Thinking about collecting some wild sand today?

[chris85]

Couldn't help loading this picture!! Love my local critters. This substrate is 1/4 to 1/2 crushed shell.

This is 1/4 inch and under with a very fine sand mixture

Same tank

Just a shallow bed with a 50/50 mix sand and shell

Fine sand and silt about four inches deep.
Sorry no picture but, I have two more in my algae scrubber that I am experimenting with for macro/micro life
One is a fine silt and the other is about 40/40/20 mix of sand, silt,mud mix

 

[cgdcinc]

So You Folks on the Gulf side of Fl are having a Red Tide outbreak? I don't think we get the stuff here on the east coast.

Blue green algae blooms.

 

[User1]

To those on the West Coast - you can collect water for sure - just not from parks and/or reserves. Wild life is a bit more questionable but empty shells and sifting through the tide pools for pods is fine. Again, just pay attention to posted signs and look at the maps that call out what the water area is. I actively dive in Monterey and collect water, algae, algae and pods from time to time.

During our drought a couple years back I was exchanging emails with the State with regards to NSW. Oddly enough they said they didn't get many calls from saltwater aquarist asking about it and found my question on collecting water interesting. Thus the answer - there are no laws to prevent you just do not do it in restricted areas, parks, or marine reserves. That way there is no ground for anyone to say something and thanks for doing your part on water conservation.

You guys are near enough to Catalina - that is where I would be going to collect everything if I was that close. I just tie mine to my scuba trips

Edit: You just want the water anyway. Empty shells if you want them for your hermits. Pods for food.

 

[cracker]

I went collecting today ! I'll have some pics in a little while. I need to find out what I blew off today. It was a very nice day !

 

[SandJ]

Following along...I am just an hour and a half north of you @cracker so interested in what all you are able to find for your tank.

 

[fishybizzness]

Where exactly do you collect your pods? In the seaweed along the shore?

 

[cracker]

Ok Lady's & Gents. today I went to Guana lake. They built a spill way across this marsh flat years ago For some reason. Very good place to fish ! The north ,lake side is very fresh water. salinity today was 1.o8. It's been raining for the past 3 days. Now on the south side of the dam the salinity was 1.020, again I think because of all the rain. so here I collected some sand & sandy half silty. I saw a couple of "big" Horseshoe crabs doing what they do in the spring when love is in the water. I gave them some privacy & on the way out I saw a pair of Manatee's , very cool. These things are big ! Like the cow reference big.

while there I saw some Sargasso weed wash up. There has been a strong South East wind & this is when the stuff gets blown to shore from the Gulf Stream. I got some from the beach This stuff is so cool loaded with all kinds of pod, tiny hermits, crabs etc ! the container now is swimming with pods ! Salinity was 1.026 as advertised .

I also collected some sponge. I'm fairly confident its called " Fire sponge" not "Fire coral" which is illegal to collect. it doesn't grow this far north anyway. I could not find anything the the ornamental collection of this sponge being illegal. I;m serious Folks I won't take it if it's not legal . All the regs said was no more than 5 pieces per day ,no sponges in the Keys.
I got this stuff above the tide line exposed to the air so it must be tough. I'd appreciate any insight on this . If anything I will freeze it & add it to my fish food or save it for a new angel.


OOOH I almost forgot ! This is for @Paul B I got some nasty looking brown grey clay like mud ! there are weird things growing out of it & all.

 

[TripleDogDareYah]

Doesn't seem worth the risk... Just hit up your local reef club and ask for some sand from a successful tank to seed yours.

 

[cracker]

Sorry my Friend, it's too late !

 

[cracker]

I shook the sargasso off real good & added the water to both tanks. I then shook off the sponge & it was loaded with tiny crabs. No deal, I don't like crabs ! there was a small piece growing on am oyster shell so I added this "smaller" piece maybe a 1 inch square to the sump under the 75. I'm curious to see if it grows. Not enough to hurt anything if it croaks. I'd put it in the display but not sure if it would like all the light. Soon I will remove the sand I collected a few months ago & add this new sand. I use shallow tupper ware containers.
So Should I add a mud ball to each for PaulB? what's Your Op?

 

[Eric Miller]

i would put it in the refuge that where the miracle mud goes.

 

[Eric Miller]

miracle mud goes in the refuge be careful of the blooms.

 

[cracker]

Thanks for the reply ! So this mud looks like ,Well decide What it looks like. what surprises me is it has no smell. No earthy or sulfury smell. So one big piece goes into the 180 the 5 or so small chunks to the 75.
I'm trying to increase the biodiversity of beneficial bacteria to these 2 systems. it's all a big experiment for me. I consider this a poor Man's Miracle mud. So if Folks have no issue adding MM to their system( live mud ) What's the difference?
What's Your take on the concept?
How would You do it?

 

[cracker]

Where exactly do you collect your pods? In the seaweed along the shore?

sorry fishyb, missed your query. Yes in the beach side seaweed & in the estuary sand/silt. The containers are swimming with them. Now earlier in the yeas the water was colder. No bugs then. Now the water has warmed up there is a bunch of the little critters.
Ps My apologies I refereed to you as Fuzzy !

 

[cracker]

Following along...I am just an hour and a half north of you @cracker so interested in what all you are able to find for your tank.

Hello sandj, 1 1/2 hours puts you around Brunswick? I bet there are some fine places to collect sand in Your area.

 

[SandJ]

Hello sandj, 1 1/2 hours puts you around Brunswick? I bet there are some fine places to collect sand in Your area.

Actually not even that far north @cracker , about 7 miles over the GA/FL line (in Jacksonville right now). We frequent Amelia Island and Jekyll Island.

 

[cracker]

Cool ! Nassau sound, I think the south end of Amelia island would be a great place to snag some sand ! My Fishing Partner Greg & I will be up that way soon. I plan on getting some there also. jekyll island as well.

 

[SandJ]

Cool ! Nassau sound, I think the south end of Amelia island would be a great place to snag some sand ! My Fishing Partner Greg & I will be up that way soon. I plan on getting some there also. jekyll island as well.

We are still learning the area, but already have a few favorite spots. My daughter and I volunteer at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll. Really enjoyed Driftwood Beach there. We found lots of pods in the tide pools. My 6 year old took some for her tank lol Also hermits and anemones, we left those of course.

 

[cracker]

Drift wood beach, sounds like a nice place. we would all like to hear about your work with the Georgia Sea Turtle Center.

 

[SandJ]

Driftwood Beach, definitely lives up to the name lol