Clams replacing refugium as a nutrient export

[fishlover1478]

looks like i should get a clam when my tank is ready

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

You got me interested as well. One could possibly supplement refugium sump with a few oysters? Do they require anything besides being in water? No light required? The reason I ask, is that I'm thinking on adding a few in my skimmer compartment, after my refugium.

If your set up sps, go slow, 1 oyster for every 10 gallon? I use in nps tank so different. Have in mesh plastic bag for few weeks to see if any die off. See video

 

[TheDragonsReef]

I've definitely seen videos of them cleaning water on youtube but I never knew how good they were at reducing nutrients would be interesting to see some tests

 

[Leko]

Dr Dendrostein -

Have you noticed any spikes or dips in your nutrients? Maybe the oysters stop eating during mating season or during a full moon - thus spikes in nutrient levels.

thanks

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Dr Dendrostein -

Have you noticed any spikes or dips in your nutrients? Maybe the oysters stop eating in during mating season or during a full moon - thus spikes in nutrient levels.

thanks

I haven't. I do know Pacific oysters can live up to 30 years.

 

[radiata]

Dr. Dendrostein,

(1) Do you have any concerns about Oysters spawning in your system? The following quote is from Wikipedia: "Oysters usually reach maturity in one year. They are protandric; during their first year, they spawn as males by releasing sperm into the water. As they grow over the next two or three years and develop greater energy reserves, they spawn as females by releasing eggs. Bay oysters usually spawn from the end of June until mid-August. An increase in water temperature prompts a few oysters to spawn. This triggers spawning in the rest, clouding the water with millions of eggs and sperm. A single female oyster can produce up to 100 million eggs annually." I would think the high volume of gametes in our reef tanks could cause havoc...

(2) On your preference for Pacific Oysters, do you have any preference for oyster types? There's an Asian Market close by, but I think their fishmonger's English language fluency is about as good as my Chinese fluency. I have found a source in central NJ that is within driving distance for me. Their web site infers their oyster bar has the following oysters available (depending on market conditions):

West Coast:
Kumamoto (Calf)
Totten Inlet (Wa)
Hama Hama (WA)

East Coast:
Beau Soleil (NB Can)
Belon (ME)
Blue Points (NY)
Ichabod Flat (Mass)
Island Creek (Mass)
Lucky Limes (PEI)
Pemaquid (ME)
Puffer Petite (Mass)
Rose Cove (NJ)
Sloop Point (NJ)
Sugar Shack (NJ)
Wellfleets (Mass)
Wilding jerks (NJ)
Blackberry (Va)

I think your choice would be for Kumamoto, probably just for the latitude of the source's location. They are apparently a smaller variety of Oyster, originally from Japan, but I don't think that would make any difference in the long run.

(3) I'm not sure your reference to "pseudo feces which will feed the corals" is technically correct. Here's another quote from Wikipedia: "Pseudofeces or pseudofaeces [1] are a specialized method of expulsion that filter-feeding bivalve mollusks (and filter-feeding gastropod mollusks) use in order to get rid of suspended particles such as particles of grit which cannot be used as food, and which have been rejected by the animal. The rejected particles are wrapped in mucus, and are then expelled without having passed through the digestive tract. [2] Thus, although they may closely resemble the mollusk's real feces, they are not actually feces, hence the name pseudofeces, meaning false feces.". I think my corals would prefer real feces to grit .

Thank you Dr. Dendrostein for leading the charge into this new filtration arena of Reef Keeping ! ! !

Bob

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

Dr. Dendrostein,

(1) Do you have any concerns about Oysters spawning in your system? The following quote is from Wikipedia: "Oysters usually reach maturity in one year. They are protandric; during their first year, they spawn as males by releasing sperm into the water. As they grow over the next two or three years and develop greater energy reserves, they spawn as females by releasing eggs. Bay oysters usually spawn from the end of June until mid-August. An increase in water temperature prompts a few oysters to spawn. This triggers spawning in the rest, clouding the water with millions of eggs and sperm. A single female oyster can produce up to 100 million eggs annually." I would think the high volume of gametes in our reef tanks could cause havoc...

(2) On your preference for Pacific Oysters, do you have any preference for oyster types? There's an Asian Market close by, but I think their fishmonger's English language fluency is about as good as my Chinese fluency. I have found a source in central NJ that is within driving distance for me. Their web site infers their oyster bar has the following oysters available (depending on market conditions):

West Coast:
Kumamoto (Calf)
Totten Inlet (Wa)
Hama Hama (WA)

East Coast:
Beau Soleil (NB Can)
Belon (ME)
Blue Points (NY)
Ichabod Flat (Mass)
Island Creek (Mass)
Lucky Limes (PEI)
Pemaquid (ME)
Puffer Petite (Mass)
Rose Cove (NJ)
Sloop Point (NJ)
Sugar Shack (NJ)
Wellfleets (Mass)
Wilding ******** (NJ)
Blackberry (Va)

I think your choice would be for Kumamoto, probably just for the latitude of the source's location. They are apparently a smaller variety of Oyster, originally from Japan, but I don't think that would make any difference in the long run.

(3) I'm not sure your reference to "pseudo feces which will feed the corals" is technically correct. Here's another quote from Wikipedia: "Pseudofeces or pseudofaeces [1] are a specialized method of expulsion that filter-feeding bivalve mollusks (and filter-feeding gastropod mollusks) use in order to get rid of suspended particles such as particles of grit which cannot be used as food, and which have been rejected by the animal. The rejected particles are wrapped in mucus, and are then expelled without having passed through the digestive tract. [2] Thus, although they may closely resemble the mollusk's real feces, they are not actually feces, hence the name pseudofeces, meaning false feces.". I think my corals would prefer real feces to grit .

Thank you Dr. Dendrostein for leading the charge into this new filtration arena of Reef Keeping ! ! !

Bob

Kumamoto, should be pacific oysters. I've tried other types and I've noticed more success with Pacific oysters. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. I've had oyster spawn on me and the corals love it. You have to realize my system is NPS and so it's able to handle considerable amount of feeding. Anything else like SPS or LPS I can't say. Also consistent water temperatures is very important because if temperatures fluctuate you will get more spawning. I say that from others who have tried oysters in there NPS system but the filtration not design for the extra organic matter. All I can say is if you have SPS or LPS corals go slow and start with a small batch of oysters. Maybe one oyster for every 30 gallons. Increase lowly. My thoughts

 

[iReefer12]

@Dr. Dendrostein did I read correctly that you put these in your sump, with no lights?

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

@Dr. Dendrostein did I read correctly that you put these in your sump, with no lights?

Yes,2 sumps, some in DT but hidden. Approximately 60 oysters at this time. Again nps system.

 

[iReefer12]

That’s great. I added a couple of Squamosa clams to a frag tank and whether a coincidence or not, the hair algae issue cleared up over the past couple of months.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

That’s great. I added a couple of Squamosa clams to a frag tank and whether a coincidence or not, the hair algae issue cleared up over the past couple of months.

I feed continuously, and no break outs of aptasia and no hair algae. I do light one sump with natrual sun light. Also the 7.5 nano has nps and photosynthetic softies and no aptasia break out or hair algae.....etc.

Video is of the 7.5 nano tank has 6 oysters
5 oysters in sump. One in DT.

 

[Corgigirl]

As a bonus, if you decide oysters are not right for your tank, you can always eat them. Kumamoto oysters are one of my favorites .

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

As a bonus, if you decide oysters are not right for your tank, you can always eat them. Kumamoto oysters are one of my favorites .

When you have friends and family over, you can set up an oyster bar.

 

[qhduong]

Interesting. I might go out and buy a few oysters!

 

[MaximusReef]

In my first tank I ran 6 clams i saved from shoprite in the bed of my sump...surprisingly enough they lived and grew and I’m sure they helped clean that tank.

 

[ReefSakes]

Interesting! I'm in Washington state and these are easily found around here. There is a local farm that harvest fresh. Maybe next summer I will get some when the water is warmer and perhaps better success in acclimating them then.

 

[greg 45]

My only question to this , how are you going to supply the alk and calcium needed for growth .

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

I am cycling rock in the backyard, I wonder if I could oyster in the container to help with it cycling?

 

[Breadman03]

Kumamoto, should be pacific oysters. I've tried other types and I've noticed more success with Pacific oysters. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages. I've had oyster spawn on me and the corals love it. You have to realize my system is NPS and so it's able to handle considerable amount of feeding. Anything else like SPS or LPS I can't say. Also consistent water temperatures is very important because if temperatures fluctuate you will get more spawning. I say that from others who have tried oysters in there NPS system but the filtration not design for the extra organic matter. All I can say is if you have SPS or LPS corals go slow and start with a small batch of oysters. Maybe one oyster for every 30 gallons. Increase lowly. My thoughts

My tank typically stays from 79.4 to 79.9, so that's likely plenty stable. I wonder what their ideal spawn cycle is. Might linking a planned temperature spike with a moon cycle create a reliable spawn trigger? How much of a temperature spike seems to induce spawning?

 

[Leko]

My only question to this , how are you going to supply the alk and calcium needed for growth .


Didn't think of this.

My thought was to investigate alternatives to a fuge but if you have to fight the alk/Ca levels then maybe a Chaeto fuge is better.

The lure of the "perpetual motion machine" is always appealing - the fish provide the waste and the oysters delight in it - a natural solution and in theory almost zero work , no special Chaeto lights/sump space etc.

An idea too good to be true?