How do we increase biodiversity?

[Sump Crab]

One thing to consider. Skimmers

I’d love to use some more live rock. It was quite nice. The problem is it brought me all kind of pests. So now it’s back to dry rock and bottled bacteria and grabbing little bits and pieces of biodiversity as I go.

The funny thing is me and another guy were talking about where we could get some live sand and live mud that did not contain Vermetid snails. I researched that whole night and could not find one place in the world that didn’t have Vermetid’s.

Those little turds are microscopic too!

I love my vermetids! I think they are quite cool. Wish I had more but sadly their population remains quite low due to competition and predation.

 

[AquaBiomics]

I want to expand on my bottled comments since I see there have been several recommendations in this thread for bottled bacteria.

Bottled bacteria contain very very few types - most contain 1 to 3.

I've found no evidence yet of these bacteria persisting in the water for very long after adding them. I won't argue (too loudly) with those who use them for 'on-label' purposes (cycling a tank) -- although I will point out that live rock works much better.

But as a way to add diversity, bottles don't seem to be the way to go. If adding bottled products to an established tank is producing benefits for someone, I strongly suspect its through some mechanisms other than diversity, because it doesnt seem plausible for these products to affect diversity in any measurable way.

 

[Reefahholic]

Live sand, live mud, and live rock. There is good evidence that all three of these increase biodiversity.

If your goal is to increase biodiversity, ignore any product that comes in a bottle.

Live sand and live mud are like gold in my eyes.

IPSF used to sells some good biodiversity! I think they still do!

: : : : Indo-Pacific Sea Farms : : : :

Indo-Pacific Sea Farms produces captive-bred marine life for healthier reef aquariums: invertebrates, detritivores, live sand, snail grazers, amphipods, beneficial worms, macro algae, plankton, corals, coral food and beneficial bacteria.

ipsf.com

 

[Reefahholic]

I want to expand on my bottled comments since I see there have been several recommendations in this thread for bottled bacteria.

Bottled bacteria contain very very few types - most contain 1 to 3.

I've found no evidence yet of these bacteria persisting in the water for very long after adding them. I won't argue (too loudly) with those who use them for 'on-label' purposes (cycling a tank) -- although I will point out that live rock works much better.

But as a way to add diversity, bottles don't seem to be the way to go. If adding bottled products to an established tank is producing benefits for someone, I strongly suspect its through some mechanisms other than diversity, because it doesnt seem plausible for these products to affect diversity in any measurable way.

They really don’t add diversity. What they do add is good bacteria, but it needs to be added all the time. Otherwise the bacteria become depleted.

If your looking for the most diversity. Get live rock, live sand, and live mud shipped in water. Boom! Instant tank that will thrive for a long time. It’s just the Aiptasia, Vermetid snails, bubble algae, limpets, feather dusters, crabs, fire worms, etc.

 

[Reefahholic]

I love my vermetids! I think they are quite cool. Wish I had more but sadly their population remains quite low due to competition and predation.

Please expand on the Vermetids competition and predation. I’m all ears!

 

[Reefahholic]

consider in which way?

If you’re adding bacteria initially, the skimmer needs to be off, no UV, and no water changes.

 

[Reefahholic]

Bottled bacteria contain very very few types - most contain 1 to 3.

I've found no evidence yet of these bacteria persisting in the water for very long after adding them.

If adding bottled products to an established tank is producing benefits for someone, I strongly suspect its through some mechanisms other than diversity.

How long to you suspect (from what you’ve seen recently) that the added bacteria last after dosing? A few weeks? Most say to dose frequently.

Waste Away produces nice results to keep the tank clean, but it’s not because of diversity. It’s because of potent bacteria. Not sure how many strains. Might be one strain or a few, but I think it’s one very aggressive heterotrophic bacteria strain.

 

[Paul B]

I had my water tested by "AquaBiomedics" Great company and I was really interested in the results they gave me.

I also feel bacteria in a bottle is silly. It's like the people who feel bottled water is better than regular "filtered" water from your tap. You are basically paying for something that is free. If that is what you like to do, it's great. But bacteria in the correct proportions of the correct types are all over the place so I just don't get it. Our reefs don't live in a bottle and I assume as soon as we add bottled bacteria the normal, natural bacteria that is already in our tanks will meet the stuff in a bottle, beat them up because they are out of shape from sitting in that bottle and take over the neighborhood.

In a week all that bottled bacteria will be gone. I can't see them, but thats what I think.
If you don't live near the sea, either move, or pick up some garden soil and dump it in.

I feed my fish some live white worms a few times a week and they live in dirt. When I collect the worms from my culture I also take some dirt along with it to dump in my tank. Worm poop and all. ;Yuck

In March my reef will be running fifty years. Everyone who has a tank running for that long that was started with bottled bacteria, raise your hand........Higher. :cool:

 

[Sump Crab]

Please expand on the Vermetids competition and predation. I’m all ears!

Well considering that I have relatively few of these cool critters and others have them reach plague proportions I can only assume its predation and competition that keeps their numbers in check. I can assure you its not due to a lack of feeding or nutrients.

 

[Reefahholic]

Well considering that I have relatively few of these cool critters and others have them reach plague proportions I can only assume its predation and competition that keeps their numbers in check. I can assure you its not due to a lack of feeding or nutrients.

There’s multiple species of Vermetid’s. Maybe you got the good kind. There are a few species that don’t multiply to crazy, but I haven’t been lucky enough to find those. :)

 

[Reefahholic]

I had my water tested by "AquaBiomedics" Great company and I was really interested in the results they gave me.

I also feel bacteria in a bottle is silly. It's like the people who feel bottled water is better than regular "filtered" water from your tap. You are basically paying for something that is free. If that is what you like to do, it's great. But bacteria in the correct proportions of the correct types are all over the place so I just don't get it. Our reefs don't live in a bottle and I assume as soon as we add bottled bacteria the normal, natural bacteria that is already in our tanks will meet the stuff in a bottle, beat them up because they are out of shape from sitting in that bottle and take over the neighborhood.

In a week all that bottled bacteria will be gone. I can't see them, but thats what I think.
If you don't live near the sea, either move, or pick up some garden soil and dump it in.

I feed my fish some live white worms a few times a week and they live in dirt. When I collect the worms from my culture I also take some dirt along with it to dump in my tank. Worm poop and all. ;Yuck

In March my reef will be running fifty years. Everyone who has a tank running for that long that was started with bottled bacteria, raise your hand........Higher. :cool:

I think if a new Reefer who is starting with dry rock and doesn’t have a 50 yr old tank can benefit from bottled bacteria. Or an established system that is depleted.

What were the results of your AquaBiomedics bacteria count? With a 50 yr tank...you should test highest in the history of his company.

 

[Reefahholic]

@AquaBiomics where I can follow your work? Is there a platform you’re where your very active with updates and prior testing results?

You guys should start a YouTube channel.

 

[Paul B]

What were the results of your AquaBiomedics bacteria count? With a 50 yr tank...you should test highest in the history of his company.

AquaBionics can supply that answer as I am sure he has that data someplace. I would have to search back a year or two in my thread to find it but I actually didn't have an much bacterial diversity as you would imagine as told to me by them. (I will search for it)

And I add mud from the sea all the time as well as using 100% NSW that I collect myself and don't add anything to it to kill anything.

Boom! Instant tank that will thrive for a long time. It’s just the Aiptasia, Vermetid snails, bubble algae, limpets, feather dusters, crabs, fire worms, etc.

I love all this free life and keep looking for more. They make my tank as diverse and healthy as it can be. :D

Tanks without these things are whats called New Tanks.

 

[Paul B]

I found it,but I am not sure it will open here

 

[Sump Crab]

I love all this free life and keep looking for more. They make my tank as diverse and healthy as it can be. :D

Tanks without these things are whats called New Tanks.

Same, these guys just don't get it. Why fight nature when you can use it to your advantage? These are the same type of people who destroyed mangrove estuaries and beach sand dunes in favor of giant rock jetties to protect cities from storm surge. That went well....

 

[Paul B]

As I said, those are very new tanks. :cool:
I love mangroves.

 

[slayii71]

This is a old thread, but since I beat Dinos I thought I would share. I thought it was diatom, did a water change was gone for a weekend and came back to a brown carpet across my whole tank. Lost about 2k in corals. Tried Dino X and became very stressful on the corals. Had to turn off my dosing since it was feeding the dino with trace elements. only thing that beat them was raising my nutrients. High phosphates high Nitrates. Plus Macrobactor 7 dosing. Would suck out as much as possible with a very small hose, then fill the tank with regular saltwater based on what it took out. Didn't even turn off my pumps. Due to the high nutrients red slime grew, but the dino began to die. Once I felt the dino was beat I used redslime remover to kill that. Now I keep a good level of nutrients. Phos around .05, Nit around 10 to 15. They are gone and what is left looks better than ever. I actually now have Nitrate dosing 4 mils a day. Been just over 3 months since it started. My tank was over filtered and I didn't keep up my feeding. The zero Phos and Nit allowed the dino to grow, then my dosing fed it. Clean you nutrients balanced.