Adding diversity of beneficial bacteria ??

[cracker]

I'm interested in adding the biggest variety of benny bacteria to my tanks.
I feel it's a good thing to have this for a smooth running aquarium. I understand each type has it's own little nook in the cycle of life. For instance For those who have deeper sand beds Over time the grains will settle out in layers so to speak. Down at the very bottom all the fine grains rest. Then a little bigger & so forth. Now certain grain size is preferred by a particular bacteria . One has to assume this goes with every other surface & deeper to be the same in every thing in our tank. It's all about having as many differing types as possible.
What's Your take on this idea & how would You do this?
Get a little sand from a friend's tank.
Miracle Mud
Collecting your own or buying on line for those who aren't near an ocean.
Whatcha think?

 

[Ghost25]

I think the fastest way would be to get rock or sand from a healthy well established tank and add it to your own. That said many established tanks have pests like bubble algae, bryopsis, aiptasia or potentially worse so there is an inherent risk. For most people if you start with dry rock you accumulate those bacteria via frags, it just takes a while. Starting with aquacultured live rock would probably be the fastest method but it can be quite expensive. I also used about 1/2 natural seawater when I started my tank with the idea of introducing beneficial bacteria and microorganisms.

 

[siggy]

I vacuum my sub-straight and pull some nasty stuff out. I started my tank with live rock from tree different sources (LIVING) and used 3 different brands of bottle bac.

EDIT have Paul B grab you some of NYC finest.

 

[WVNed]

What I have done is take the bad with the good. I add the water in the bag to my tank. So I have the bacteria from 3 LFS, 2 local Petcos, Algal Barn and both LA facilities in my tank. Plus what I brought forward from my old system.

I also used several biologic cultures. Dr Tims, Pristine, Microbe lift and Vibrant.

Let the strongest survive.

 

[ajhudson15]

I was also interested in doing so with the hopes of getting some of my algae out of the tank.

 

[cracker]

Using natural sea water is a great idea. However this environment has it's specific bacteria . A great source for that type
As For that Paul B ,New York mud? Homfff ! I can got "real " mud right here in Florida !
No Yankee mud in my tanks !

 

[Instigate]

I started with dry rock and am also wanting to add more bio-diversity. Not just bacteria but I want brittle stars, amphipods, sponges, macro algae etc. I'm planning on purchasing some LR like this:
http://www.gulfliverock.com/premium-decorative-rock.html

10 lbs to seed the tank for $65 shipped. Seems like the cheapest way to add a huge amount of bio-diversity.

 

[cracker]

Oh Ya ,all the good critters!

 

[WVNed]

Buy a Marine Pure block. Put it in the ocean for 3 months. Bring it home in water.

 

[cracker]

good idea !

 

[siggy]

No Yankee mud in my tanks !

Excuse me Sir! I am Potty trained... I was going to suggest MP, in fact I may have to remove it from my system I am now feeding nitrates because of low N 0-2

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Using natural sea water is a great idea. However this environment has it's specific bacteria . A great source for that type
As For that Paul B ,New York mud? Homfff ! I can got "real " mud right here in Florida !
No Yankee mud in my tanks !

Yea, no Yankee mud

 

[siggy]

Yea, no Yankee mud

@Jomama

 

[mta_morrow]

Good thread. I live a few miles from HHI.

I am planning on going to the island soon to get a container of ocean sand and water and bring back to put in my sump.

Or

A container of tide pool mud.

Which would you do and why?

Help me decide, and I don’t have room for both unfortunately.

 

[RobertN]

I've used Prodibio's biodigest and I think it helps a great deal.

 

[starypotter]

Good thread. I live a few miles from HHI.

I am planning on going to the island soon to get a container of ocean sand and water and bring back to put in my sump.

Or

A container of tide pool mud.

Which would you do and why?

Help me decide, and I don’t have room for both unfortunately.

I was under the impression that cycled 'water' really didn't do much for a tank as a lot of the bacteria is on surfaces and whatnot. I might be off about something, but it makes me think that you'd be a lot better off with getting 'stuff' rather than water. I brought back some seaweed (Ulva I think) from the ocean (Atlantic Ocean, NJ coast) and immidiately noticed pods all over my glass! Freaked me out because I had never seen them in my tank before, but I'd definatly try to get surfaces, maybe clumps of seaweed where things might be hiding, each time I bring back seaweed it seems like 'stuff' appears, good or bad I can't really say. Plus my CUC LOVES it. I don't know much about mud yet so no take on that, maybe someone else could help. Personally since I'm doing a DSB I think I'd try to dig down in the sand and get some of that, I plan on doing that one weekend when I get my new tank set up.

 

[Sal Amadeo]

Guy's, i'm hoping someone can help me, I have a 180 tank high nitrates and now getting hair algae, what should i do ??

 

[Sonja Kashersky]

I heard about fritz 9 and it has really help my nitrates drop and I only used half of the recommended dose. I think I will be adding regular. Maybe every month or every other, have to see how my tank responds