BRT LArval rearing system

[Windy]

I posted this in the DIY forum but it may fit better here.


https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/do-yourself-diy/193462-brt-larval-rearing-system.html

 

[Jake Levi]

It looks really good Windy, may it have many replicas !

Jake

 

[Windy]

I am waiting on eggs to see how it works. Kind of frustrating. The gobies were my first target and they are off cycle right now.

 

[Jake Levi]

BRT Lrval rearing system

You'll be ready when they do. I am very interested in how well that this works.

 

[Windy]

Based on others experience, I will have failures to begin with. But, I tried to reduce the errors by researching the best methods for raising larva. I even bought a couple of research papers, and one was the basis for the plumbing on the BRT. I am now growing my own microalgae and rotifiers, but still learning how to estimate density and culture color.

 

[Jake Levi]

That is the history of all who have gone before you, Martin Moe, Frank Hoff, and a myriad of others, you are in good company. Stay your course. Florida Aqua Farms, and several others sell counters for plankton. I have been tempted to try one. But, I have time, I am still building stands which will go on for months. I am also weighing whether to use glass tanks or build heavy ply ones like Instant Ocean Hatchery had.


My breeding and grow out plans are much more limited then in years gone by. I have some big tanks for pelagic spawners, but the demersal spawners are fewer and lend themselves to a built unit. We shall see, looking at options while building the stands. Life goes on.

 

[Windy]

What kind of stands?

 

[Jake Levi]

What kind of stands?

For the big tanks, set up as reefs and grow out and homes for some Centropyge groups. And a couple smaller species that are also pelagic spawners. Gottwo more to do plus one smaller one for a 30 or 40 gal. Also reefer.

 

[Windy]

Finally the neons are laying again.

 

[Windy]

Pot is out and rotifers are in. Small hatch but useful for practice.

 

[Bunnee911]

Update?

 

[Windy]

Still no success with gobies. Will be trying a nest of clowns this week.

 

[Windy]

Its been a long year and between family health problems and summer, I have not tried to raise any fry since January. Right now I have three pair laying, skunks, black Darwins, and ocellaris. I have time right now to raise a batch or two and my rotifers arrived today. The black pair will have a hatch tonight.....just in time.
I am trying the new and lazy method of raising the fry. NO WATER CHANGES. If you look at my BRT you will see it has a bottom input for water and an overflow out the top. This allows new water to enter just below the bubble ring and the upwelling circulates it. It then must pass through the filter on the overflow and return to the sump. Rotifers and fry stay in and water from the main system is dripped into the BRT on a continuous but very slow rate. I have tried to set it up so that the 7 gal in the BRT is turned over twice daily. The amount of waste coming from the BRT will be dissolved organics and ammonia. The overflow filter catches the fine particles.
By contrast, each of my breeder tanks gets fed 3 times a day with feeders and once a day a feed Fertility Frenzy. That's a lot of food and it is well handled by my oversized ATS and the size of the system.
I think it will have a very small effect. I have had 8 breeder pairs on this system before and I don't see the amount of food going into the BRT being anywhere near what two adult breeding fish will consume.
We will see, I have to go unpackage my rotifers from Reed mariculure.

 

[Tahoe61]

Thank you for the update.

 

[president89]

I used to use a BRT. But the black bottom made it hard to see if the bottom was dirty. I was told to try a blue one. I haven't tried that yet, but I know a big breeder that uses blue ones.