Bottled biodiversity for new tank

[Salty_Sails]

Any thoughts suggestions about the value of purchasing copepods, amphipods, phytoplankton, coralline algae, etc. to help speed the set-up of a new tank (~3 months on lightly stocked started with dry rock)?

 

[shanepike]

The fastest, most effective way of getting that biodiversity you need is to order live rock and sand from someplace reputable like https://tbsaltwater.com/ (They'll be shipping again in November.) Otherwise, you're kind of piecing it together — which can definitely be done, it's just more work (and may not get you everything). The flip side of that is that with live rock and sand, you don't know what else you might be getting.

Either way you go, it seems like adding copepods to get colonies started is always helpful.

 

[msporleder]

Any thoughts suggestions about the value of purchasing copepods, amphipods, phytoplankton, coralline algae, etc. to help speed the set-up of a new tank (~3 months on lightly stocked started with dry rock)?

Snacklerock - Cycled Rock Seeded With Copepods

We ship Snacklerock mostly submerged in water. No wet paper or paper towels - shipping in water is the best way to ensure the maximum amount of life makes it to your tank. Our Snacklerocks are cycled with live nitrifying bacteria and seeded with our three species blend of live copepods. Dinkins...

dinkinsaquaticgardens.com