How to create a sustainable food source?

Reefs anonymous · May 8, 2018

I was thinking you could possibly get a few shrimps and drop them in the fuge. My thought is they would mate and lay eggs eventually hatching and get drawn up into the display tank as fish food. The fry would be safe in the fuge.

saltyfilmfolks · May 9, 2018

Mysis shrimp will also reproduce well in our tanks

cracker · May 9, 2018

So I just read an article from Ronald Shimek. He stated Pods eat the algae & decaying parts. I saw this write up in the Detritus thread here.
So, why the phyto? I guess for fast reproduction in a dedicated tank.
So again if one had a good size refugium with some sand & LR with any type of macro. Maybe add some algae flake like Salty says & add some store bought pods every so often, they could have a real good population of these critters. How practical with every fish in your tank eating them as well ? Paul B's method of feeders for the obligate pod eaters like the mandy's & pipefishes sounds best which leads to even more work !

Kershaw · May 9, 2018

saltyfilmfolks said:
Mysis shrimp will also reproduce well in our tanks

Is there any special way to keep them alive or just throw a bunch in the fuge?

Kershaw · May 9, 2018

I don’t want to start a sock vs no sock argument. But dose anyone know if running no socks would help the fuge? And feed all the critters in it.

Reefs anonymous · May 9, 2018

Kershaw said:
Is there any special way to keep them alive or just throw a bunch in the fuge?

I would throw a few in fuge, dose iodine every so often. If you feed the tank I’m sure the shrimp will find food in the fuge. It’s a relative cheap thing to try. Why not try?

revhtree · May 9, 2018

Nice discussion!

chris85 · May 9, 2018

Algae turf scrubber!!

chris85 · May 9, 2018

Kershaw said:
I don’t want to start a sock vs no sock argument. But dose anyone know if running no socks would help the fuge? And feed all the critters in it.

I will bite... All you have to do is look in the socks and see the bugs in them. I mean smaller pods will go through but the adults get stuck. So I am going to say no socks will defiantly help if you have the right conditions to replace what the filter socks were taking out.

saltyfilmfolks · May 9, 2018

Kershaw said:
Is there any special way to keep them alive or just throw a bunch in the fuge?

Like all bugs , they bloom and fade. It’s bit tricky. I had major Mysis populations for a year or so, then copepods , isopods in majority. All the while still maintaining some of each.

Pretty interesting cycles.

I’d kinda say no Socks promotes detritus (huge debate there) but bugs need foods soo... (as do my filter feeders ) I have a lot of bivalves.

Just took this or another thread. Almost three years. My 7 year old 8 in mussel passes away earlier this year.

Kershaw · May 9, 2018

Yes I used to find pods in my socks. But this last tank with 3 wrasses I never see pods in the socks. And I have botton. Bottles of cop pods and amph pods. Periodically

chris85 · May 9, 2018

Have you tried a turf scrubber?

If you have a empty hidden spot you can put crushed rock about quarter to a half in. In size and make a rock pile so the bugs can have a place to hide. You can also make a pod hotel out of corrugated plastic signs and put them in the fuge and when you a ready just take it out and rinse in the display.

I will try and post a picture later when I get off.

Kershaw · May 9, 2018

chris85 said:
Have you tried a turf scrubber?

No I may try one in my new system. Do those house critters?

chris85 · May 9, 2018

Kershaw said:
No I may try one in my new system. Do those house critters?

Yes they do!! The pods will eat the algae and breed inside of it. I made my own just for this purpose or really to feed the larvae that make it to the fuge.

Kershaw · May 9, 2018

chris85 said:
Yes they do!! The pods will eat the algae and breed inside of it. I made my own just for this purpose or really to feed the larvae that make it to the fuge.

So you run A fuge and a scrubber?