IPSF mix n' match

[tgrab]

I'm looking at buying a mix n' match from IPSF as part of setting up my new tank. I get 9 picks from the following listed. The ones I bolded are the ones I'm planning on getting already.

-CORAL HEAVEN Complete Coral Polyp Food
-6 Baby Bristle Worms (captive-bred)
-Tang Heaven Red
-Tang Heaven Yellow
-Tang Heaven Green (Ulva sp.)
-Tang Heaven Nori
-WonderMud
-Liquid N-Reducer
-Anthelia Polyps
-6 Nerite Grazers
-6 Littorinid Grazers
-6 MicroHermits
-Hippopus Shell Pair (tank ornament)
-Reef Amphipods (25 specimens)
-'Pod Flakes
-'Pod Mat
-Sea Grapes (Caulerpa lentillifera)
-Live Sand Activator (includes live sand, 6 Grazing snails, 6 MicroHermits and tiny worms)

Any input would be helpful. Thanks in advance!

 

[areefer01]

IPSF is a great place and a hidden gem in our hobby. So great choice.

1. Why are you picking up the macro algae?

It is a great source of natural food for tangs once you have a system that can sustain its growth to export for food. Both my Lavender and Scopas tangs showed their best color when I fed natural red and yellow algae. My Scopas and Gold Lined Rabbitfish (BIOTA) eat the Caulerpa Lentillifera like they are skittles after they cleared out the Tang Heaven mix

To get back to my question (sorry for answering by asking) but depending on the age of your tank (you mentioned new) I would not recommend it. Instead you want to pick things that will help with the microbiome and diversity. So bristle worms, mud, grazers, hermits, and pods. Your system will go through various stages as you are aware so the key is to balance the right amount of herbivores so they stay ahead yet not compete for the food source and die off. Too many too fast no food and the die off adds more nutrients. Balance.

Having ordered from them multiple times (reef tuneup kit) reaching out to Mr. Heslinga will be happy to help recommend what would fit and have the best chance of helping you while staying alive. The micro hermits to stay small for the most part. The nerite grazers are little escape artists. I like them but found all over the floors so not a huge fan. Ask him if he has Strombus snails - those are nice to have and breed in our systems. Diversity packs (mud) and rubble would be great.

I'm not sure you need the macro algae yet nor the anthelia polyps. Nor the liquid n-reducer. Remember cycle is going to happen as are the various algae / ugly stages. Just need to go slow and find a mix that will be both entertaining to you and do their job with the highest chance of success!

 

[jda]

What are your residual N and P levels. They have wonder inverts and algae, but not all of them will do well with the current fad of higher residual N and P levels. Most of those should be OK, but I would worry about the mini brittle starfish and maybe a few others. Not all macros do well with elevated N and P, either - cruel joke from nature. If your levels are elevated, then I would ask them for advice on what to choose.

 

[tgrab]

What are your residual N and P levels. They have wonder inverts and algae, but not all of them will do well with the current fad of higher residual N and P levels. Most of those should be OK, but I would worry about the mini brittle starfish and maybe a few others. Not all macros do well with elevated N and P, either - cruel joke from nature. If your levels are elevated, then I would ask them for advice on what to choose.

I don't have the tank yet

 

[jda]

I would wait on nearly all of that except for some mud or other bacterial/seeding products. Most of those things need an established tank to feed.

 

[dakoop]

Ipsf?

 

[areefer01]

I would wait on nearly all of that except for some mud or other bacterial/seeding products. Most of those things need an established tank to feed.

Agreed - the mud and sand activator would be a decent source of diversity.

 

[vtecintegra]

There are mixed reviews on amphipods. One being they'll wipe out copepods. Others have complained they irritate coral. No experience, but that's why I haven't added them. And the live sand may get you bristle worms. Some like them, some hate them.

 

[tgrab]

Ipsf?

Indo-pacific sea farms

What are your residual N and P levels. They have wonder inverts and algae, but not all of them will do well with the current fad of higher residual N and P levels. Most of those should be OK, but I would worry about the mini brittle starfish and maybe a few others. Not all macros do well with elevated N and P, either - cruel joke from nature. If your levels are elevated, then I would ask them for advice on what to choose.

So you wouldn't recommend setting up a refugium right away?

 

[tgrab]

Well I went ahead and ordered the following after talking with Gerald:

Mix n match:
Bristle worms
Tang heaven red
Tang heaven green
Wondermud
Liquid N-reducer
Nerite grazers
Littorinid grazers
Amphipods
Live sand activator

Super special:
Mama mia worms
Live reef plankton
Coralline algae booster

I can report back on how everything goes once things arrive.

 

[Reef_prop88]

I'm looking at buying a mix n' match from IPSF as part of setting up my new tank. I get 9 picks from the following listed. The ones I bolded are the ones I'm planning on getting already.

-CORAL HEAVEN Complete Coral Polyp Food
-6 Baby Bristle Worms (captive-bred)
-Tang Heaven Red
-Tang Heaven Yellow
-Tang Heaven Green (Ulva sp.)
-Tang Heaven Nori
-WonderMud
-Liquid N-Reducer
-Anthelia Polyps
-6 Nerite Grazers
-6 Littorinid Grazers
-6 MicroHermits
-Hippopus Shell Pair (tank ornament)
-Reef Amphipods (25 specimens)
-'Pod Flakes
-'Pod Mat
-Sea Grapes (Caulerpa lentillifera)
-Live Sand Activator (includes live sand, 6 Grazing snails, 6 MicroHermits and tiny worms)

Any input would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

IPSF is a great place to deal with. I ordered their pods, liquid N'reducer, Wondermud, live sand activator (used with microbactor7), hermits, snails and it all worked great on tank started with dry rock. They also sent me an extra bag of free pods, macro algae and a 12 head blasto as a freebie. The stuff must have worked well because the blasto thrived since day one in a very very new tank. Either the wonder mud or live sand activator comes with bristle worms just as a heads up. They haven't bothered anything in my tank and seem to be a good addition to the clean up crew.

 

[afrokobe]

Honestly if you are just setting up a tank, the live sand activator package is the best deal. (wondermud is great if you are setting up a refugium too) you can then order other stuff as you need. When I placed my ipsf order, I definitely ordered too much and too early.

I would also skip on the amphipods, they decimated my copepod population and really exploded. Granted the population is in check now, but I probably would not seed a tank with them again. You get amphipods as hitchhikers anyway.

about to set up a new tank and I will most likely be ordering the live sand activator package. I started with dry rock, but I don't have many of the algae issues other people are having. I attribute that to IPSF and the vast micro diversity

 

[tgrab]

IPSF is a great place to deal with. I ordered their pods, liquid N'reducer, Wondermud, live sand activator (used with microbactor7) and it all worked great on tank set up with only dry rock. They also sent me free pods and a 12 head blasto as a freebie. The stuff must have worked well because the blasto thrived since day one in a very very new tank.

I'm also doing dry rock with plans to get some rubble from Aquabiomics next time it's in stock. I'm excited to see how it goes. No word on freebies, but fingers crossed...

 

[afrokobe]

Well I went ahead and ordered the following after talking with Gerald:

Mix n match:
Bristle worms
Tang heaven red
Tang heaven green
Wondermud
Liquid N-reducer
Nerite grazers
Littorinid grazers
Amphipods
Live sand activator

Super special:
Mama mia worms
Live reef plankton
Coralline algae booster

I can report back on how everything goes once things arrive.

you should have definitely gotten the neon toadstool! I love mine from Gerald. It was my first coral too

 

[tgrab]

you should have definitely gotten the neon toadstool! I love mine from Gerald. It was my first coral too

I was thinking about it but decided to pass since they get pretty big from what I can tell and I'm not sure where to fit it in the tank

 

[Tamberav]

I ordered snails before and was happy! I got free macro and a neon toadstool coral freebie as well as a clam shell.

 

[tgrab]

I was thinking about it but decided to pass since they get pretty big from what I can tell and I'm not sure where to fit it in the tank

That said, the order hasn't shipped so there might still be time to add one...

 

[happyhourhero]

I would email them and get live sand activator, wonder mud, pods, bacteria, coralline plate.
My current build thread has a post or two of unboxing my order.

 

[afrokobe]

That said, the order hasn't shipped so there might still be time to add one...

They do get fairly big. Mine has been growing since I got it 6 months ago (gained probably a third in size). I just fragged it yesterday too