Order of adding biodiversity

[Nick711]

Have an IM 40L tank / 50 gal system that I recently started with about ~37# of dry rocks that were cycled for 2+ months in a brute can & separately, ~40# of dry sand

I have everything running in the tank for about a week now and took measurements this AM (PH ~8, Salinity 1.024, Phosphate 0.2ppm, Nitrates 2-3ppm, Ammonia 0.02ppm (lowest reading on test kit - all tested with Tropic Marin). My plan is to start adding various layers of diversity and running fallow for 76 days after the last addition before fish. I plan to purchase the next ‘stage’ of my plan every couple weeks. Much of it will be added directly to DT, but some will wind up in sump / refugium. My current plan, in order:

• 8# live Gulf rock (likely from TBS)
• 9 item mix&match from Indo Pacific Sea Farms (Wondermud, live sand activator, addtl nitrifying bacteria + misc. micro-inverts, macros, etc.
• Copepods & phyto dosing
• Small additional CUC package of snails / hermits & shrimp anticipating that I’ll start having algae growth by this time

A couple questions-

1. Does this order make sense?
2. Any known disadvantages to adding bio-diversity from different regions in short order?

Thanks in advance!

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

Looks like a reasonable plan to me. I don’t see any major issues with adding from different regions, commonplace occurrence in the hobby with rock, inverts, corals and fish being sourced from different seas, oceans and farming facilities.

Nice looking setup, hope it goes well. Just remember the old Tyson quote, everyone has a plan till they get punched in the face!

 

[sixty_reefer]

How are you on planning keeping the diversity alive for the 76 days from last addition?

 

[Nick711]

How are you on planning keeping the diversity alive for the 76 days from last addition?

Plan on a combination of ghost feeding (frozen foods, flakes), phyto dosing, and if tank is light on algae, will supplement with nori for the CUC

 

[CoastalTownLayabout]

Better than average chance he’ll see some die off after his live rock, misc critter, macro and CUC additions too.

 

[sixty_reefer]

Plan on a combination of ghost feeding (frozen foods, flakes), phyto dosing, and if tank is light on algae, will supplement with nori for the CUC

Sounds like a good plan, I’d be tempted at keeping the new addition in the sump (dark)

 

[Nick711]

Better than average chance he’ll see some die off after his live rock, misc critter, macro and CUC additions too.

Good point & thanks for the reply!

Sounds like a good plan, I’d be tempted at keeping the new addition in the sump (dark)

Thanks for the reply & feedback. What specific reasoning behind the sump placement - to avoid unwanted algae growth in the DT?

 

[sixty_reefer]

Good point & thanks for the reply!



Thanks for the reply & feedback. What specific reasoning behind the sump placement - to avoid unwanted algae growth in the DT?

All that you will want to extract from those pieces that could be beneficial for your system will be fine in the dark, from the sump they will be able to seed your DT.
if you add them directly to the display you have a higher risk of allowing a photosynthetic nuisance to take over your rock.

 

[ReefGeezer]

Nice set-up. I admire someone with a plan. However, there might be a better way to provide the necessary "diversity".

I would put the 37# of dry rock and most of the dry sand you have in the display tank (that reasonably fits) in the sump and keep it dark. I'd leave maybe a little sand and put 20# (or preferably more) of live BASE rock from TBS in the display tank. I'd skip the 9 item mix&match from Indo Pacific Sea Farms (Wondermud, live sand activator, addtl nitrifying bacteria + misc. micro-inverts, macros, etc.. You don't need it. The live rock will contain the necessary diversity.

I would not add copepods, they'll arrive with the live rock and feed on stuff in and on the live rock for quite a while.
Finally, after everything stabilizes, I'd start feeding just a little live phytoplankton. You could then add CUC members if needed.

Ghost feeding is not optimal for new systems. It adds a lot of organics as you attempt to provide the needed ammonia. You may find that the the live rock will supply needed nitrogen (ammonia) and organics for the processes to operate for a while without any food input. Adding a fish or two and feeding them lightly is a good way to provide the nitrogen and organics the processes need if the live rock doesn't seem like enough.

If your fallow period is intended to resolve a parasitic issue, you can carefully add an ammonia stock solution (if needed) directly instead of ghost feeding. A 76 day fallow period is not needed if you tank temp is above 78 F. More like 45 days. And... I would not use the fallow period unless I was trying to recover from a parasitic infestation.

 

[pledosophy]

Why are you planning on 76 days of the tank being fallow?

 

[Nick711]

Why are you planning on 76 days of the tank being fallow?

Thanks everyone for the feedback. The fallow period would be out of an abundance of caution to eliminate any diseases that come over with the initial rocks / critters. Understand this can be shortened at a higher temp.

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. The fallow period would be out of an abundance of caution to eliminate any diseases that come over with the initial rocks / critters. Understand this can be shortened at a higher temp.

Parasitic spores, bacteria ( the bad kind ), animal life can survive longer then 76 days especially with direct sourced live rock . With how far the hobby has advanced bio diversity can be added directly without risk of contamination . Just my opinion but if you want to avoid what you stated above best course of action would be start Dry and QT and treat everything living going into your system.

 

[Sump Crab]

I agree that you don’t need the additional cooepods/bacteria/sand activator since you will be adding the real ocean live rock from TBS, KP, etc.

I think your plan is pretty solid for a person with dry and ocean rock (I personally would go for all ocean rock). The die off will be minimal if you feed the tank as the ocean rock will quickly cycle your tank, the more the better imo!

I assume the fallow period is for ich/velvet type concerns but just be aware that if you plan on going this route you will need to qt fallow everything you add to the tank in the future (coral frags, inverts, etc.). You will also need to qt/Medicate all fish coming in. So if you don’t plan on doing that going forward then I don’t see a reason to go fallow.