Anyone use IPSF?

[Ippyroy]

I just placed my first order with IPSF for some mud and a few other things. I hope there stuff is good and no issues.

 

[NashobaTek]

Everything I have ordered from them came in healthy and Clean. Got here in Texas fast as well. I plan on placing more orders with them. Especially for micro brittle stars.

 

[Ippyroy]

What do they do? i am trying to add diversity since I started with dry rocks and dry sand.

 

[NashobaTek]

They are tiny CUC to get in smaller spaces. Just a micro version of the brittle stars. They have a lot of the CUC. Get the tune up kit, you get snails, hermits and worms.
But if you don't want any worms let him know and he'll add extra snails instead.

 

[Ippyroy]

I ordered worms as well. They can go into my fuge. I don't want them in my DT. I ordered snails and hermits as well.

 

[fish farmer]

I ordered from them many years ago....wondermud, live sand activator, snails and hermits. Whatever fit in a 9 for 99 package. I got trochus snails which IMO are the best snail to have, they reproduced in my tank. Strombus snails, they also reproduced. I got a few mini brittle stars, they can grow up to a 50 cent piece stretched out, but very good as a small sand stirrer.

It took a two or three days for the shipment to arrive from Hawaii to Vermont. Fed Ex overnight, should be quicker where you are located.

 

[Vette67]

I just got my order from them last Wednesday. Very happy with the order. I got just about everything I could. Worms, pods, snails, hermits, algae, mud, live sand... packaged perfectly and all arrived healthy. I know it isn’t normal protocol, but I wanted to get as much of that Pacific biodiversity into my tank as possible, so I even dumped their shipping water I to my tank. Although, with the mud, it would be virtually impossible to not do that, even if you tried. The live sand activator is full of snails, hermits, pods, and I’m sure lots of microscopic bacteria and fauna. So far, very happy with the shipment. Here’s a picture of the micro brittle stars. Maybe about the size of a quarter, legs and all.

 

[Ippyroy]

Everyone who has used them seems to love them. I am just trying to up my diversity since I used dry rock and sand. Those stars are cool. I now wish I had ordered some of them. Next time for sure.

 

[NashobaTek]

I like the fact that every package had some macro algae in them as well.
I haven't seen my micro stars since I added them.

 

[Ippyroy]

So maybe my fuge will be successful. Where should I put the mud? DT or in the fuge?

 

[Vette67]

I like the fact that every package had some macro algae in them as well.
I haven't seen my micro stars since I added them.

To be honest, I haven’t either, but it was only 4 or 5 days ago for me. I have been watching the asterina stars (comets) as they move across my refugium glass. They are so small, probably smaller than an pencil eraser.

I bought 2 mud and 2 live sand activator. One set went in my fuge and the other into my 180. I also had to turn off my UV for a while, so I don’t kill all of the new bacteria.

 

[Ippyroy]

To be honest, I haven’t either, but it was only 4 or 5 days ago for me. I have been watching the asterina stars (comets) as they move across my refugium glass. They are so small, probably smaller than an pencil eraser.

I bought 2 mud and 2 live sand activator. One set went in my fuge and the other into my 180. I also had to turn off my UV for a while, so I don’t kill all of the new bacteria.

I have one of each along with some worms and crabs. I plan on putting all of the worms into the fuge along with the mud and half of the crabs and I'll decide later on the snails. My Chaeto is doing great for now and I will pull the last filter sock out. I also have another CUC for reefcleaners coming in. Hopefully this will help with the ugly rocks.

 

[Ippyroy]

Are these diatoms on the sand BTW? I can’t seem to get a better picture.

 

[Vette67]

I have one of each along with some worms and crabs. I plan on putting all of the worms into the fuge along with the mud and half of the crabs and I'll decide later on the snails. My Chaeto is doing great for now and I will pull the last filter sock out. I also have another CUC for reefcleaners coming in. Hopefully this will help with the ugly rocks.

The live sand activator is going to come with snails and hermits in one bag, along with the gravel. So if you don’t want those in your display, you might want to pick through it first. The bag will say, “LSA”.

 

[Ippyroy]

The live sand activator is going to come with snails and hermits in one bag, along with the gravel. So if you don’t want those in your display, you might want to pick through it first. The bag will say, “LSA”.

I don't mind some, but my fuge will be a little dirty since I using chaeto as my filter.