Jestersix

Seeding a Sandbed

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I always hear about micro critters in the sand bed (as supplementary food for fish & as CUC) but my sand is pristine. Absolutely nothing (other than bacteria) :)

So wanted to find out what "micro critters" are very good to have and the best way for me to get & seed them. Pods are on my list...
 
The more the better.
Locals with good live sand beds can probably help. (My sand bed is gone, so not me)
Or garf.org has lots of things like that. I used them long ago.
 
If you want to loose money and get a bag of sand, by Garf Grunge. If you want actual good starters, look to locals or companies like Indo Pacific Sea Farms or Inland Aquatics. Both Morgan and Gerald are stand up guys with incredible knowledge.
 
you might want to look with some form of magnification. I find it next to impossible that your sand is void of anything larger than bacteria. most of the sand bed critters are not visible to the naked eye.
 
you might want to look with some form of magnification. I find it next to impossible that your sand is void of anything larger than bacteria. most of the sand bed critters are not visible to the naked eye.
Agreed that there's more micro-organisms other than bacteria... interested in the ones that are visible like worms, pods, stars, etc.

Most of what I come across online are worms and stars as hitchhikers...
 
you might have worms and pods! where did you get your sand from originally? or your rocks? pods are pretty hard to see unless you have the right lighting. They're very shy!
 
you might have worms and pods! where did you get your sand from originally? or your rocks? pods are pretty hard to see unless you have the right lighting. They're very shy!
CaReefCo. I started all sand n rock dry and only seeded MB7 & Fritz9 to cycle.

I used to see super tiny copepods on my glass but never saw even one for months now.
 
CaReefCo. I started all sand n rock dry and only seeded MB7 & Fritz9 to cycle.

I used to see super tiny copepods on my glass but never saw even one for months now.
There usually out in the middle of the night. Use a and spy on them im sure you have a ton.
 
Anyone here have abundance of mini brittle stars in your tank? I'd like to get a few and see how they do...
 
I had great luck with larger amphipods and mixed pods from getyourpods.com. I supplemented that with a tigger/tisbe pods order of copepods from AlgaeBarn. Adding those two in my refugium and feeding live phytoplankton once or twice a week has produced a big growth in amphipods, copepods, isopods, and a variety of micro to small critters in the tank.

I've had good luck in this tank and two previous tanks seeding pods from places like this. Provided you have a refugium free of predators and can provide them food, they should multiply and populate your tank.
 
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