Introducing copopods for biodiversity in a base rock only tank.

[T-J]

Check out garf.org. I purchased their bag of bugs and was very happy. A lot of mini brittle stars, worms and pods. Cheap too compared to Hawaii!

I'm ordering some Garf Grunge. I've been in the hobby 25+ years and this is the first time I'm going to try the famous grunge.

 

[Sump Crab]

I've placed uncured live rock in established tanks for literally decades. I've never had a pest that got out of control. I've got pistol and mantis shrimp. All kinds of crabs. Stomatella. Sponges. Tigertail cucumber. Spaghetti worms. All busy cleaning up. All free. Ohhh. Bristle worms.

Same. The pest problems in this hobby are blown so far out of proportion its hilarious. The only thing I ever had a problem with was two fireworms who I did catch trying to eat a mushroom coral. Simply pulled them out and flushed them. Both corals made it. Thats been my only problem in like 16 years lol. I have liverock from the pacific, gulf, and keys plus whatever local stuff I've come across from locals or LFS.

Someone said AEFW don't have a predator? I'd just about guarantee that a melanarus wrasse would eat those suckered. They love red planaria.

 

[Sump Crab]

I'll stand by my previous statement that these tanks that we see taken over by pests or algae or whatever are ironically enough lacking diversity thus allowing one annoying and enterprising organism to take over.

Rant over. I'm out. This dudes thread has already been derailed. Sorry for my part of that.

 

[Duncan62]

I'll stand by my previous statement that these tanks that we see taken over by pests or algae or whatever are ironically enough lacking diversity thus allowing one annoying and enterprising organism to take over.

Rant over. I'm out. This dudes thread has already been derailed. Sorry for my part of that.

Worthwhile rant. Lol

 

[gbroadbridge]

I'll deal with it when it becomes an issue down the road. Hopefully well down the road lol.

Took about 2-3 months in a new dry rock tank for me.

Aiptasia came in on something. I enjoy the weekly aiptasia hunt.

 

[SlugSnorter]

I am 10 days into a fishless cycle with only base rock and I am concerned that the tank will not have enough biodiversity without any live rock present. Does it make sense for me to introduce a population of copepods before I add fish so they have a chance establish in the tank? Also is there anything else I should add to the tank other than copepods and bottle bacteria (microbacter7) in order to improve the biodiversity?

P.S. I now I misspelled copepods in the title lol. Dunno how to fix it.

once cycled, yeah, just feed some phyto for a while