How to get microfauna?

Silverfish · May 31, 2019

Hello,
I used life rock to start my last build. Tank is coming along but doesn’t have the diversity as if I had used live rock.
I know various critters come with frags and colonies...assuming they survive dip.
How do you seed the tank with a diverse microfauna?
Most copepods and rotifers need plentiful algae. Will they breed in a tank once released?
Thanx

James M · May 31, 2019

They will breed better in a fuge where inhabitants can’t consume them

MTBake · May 31, 2019

I ordered some live rock from Gulfliverock.com

It worked out great and I would do it again. I was thinking of ordering some more in the next month or so.

Die off wasn't too bad. It was ammonia free in about 2 weeks of cycling in a 5 gallon bucket.

Peace River · May 31, 2019

Silverfish said:
Hello,
I used life rock to start my last build. Tank is coming along but doesn’t have the diversity as if I had used live rock.
I know various critters come with frags and colonies...assuming they survive dip.
How do you seed the tank with a diverse microfauna?
Most copepods and rotifers need plentiful algae. Will they breed in a tank once released?
Thanx

BRS has several microfauna additives. Good luck!

cracker · May 31, 2019

Are You near the coast by chance ? Iv'e been adding mud & sand from local estuaries . I bet a product like Miracle Mud would add to the micro fauna . Iv'e been trying to do the same thing to my tanks .A couple of pieces of live rock would help.

Flippers4pups · May 31, 2019

MTBake said:
I ordered some live rock from Gulfliverock.com

It worked out great and I would do it again. I was thinking of ordering some more in the next month or so.

Die off wasn't too bad. It was ammonia free in about 2 weeks of cycling in a 5 gallon bucket.

^this. The best way to add them.

Peace River · May 31, 2019

cracker said:
Are You near the coast by chance ? Iv'e been adding mud & sand from local estuaries . I bet a product like Miracle Mud would add to the micro fauna . Iv'e been trying to do the same thing to my tanks .A couple of pieces of live rock wold help.

I have the opportunity to add mud and sand from the coast but I am always concerned that is a poor risk management decision. I think this aligns with the thread so hopefully I am not hijacking by asking the question - what are the pros and cons of adding mud and sand from an estuary? Am I overthinking the potential risks?

Flippers4pups · May 31, 2019

Peace River said:
I have the opportunity to add mud and sand from the coast but I am always concerned that is a poor risk management decision. I think this aligns with the thread so hopefully I am not hijacking by asking the question - what are the pros and cons of adding mud and sand from an estuary? Am I overthinking the potential risks?

The best solution would be to purchase live rock from a supplier that takes it from the ocean. Mud and sand from the coast would be risky.

Peace River · May 31, 2019

Flippers4pups said:
The best solution would be to purchase live rock from a supplier that takes it from the ocean. Mud and sand from the coast would be risky.

Thank you for the feedback! I recently thought about this for a tank that I am setting up...then I thought about just adding a little to seed the rest...then I thought about getting the sand, rinsing it, and letting it dry thoroughly and getting the microfauna from somewhere else...still not 100% sure.

ZipAdeeZoa · May 31, 2019

I seeded my tank with some small pieces of live rock rubble from my bosses FOWLR system and got a decent diversity of little pods, critters and algae, might be something to consider!

Silverfish · May 31, 2019

Peace River said:
BRS has several microfauna additives. Good luck!

Used to camp at Peace River. Me n my kids loved to screen for shark teeth n fossils.
Thanx

Peace River · May 31, 2019

Silverfish said:
Used to camp at Peace River. Me n my kids loved to screen for shark teeth n fossils.
Thanx

You're welcome! Been there, done that, got the t-shirt (no, I really did get the t-shirt!) - most of the time I'm there with a dip net for fish but also have a screen and shovel for fossils (you always know which shovel is for fossils in the river because it is the one with the pool noodle wrapped around the handle!). ;Happy

Silverfish · May 31, 2019

Thanks for the feed back all.
I would be afraid to use live rock to seed tank. I like some critters but definitely not all. I hv used Florida live rock in the past and there is no telling what you can get.