Rotifer cultivation

[instantsquid]

I've just received a couple of packs of Rotifers from Reefworks (thanks Clayton) to cultivate for feeding my tank.

I recently purchased a Reefworks automatic plankton feeder with peri-pump.

My plan is to culture the Rotifers in the feeder (I have an air line connected to the bottom of it) by feeding phytoplankton once a day. I was then going to use the peri-pump to feed the tank from the feeder at set intervals.

Has anyone done anything like this? Can anyone see any problems with my idea? It seems a lot less hassle than performing water changes on the culture (which would presumably result in the loss of some of the Rotifers), not to mention finding some way of filtering them out before adding them to the tank!

Your ideas, suggestions, comments, criticism, as always, gratefully received.

- Ian.

[Mike4271]

Sounds like a good idea, and better than my 2ltr Coke bottle system :D

[instantsquid]

How often do you "harvest" them? And do you filter them at all or just add some of the cultivation water to the tank?

- Ian.

[Mike4271]

I dont do them here yet, but I used to harvest by 50% every week, and, if I remember, used a 50micron filter, I will have to dig it out from god knows where, we only brought 86 boxes of stuff:rolleyes:

[Mike4271]

Oh, and as I said in another thread, if you are doing your own phyto, keep the WELL apart, if they cross over, bye bye phyto, hth Mike

[instantsquid]

Haven't got that far yet! Adding bottled phyto for the time being.


Anyone else got any views?

[instantsquid]

BTTT

Those of you cultivating rotifers in coke bottles - presumably you have an airline in there to gently agitate the brew. Do you find you get a "scum" above the water surface containing (presumably) rotifers?

- Ian

[MrFish]

I've had one of Claytons kits can't remember if they were Rotifers or not, they collected around the light source so bare that in mind for the harvesting. You will need to top up what water you take out, will you do this manually.

I didn't have much luck feeding on phyto, I had to use "special" food that Clayton supplied.

Don't how relevant this all is to Rotifers though, to be honest i don't know the difference between Rots and Pods :o

[instantsquid]

You will need to top up what water you take out, will you do this manually.
The plan was to use a peri-pump to push a small amount of water into the bottom of the feeder, which would cause an equivalent amount of water + rotifers to flow from the top of the feeder into the tank.

I didn't have much luck feeding on phyto, I had to use "special" food that Clayton supplied.
I believe that rotifers are quite happy on phyto.

Sadly the project failed before it had even got started (as reported in my other thread) since the airpump AND one-way valve failed during the night. The contents of the feeder drained back into the airpump where they were electrocuted. Poor little rotifers - what a way to go :(

I'll have another go though - and put the air-pump higher this time!

- Ian.

[MrFish]

Sadly the project failed before it had even got started (as reported in my other thread) since the airpump AND one-way valve failed during the night. The contents of the feeder drained back into the airpump where they were electrocuted. Poor little rotifers - what a way to go :(


I've never had much luck with those "one way" valves, they only seem to be "one way" for a little while and then become "two way"

A choice of electrocution or being eaten, what would you choose :rolleyes:

[Reefworks]

Hi Ian, your plan will work, i would water change 10% a day with the peristaltic once the population has reached a high concentration. Keep an eye on the concentration of the rotifers at that rate and see if you can increase the tank dose or need to decrease it.
Had to laught at the electrocuted rotifers, if you need a new pack let me know and i will send you one out.