeks ago... they pulse kind of like xenia!), gorgonians (the non-photosynthetic kind--they keep dying and coming back), tunicates, keyhole limpets (removed--were eating the tunicates!), bristleworms, other worms, little snails (nassarius, I think), some other weird kind of snail I can't ID, brittle stars (at least, I see their arms waving at me out of holes in the rock), 3 of the kind of cucumbers that live in the rock and filter-feed with tentacles, 3 turkey wings, some other sessile shelled thing, uncountable feather dusters (including one nice big one and a few medium ones that are very pretty), sponges (including a nice encrusting orange one), two rock-burrowing crabs I'll probably have to remove, a christmas tree worm, various pods, several kinds of macroalgae and calcareous algae in addition to the coraline. I think I may also have some kind of torch coral but I'm not sure. Oh, and only 3 aiptaisia so far (knock wood). Plus a couple of weird things I don't even know how to describe. And I think I may have spotted a ricordea polyp!

 

If your rock is for a new tank, just dump it in. If not, then I guess it depends on how hardy everything else is in there. Your existing rock may even be able to handle the increased ammonia output just fine.

 

Steve

[oceanhighz]

yeah, it's possible that my rock I have could handle it, and I am not putting it all in my 20, some will go into my 10 that I am redoing. I also have a protein skimmer(prizm) and a HOB aquaclear 200, so, I might be able to do it with no problems. I know it's late so I guess I'll check again for people's replies in the morning. Thanks Steve

[SteveC]

One thing I forgot to mention is that most of those critters didn't show up until after the rock had cycled. Everything hides until then. I was a little disappointed after my rock had been in the tank a week and not a whole lot had crawled out of it, but once that cycle was done everything decided to party. I'm sure there are still a few things I've yet to see (hopefully nothing nasty!).

 

I'm definitely a satisfied Gulf-View customer.

[Physh1]

I got 80 lbs on their stuff and it was the really good rock. The rock did need a little cycle time....mine took around a week or so. There was tons of macro algae and mussels on it. Most of the critters started popping up after around 2 weeks or so. The life population was pretty incredible.

 

Covered in Coraline too....pink, green, and pruple. None of it dissapeared at all and it's growing now.

 

It was very well worth it. Great rock:D

 

Cameron