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Is it worth setting up a culter station? Seems pretty simple to do. Just wondering if it would be beneficial or not. Is it beneficial to lps and sps coral?
Cultering phytoplankton
- Thread starter jenkins2212
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IMO phyto should be added to reef tanks, so yes if you have space I would set it up.
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if you have the resources to set up a culturing station than i would do it.
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I guess that would be the case, though I doubt most of us have a sufficiently large refugium for any kind of stable ecosystem to form.
I'm more inclined to dose what I know is needed, just some zooplankton for the corals.
I'm more inclined to dose what I know is needed, just some zooplankton for the corals.
phyto is good for nps sponges if no nps just git a bottle of reef chilly and a pipelet only coals i have everseen benefit frm feeding is nps lps and sum rics but those are nems if your all sps dont feed add amino acids seachem fule is good brightwell aminos are the best for lps
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The only thing we add to the 400 reef tank up at Pure Reef is phyto.....NO ZOO.
Edit:
it's also good for feeding pods, fauna, softies, lps, and if it's the right micron size sps. not to mention paly and zoas
Edit:
it's also good for feeding pods, fauna, softies, lps, and if it's the right micron size sps. not to mention paly and zoas
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hey heath you guys are still open 1 to 5 on sundays right?
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yes
:wow2:the 400 at the shop is nice but sps look better in ulns but grow better in normal mixed reefs i have had both over the years now im nps/lps and having great luck with it wile i only have 10 sps in the tank color is muted sum but growth has increased but thats mainly from .no true sps food as ar as lps the more they eat the beter they are but i hav not seen a feeding response from photo or zoo being added to the tank enyother foods and you wont put your hand in the tank most sting fish hide untill they retract the sweepers ths is just my observations
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Phytoplankton is the beginning of the food chain for many reef related organisms and as such zooplankton (e.g., rotifers, copepods, ciliates, etc.) consume it as well as filter feeders such as clams, flame scallops, and worms (e.g., coco worms and feather dusters), sponges and tunicates and non-photosynthentic gorgonians.
Live phyto feeds other micro fauna as well. In addition, a few reef addicts within the ARC have reported to me that their SPS corals have an almost immediate feeding response when phytoplankton is added to their tanks.
There are different types of phytoplankton and I grow 3 kinds: Nanochloropisis, Isochrysis, and Tetraselmis. Nano is the smallest and is ok for feeding rotifers and bivalves (e.g., clams). However, Isochrysis, and Tetraselmis are more nutritious than Nano since they contain Omega 3 and 6 and other fatty acids. These last 2 phytos are by far better for clams and most other bivalves and worms.
Zooplankton (e.g., rotifers, copepods, etc.) consume phyto as well as bacteria and detritus. I feed my pods and rotifers a blend of the 3 kinds that I grow; Nanochloporisis, Isochrysis, and Tetraselmis.
I've had incredible experience with feeding phyto and rotifers (S and SS species) to my system. I had cerinth snails breed in my tank and they got up to 1/8" when I fed this combination.
Zooplankton such as rotifers and copepods are in my opinion an excellent food source for SPS corals. There are other animals that will benefit from these as well such as mandarin gobies and other corals such as zoanthids and palys as well as mysid shrimp. The newly hatched copepods and rotifers are ~50-55 microns and are perfect food size for many SPSs. Once they mature, then they are food for other corals and fish.
In addition, oyster eggs (another form of zooplankton) are also a wonderful food source for SPS.
I hope this encourages you to grow and feed both.
