Alternate sources of 'critters'

TheSnoek

TheSnoek

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Not including the addition of Live rock, how else can you grow your critter population in your tank? I have heard of Live Sand but have not heard of a good place to get in any ct.

The reason I ask is that I have a nano so limited Live rock in the tank and therefore assume, after cycle, die off etc..limited critter population. I have seen a marked drop in the number of pods in my tank.

Thanks,
the snoek.
 
create a DSB or refugium out of very fine sand (sugar fine)
 
I agree with mekaeel and also get some substrate from felow reefer's tanks to populate your DSB with "goggas"
 
Use NSW, there is always a span of little guys in there.
 
won't the critters from the cold capetown water die off? 10 degrees in summer to 25 in our tanks?
 
yea i agree with cybervic,
worried bout them lil' guys dying from the cold ot hot waters..not as lucky as your kzn guys..
in regard to the DSB refugium, how do you continually feed that population with new and diverse critters..

if you get NSW from 2 Oceans, is that with critters? - any1 from cpt.
 
I think the water from 2 Oceans is filtered so no critters.

*EDIT* I think it is filtered before they use it, not after so there may well be critters in it.

To continually "refresh" your critters put a new piece of live rock in every 6 months or so, or get a handful of sand from a fellow reeefer to add to your DSB.
 
The water from 2 Oceans as far as I know is taken from the shark tank, there has been some filtration before as you say but I am sure you will get some chaps getting through if the water is direct from the tank.. I must say, I am using NSW from 2 Oceans and my DSB has been sitting 2 months now.. I'm not seeing any movement just yet so possibly with 2 Oceans water, don't hold your breath..
 
thanks Muz, i had that suspicion. so would research water be better? is it ok to have live rock on your DSB? or do you have to expose as much clear surface area as possible?
 
If you have a "thin" DSB or fast water flow over your DSB I think it will be better to put LR on top, to slow down O2 rich water.... As for your question, I don't see a problem with LR over your DSB... more space for critters to breed and grow..
 
TheSnoek said:
thanks Muz, i had that suspicion. so would research water be better? is it ok to have live rock on your DSB? or do you have to expose as much clear surface area as possible?
Click to expand...

Well IMHO why have LR in your DSB, I don't really see the point in paying from R70 - R170 per kilo for LR that you are placing, what normally is, away from sight, you may as well just put the LR in your main display, the arguement against LR in a DSB is that the LR should not touch the sand so it should be raised up using pipe and eggcrate, the arguements for LR in a DSB is basically to have somewhere for the critters to live..

What I have done is compromised, the good stuff is in my main display, the crappy stuff is in my QT, and the stuff that nobody would take if I gave it to them will probably find a home in my refugium eventually, for now it is in my QT.

As far as I know research water goes through more filtration than 2 Oceans so I doubt it would be better from that point of view. The CT reef Club went on a behind the scenes tour of teh 2 Oceans and I must say, now that I have seen the filters they use I am happy to contiune using their water..

Cool

Muz
 
LOL.. big ones ! they have banks of biological and mechanical filters, hopefully one of the guys took a photo I can post, bugger I forgot my camera.

Muz
 
TheSnoek said:
Not including the addition of Live rock, how else can you grow your critter population in your tank? I have heard of Live Sand but have not heard of a good place to get in any ct.

The reason I ask is that I have a nano so limited Live rock in the tank and therefore assume, after cycle, die off etc..limited critter population. I have seen a marked drop in the number of pods in my tank.

Thanks,
the snoek.
Click to expand...
Best place is a refugium, with no predators[fish] with or with out a DSB, i have found the cheato creats a really nice lattice work where these goggas breed like crazy. The cheato also traps a certain amout of detris so there is always plenty for them to eat.
 
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