New tank and TBS live rock experience

[Murftoo]

I started a new 90G tank with 100lb of Tampa Bay Saltwater liverock from Florida and wanted to share some photos and also see if anyone knew what kind of hitchhiker algae and coral is on it. 

First of all, the rock is amazing and I would highly recommend starting a tank this way despite the pests. The diversity of life is amazing. 100s of baby brittlestars, some beautiful sponges, tunicates, bivavles, some stony coral, spaghetti worms, etc. The tank was also insta cycled and never had any detectable ammonia or nitrites. I added coral and fish within a week after seeing solid nitrate conversion and they are all flourishing. Tank is just under 3 weeks old now. 

On the downside, I have some  patches of Bryopsis that I'm surgically removing.

Does anyone knows what the small red filmentous stuff in pic 1 and 2 is? Or the coral that came in on the LR in pic 3? There are several of them and they are starting to take off now. 

Thanks! 

 

 

 

[jestep]

The live live rock has always amazed me. Stuff is always interesting without even adding anything to it. I think I remember seeing a thread where someone had an octopus hitchhiker with some even.

[Timfish]

Cool stuff!  In the first two picture it looks like you've got several species of red algae and I wouldn't be surprised if some is Halimenia sp. macros (aka "Dragon's Tongue") like the one in hte last photo.  Tangs, rabbitfish and angels will love it so if you want to save it your fish selection will be limited.   Some of the red threads might be the a red turf algae like Gelidiopsis or Ceramium  or Polysiphomia species but might be the beginning of Asparagopsis or cotton candy algae which can be annoying so be ready to sstart siphoning it off if so.  From the looks of the Oculina robusta in the 3rd pic and your other corals your system is ready for more corals.