Feeding 'Pods (9/15/04)
Hello there, <Hi, Steve Allen today>
This relates to an earlier question about creating a food breeding tank for a Mandarin Goby. <Mandarin Dragonet, they are not gobies as they are often mistakenly called in the trade.>
If a stock a tank with live rock and sand and calpura (sp?) <Caulerpa, and you may want to study the downsides of this macroalgae. I can assure you from the many hundreds I have that 'pods thrive in Chaetomorpha, which lacks Caulerpa's many downsides.> algae to get the pods and worms to produce, will I need a fish in there as well to produce some waste? <No, and they'll just eat the 'pods.> If I do not keep a fish or some animal producing ammonia in a tank with live rock and live sand, will the live rock and live sand die? <The ongoing lifecycle (including death/decay) of the algae and the 'pods--like the toilet training book says, "Everyone Poops, including 'pods--will easily sustain your biofilter.> What do the pods and worms eat? <Pretty much anything organic. The folks at www.ipsf.com recommend finely ground flake food. Rotifers are great, as is Cyclop-eeze. I'd suggest you check out IPSF's website and the 'pod FAQs here for more info.> Thank you <You're welcome. Hope this helps.>

Green water culturing  - 05/13/2006
Aloha from Hawaii,
<Right back 'atcha bro>
I'm attempting to start breeding my mated pair of true percula clownfish and have finished reading Joyce Wilkerson's book,  
"Clownfish".  A great source of information, though now I am a bit daunted in the fact that this weekend I'm going to set up a  
green water culturing system as well as a rotifer breeding tank ( 2 5 gallon buckets on my sunny lanai).  I have tried emailing Joyce at the email listed in her book, but it bounced back.
<Don't know what's going on there. She goes out, helps friends in the aquaculture biz at times... sometimes out of reach of the Net...>
My question is, I can't find the product locally she recommends for fertilizing the green water culture, "Microalgae Grow", and I'd rather not pay the inflated shipping cost to Hawaii if I can help it.   The Waikiki Aquarium is providing me with a green water culture of Tetraselmis and a rotifer colony.  Very generous and I do appreciate their help!  The biologist I spoke to said I could use plant fertilizer, though he did not know the dilution ratio.  So, will Miracle-Grow and a bit of chelated iron diluted at 50% be ok?
<... I'd start with this diluted to a far greater extent... try making a "stock" solution, measure drops or milliliters into a known volume of water... measure for something like phosphate... keep this "reasonable"... a few ppm... Keep testing, adding a bit as time goes by...>
Seems funny to me that most people write in on how to rid their tanks of algae, but now I'm on the brink of a panic attack at the thought of NOT being able to grow any.
Thanks for your help,
Craig
<You will. A hu'i hou! Bob Fenner>

Plankton Production - 03/01/06
Hi guys, <<and gals!>> long time reader, first post!
I currently have a large 60 gallon refugium running inline with a lightly stocked reef tank.
<<Cool!>>
Do you have any specific tips or advice on what types of macro algae, and possibly supplements or foods to increase/improve the various types of plankton that can be supported?
<<Lots... My preference is a vegetable refugium w/DSB.  This provides an excellent matrix to foster plankton/epiphytic matter, and my favorite macro-algae for this is Chaetomorpha linum.  But there are more choices/other opinions that work well also.  Have a look through our refugium data re:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/refugium.htm >>
Suggestions on general parameters, feeding & supplementation that can (intensely) effect growth of such plankton?
<<A pinch of flake food/a few shrimp pellets every couple of days goes a long way to increasing populations.>>
Are there ways to introduce specific sought after plankton? Plankton Substitutes?
<<Plankton/refugium starter kits are available from a few e-tailers.  A simple Google search re should find them easy enough.>>
The system is 100% sponge less, carbonless, powerhead-less.  Temperature controlled at 78-81.  Each tank (19 inches deep) has a single 150w HQI 20k pendant.  Flow rate is approximately 700gph per tank.
<<Sounds perfect for the Chaetomorpha/DSB system I mentioned.>>
I run a protein skimmer a few days a month.  My water parameters has been steady for past 12 weeks at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and 0.2 Nitrates (1 part per 5 million).
Thank you for being the best resource on the web!
<<Thank you for contributing!>>
George
<<Regards, EricR>>

Continuous rotifer production?   4/11/07
Hello
<Hi there>
     I've been trying to get a continuous rotifer production system rigged into my reef.  
<Mmmm, can be done... best as single species cultures... dripped, or periodically pumped/metered...>
I am currently working with B. plicatilis, and will be trying rotundiformis for their smaller size as soon as I can find a source for the ss strain.  
<Okay>
     I am using a 7 gallon bucket with a dosing pump to overflow 1/3 of the bucket into the system daily, and feeding with Nanochloropsis cryopaste
<This needs to be "whipped", to bring back into suspension>
and using an ammonia binding agent, "Ultimate".  I expect to see some problems with production related to the higher salinity and pH of a reef system, but hope they will adapt.  
<Plicatilis should... is quite commonly employed in marine fin fish culture...>
     I was hoping you have knowledge of someone who has gotten a system to work and perhaps I could learn vicariously rather than directly from their experience!
Charles Matthews M.D.
<Mmm, what in particular are you looking for here? You've seen the "standard" pet-fish works (e.g. Frank Hoff) I take it. Bob Fenner>

Running A Refugium for Zooplankton Production - 6/7/07
Thanks Scott!
<You're quite welcome!>
One follow up question - is there any reason to add some fish food such as flakes directly to the refugium at any time to help feed the zoo-plankton population?
Erik
<I'd be inclined to use small quantities, and perhaps even try some live phytoplankton products as well. Regardless of what you "feed" to your growing Zooplankton population, feed carefully and monitor water quality regularly. Best of luck with your efforts! Regards, Scott F.>

Walnes or Guillard fertilizer (Phytoplankton)  8/4/07
Hi Cam here. Which phytoplankton fertilizer would you recommend for culturing Nanochloropsis: Walnes or Guillard F/2 fertilizer, for a reef aquarium.
<Mmm, both would/will work... if using much and having concerns re nutrient transfer, a filtering of the culture media can/could be done>
I would like to add the phytoplankton once a week and I am a bit worried as to what effect the different fertilizers will have, when some of the fertilizer ends up in the tank and accumulates over the course of a couple of weeks (If I only do water changes once a month). How does the culture maturation period the time that it takes so that the culture reaches maximum density ) differ between the addition of the two fertilizers. I am currently doing water changes once or twice a week. I have read that the Walne's solution is a much more "potent" form than the Guillards F/2 fertilizer. For what species of phytoplankton is each fertilizer normally used for (Nanochloropsis, Tetraselmis, Isochrysis)?
<Most culturists use Guillard's...>
Is it possible to dilute the Walne's solution to that of the same strength of the Guillards F/2 fertilizer?
<Yes...>
Lighting: Normal fluorescent tubes
Container: 1,25L to 2L (Glass or Plastic bottles).
(1ml of fertilizer added per 2L?)
PS: How long can the phytoplankton stay alive for in darkness, no aeration and if shaken once a day to keep the phytoplankton from settling/smothering each other on the bottom)?
Thank you.
<Depending on temperature mostly, a few days to weeks if refrigerated. Bob Fenner>

Breeding saltwater feeder shrimp – 5/3/08
WWM Crew Member,
I have searched all over the internet to find info on breeding the Saltwater Feeder Shrimp, Penaeus sp after reading this on a seller's website:
If kept in sufficient numbers and fed well (a mix of flake food, frozen Brine, and Spirulina should do fine), they may begin to breed. Females carrying eggs should be transferred to a different aquarium (or a partitioned section.) Basic fry food may be fed to the newborn shrimp. These tank-bred shrimp are USDA certified to be free from potential diseases and pathogens.
Unfortunately, I can't find any more info than that or have found anyone that has tried or been successful with it.
<Mmm, has been done many times, places... and the family (Panaeidae) are a HUGE fishery/aquacultured world-wide...>
This is what I've been considering so far: 10 gal tank with air bubbler critter keeper or enclosed area for shrimp with eggs (not sure how to enclose area so water moves through, but fry do not)
<See the site of Aquatic Ecosystems... for fabrication ideas or purchase of such...>
I'm not sure about algae to keep with them or food for the fry. Would crushed flake, phytoplankton, rotifers, or Cyclopeeze work?
<... likely so>
I really appreciate you taking the time to answer. Thanks!
Cher
<Look for Frank Hoff's books, the new (fish aquaculture) one by Matt Wittenrich/Microcosm-TFH... There is much written on the topic of use... but, you can also employ trial and error... Bob Fenner>