View Full Version : Other life
sinaarrgghh
19-04-07, 15:48
Just a quick question. I know this is good for corals and seems to do fish no harm but what are the effects on other life forms? I would imagine it's not too hot for critters like copepods etc. How about your cleanup crew?
Just thought I'd ask now while still at planning (and buying :thumbsup: ) stage.
Sponges do well, copods decline, clean up crew remain on top of the task rather than being overwhelmed by it.
copods decline,
this is kinda worrying. I've a mandarin that wont eat frozen or flake. :eek:
anyone else with a mandy on ULNS? notice pod decline?
cheers
Ray
sinaarrgghh
20-04-07, 09:35
this is kinda worrying. I've a mandarin that wont eat frozen or flake. :eek:
anyone else with a mandy on ULNS? notice pod decline?
cheers
Ray
Is so far one of two 'must have' fish I am planning on. Hence why I asked, well that and I like the idea of a tank bristling with little critters I can barely see!
What evidence do you have that copepods decline?
Just wondering as I have not seen that to be the case since starting zeo - but I'm only a month in so very early days still.
Also contemplating mandarin pair in the future so this is obviously an important point.
EDIT: Had a quick search of Zeoforums - no suggestions that pods decline or that usual pods rearing methods should not work in a Zeo tank. I can see that chaeto forms a great niche for pods so removing that may have some impact - but maybe rubble zones can be as effective?
I've only been running the FM system for 6 months, so the tank is still very young and I don't have the zeo experience that Simon does, but compared to previous tanks I've found there to be alot more sponges, tunicates and pods in my current tank. I believe that the mulm plays a large part in provide foods for these creatures (inc. the pods)
I've only been running the FM system for 6 months, so the tank is still very young and I don't have the zeo experience that Simon does, but compared to previous tanks I've found there to be alot more sponges, tunicates and pods in my current tank. I believe that the mulm plays a large part in provide foods for these creatures (inc. the pods)
That would be my thought too regarding the mulm as a food source - there is a lot of technical info on this on the Zeo fourms.
I've only been using Zeo for a month so not really enough time to comment but the pod population seems healthy at the moment.
Having said that - any closed population is prone to "crashing" so supplementing the tank with fresh pod cultures (e.g. from Reefworks) is part of the "care package" that I would provide to an incubent pair of mandarins in my tank :)
that's put my mind at rest a bit more. thanks for the info guys, I have some live rock spare in the sump I can "rubble up" a bit. :D
if the chaeto dies out in the lith system there any point in lighting the sump? save me a few pence in leccy.. :D
that's put my mind at rest a bit more. thanks for the info guys, I have some live rock spare in the sump I can "rubble up" a bit. :D
if the chaeto dies out in the lith system there any point in lighting the sump? save me a few pence in leccy.. :D
No - a dark sump should be fine - sponges pods etc won't mind!
What evidence do you have that copepods decline?
Looking at my refugium. There used to be masses of copepods - now they have declined. This was a fair few months into zeovit. I was going to dump the MM, then changed my mind when I saw all the zooplancton. Now theres very little and the main tank at night shows very little in torchlight. Worth asking the question a direct Q of other zeovit users over there though. Could dose a refugium with phyto to encourage them I image. Its a shame because I really wanted a mandarin too.
Looking at my refugium. There used to be masses of copepods - now they have declined. This was a fair few months into zeovit. I was going to dump the MM, then changed my mind when I saw all the zooplancton. Now theres very little and the main tank at night shows very little in torchlight. Worth asking the question a direct Q of other zeovit users over there though. Could dose a refugium with phyto to encourage them I image. Its a shame because I really wanted a mandarin too.
OK - thanks for your insight - yes - I think your right - worth asking at ZeoForums :thumbsup:
sinaarrgghh
20-04-07, 20:44
Pleased to see it was'nt considered a stupid question at least! Will have to have a mooch over to the zeoforums and have a good look. I only 'avoided' it as I intend to do the FM system and as a noob to this I did'nt want to confuse myself.
Pleased to see it was'nt considered a stupid question at least! Will have to have a mooch over to the zeoforums and have a good look. I only 'avoided' it as I intend to do the FM system and as a noob to this I did'nt want to confuse myself.
Just posted a new thread on the Zeo forum - hopefully will get some views on this! Good question for sure :thumbsup:
Just posted a new thread on the Zeo forum - hopefully will get some views on this! Good question for sure :thumbsup:
Could you post back here a summary of what you find out please. I'm going ULNS and I too want a pair of manderins. I was going to have a high level cryptic tank with rubble etc and now I'm confused again.
Thanks
yeah if you could post the info here that'd be great. watching with interest on this one now. :)
Interestingly - I'v just cleared out the MM/Aragonite Sand bed from my sump - a fair few copods emerged.
I have been using a combination of prodibio/zeo/fm for 3 months and have definately noticed a drop in pods, there are still some in my sump and refugeium but nowhere near as many.
If you are running a low nutrient system, any nutrients in the water are supposed to be prefferentailly used by the bacteria, then surely this leaves the micro and macro fauna with fewer nutrients. Unless the pods can use the bacteria as a food source, i would have thought there would be fewer......
Be interesting to see what the Zeoheads have to say....
I have been using a combination of prodibio/zeo/fm for 3 months and have definately noticed a drop in pods, there are still some in my sump and refugeium but nowhere near as many.
If you are running a low nutrient system, any nutrients in the water are supposed to be prefferentailly used by the bacteria, then surely this leaves the micro and macro fauna with fewer nutrients. Unless the pods can use the bacteria as a food source, i would have thought there would be fewer......
Be interesting to see what the Zeoheads have to say....
Hey Mark - howzit going? U joining on the 7th I hope? Hoe's the tank comming along?
I have been using a combination of prodibio/zeo/fm for 3 months and have definately noticed a drop in pods, there are still some in my sump and refugeium but nowhere near as many.
If you are running a low nutrient system, any nutrients in the water are supposed to be prefferentailly used by the bacteria, then surely this leaves the micro and macro fauna with fewer nutrients. Unless the pods can use the bacteria as a food source, i would have thought there would be fewer......
Be interesting to see what the Zeoheads have to say....
Pods can eat bacterial mulm afaik - there's a long scientific thread on Zeoland about this!
Only one reply to my query so far:
"IMHO, pod populations thrive in a ZEOvit tank from the increased "mulm" released into the water column via the reactor and daily shaking of the stones. The bacteria and bacterial film are rich in nutrients that feed this little guys. I removed my refugium full of Chaeto and other macro algaes a long time ago and pod numbers continue to amaze me. I have never added any pod cultures or directly introduced any type of foodstuffs target at them.
HTH
Marshal"
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.