sandbed critters

[Jack]

Ok, I cycled my live rock about a month ago in my tank, I haven't gotten my sand for my DSB yet and I was wondering where do the little sandbed critters come from? I guess they jump off the rock(?), but the thing I am wondering is if I don't have the right substrate in there now, will they survive? I have large crushed coral 2-4mm in there right now. Will I have to get some sand from an established tank to "seed" my sandbed? Thanks :D

[DJ88]

Jack,

You can get some critters for your sand bed from LR. ie copepods, amphipods and some worms. It will vary form LR to LR.

To get the most for your sand bed you will need to swap sand with another reefer or get a detrivore kit. The problem is that no companies in the US will send detrivore kits her anymore.

HTH

[Jack]

Ok thanks Darren. That's what I like to see, a reply in under 5 mins ;)

I will see if I can get some sand from someone down in Victoria when I go there.

[AJ_77]

I've heard people recommending Jayson at saltwaterconnection.com. He offers live sand by the pound, and claims it's full of critters.

AJ

[DJ88]

I am not so sure that live sand will keep during shipping. If you are talking about taking sand from an existing tank.

With the bacteria on each grain of sand you will find that any O2 that is in the bag will be used up very quickly. Just driving my tank from Victoria to Vancouver my sand bed died. And that wasn't a sealed bag. It was still in my open topped tank. Sand uses up O2 at a faster rate than you will believe. In a sealed bag you have very little O2.

Most companies ship the det kits as the critters in a bag so they have lots of O2 to survive. No sand.

Nothing against saltwater connections but I'd be wary shipping live sand any great distances. ie for longer than 6 hours. sealed in a bag the sand will kill itself. But tha is my take on the whle thing.

If you are talking about the live sand you can buy sealed from say caribsea all that is in that bag is some of the bacterias that you need to cycle a tank.

[stephane]

I have buy life sand and clean up crew from Jason
and all have doing great in shipping

the sand have arrive here full off worm and pods well alive

Look where I live more far from you guys
give them a try well worth it IMO

just chek all critter before to put them in your tank he have send me a voracious Bulk in the bag of nassarious snail probably a mistake but be aware
see the original tread here http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63411

[AJ_77]

Stephane:
Did you tell Jayson about the snail problem? From the thread you mention, it looks kind of serious. I'm wondering if sw-connection is a reliable source for these creatures?
AJ

[stephane]

yes I have tell him and this is what he respond

We do our best to get people want they want. sometimes we are mislead. We were told that they were another type of nassarious snail. There are many types of snails in this hobby we do our best to identify as many as we can. Thanks for the heads up on the snail

Jayson

he look like a good guy so I dont want to made him bad publicity, probably now he will take more care about it since him shure he have already read those tread and know how bad publicity a small ting could do When people try to destroy a LFS on board

in my case Ron have identify the bulk an I have drop it in my sumps at first. The bulk have then eat 4 hermit but I dont realy care about them anymore so it is not a great loss. if the bulk have eat one of my clam it will have probably change the stoty.