Adding biodiversity

[rtague]

So my new tank which was set up with dry rock and dry sand has been running for 3 months with 5 small fish,so far so good,was wondering if I could add something like Dr Tims or one of the brightwell products for a little biodiversity,I read somewhere here that adding some ocean mid would help,any ideas?.

 

[rtague]

Ocean mud from a local beach

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

You are trying to add or fuel micro fauna or you are wanting more small critters? I like LR or overtime you will get the diversity.
D

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Small portions of coral foods might feed some of what you might be looking for.
D

 

[Crabby48]

I recommend looking at ipsf.com. Check out wonder mud and sand activator. Pricey because of shipping
Many of great critters also

 

[Hermie]

ipsf has good stuff imo, or you can buy live rock to add

 

[FishyFishFish]

I have looked at that website a few times and it is one of the most confusing I have seen.

The different prices for the same item depending on what combination of other items you purchase doesn't make things easy and, unless I am missing something, I can't see what the shipping cost is unless you are ordering a pack that includes free shipping.

 

[Hermie]

I have looked at that website a few times and it is one of the most confusing I have seen.

The different prices for the same item depending on what combination of other items you purchase doesn't make things easy and, unless I am missing something, I can't see what the shipping cost is unless you are ordering a pack that includes free shipping.

basically get the 100 dollar pack

 

[PSU4ME]

Yeah just close your eyes and hit submit. Gerald has good stuff

 

[nmo0ory]

i think you might use brightwell microbacter 7

 

[FishyFishFish]

But there aren't 9 different things in the IPSF $100 pack that I want in my tank (there might be about 2)!

I'm mainly interested in the Mini Stars, if I could work out how much they would cost I might place an order with them. I could email but I suspect it would be prohibitively expensive to ship just 6 starfish. These are shown as $19.99 as part of the Super Special, $24.95 with livestock or $34.95 alone but no mention of what 'livestock' purchase would qualify you for the lower price and how much shipping is.

It's just too confusing for my little brain!!

 

[cloak]

I wouldn't worry about it. That microfauna will come in time.
Unless "everything" you add to your tank from now on has been put through a hefty QT procedure, life will find a way.

 

[Double monti 61]

Hi I have purchased mini stars, snails, and bristle worms from IPSF and have a healthy population of mini stars, hermit crabs but only one of the snails survived but it has lived for about two years so far i also have small white snails and a healthy population of limpets and hair worms that I believe they call mamma mia worms that I never sent for in my orders that have appeared over time in my tank.They may send you a free soft or LPS coral frag as a free gift here’s a photo of my blastomussa merleti that they sent with my last order and it is doing well.

 

[rtague]

I recommend looking at ipsf.com. Check out wonder mud and sand activator. Pricey because of shipping
Many of great critters also

Thanks,will check them out

 

[Hermie]

live-plants.com also has sponges and stuff wild collected from florida that can increase your biodiversity certainly

 

[ScottR]

I wouldn’t add bottled bacteria as those are technically “biodiversity”.

 

[salty joe]

Maybe get a hanful of gunk from the bottom of a well established system at a fish store or fellow reefer.

 

[LegendaryCG]

Well bacterial products do add some diversity but it’s invisible. Sponges, fan worms, bivalves, add diversity you can see. I like them all

 

[Laith]

Find some live rock... or dry rock that has been in a thriving reef tank for at least several years. Can't get better biodiversity than that...

 

[Lady of Babylon]

Hi I have purchased mini stars, snails, and bristle worms from IPSF and have a healthy population of mini stars, hermit crabs but only one of the snails survived but it has lived for about two years so far i also have small white snails and a healthy population of limpets and hair worms that I believe they call mamma mia worms that I never sent for in my orders that have appeared over time in my tank.They may send you a free soft or LPS coral frag as a free gift here’s a photo of my blastomussa merleti that they sent with my last order and it is doing well.

What kinds of hermit crabs did they send you? The website doesn’t have any pictures and doesn’t list what kind of hermit crabs (i.e. Calcinus seurati, Calcinus laevimanus,
Pylopaguropsis keijii, Sympagurus dofleini... etc)