Microfauna disappeared?

[jpccusa]

Soon after setting up my sump, I could see a lot of pods living in the live rocks. Now, after almost a year to have it set up, there is none... I was expecting the opposite, since the pods were protected from predators on my sump.

Did they move or did they died? Does that have anything to do with the fact of the lights be turned on 24/7?

 

[Unarce]

I haven't thought of the 24/7 refuge photoperiod causing that effect before. It's possible, since pods are most active when the lights are off.

What else can you tell us about your system (inhabitants, flow rate, algae, etc.)?

 

[jpccusa]

I have a 3 years old 100 g acrylic display tank, fish only with live rocks and fine sand.
I use 2 x T10 white bulbs and 1 x T10 blue bulb (the kind that does not need balast).
I use my Magnum 350 canister as a return pump, as well as filtration.
The display tank is drilled in both back corners.
I have 2 x 10 g sumps, connected to each other by a syphon.
In the first sump I have a Pacific Coast 200 skimmer, live rock, macroalgae, 2 fluorescent bulbs and 1 x 60w energy-saver bulb. These bulbs are currently running 24/7.
In the second sump I have a mechanical filtration, a sand bed of around 2 inches deep and the canister inlet.
The display tank is connected to a timer that runs 12 hours on/off.
The current is strong since I have a powerfull pump in the center of the aquarium, with a "T" pipe connected to it. All well disguised behind the live rock.
I am a DIY'er and I try to make the tank look its best in a limited budget.
As far as livestock, I have a Yellow Tang, a Foxface, 2 pajama cardinals, a Lamark Angel, a Green Scat (experimenting, 6 days and counting), a Stripped Goby, 6 Mollies, hermit crabs (red and blue), a brittle star, snails (astrea, nassarius, and "natural occuring" mini round snails), a longspine urchin and a purple urchin. I am also observing some "natural occuring" feather dusters (4) grow bigger on my live rock. They are around 1/2 inch in diameter so far.

 

[Anonymous]

I would guess maybe Unarce has the right idea, everything else looks great in terms of parameters. FWIW, you can buy live cultures and restock your 'fuge if you wanted to.

 

[jpccusa]

I forgot to mention:
1- My Macroalgae is the grape caulerpa. It struggles to survive because hairy algae grows on top of it. My display tank does not have "outbrake" of hairy algae though.
2- I observed that between the algae that grows in the sump glass and the glass itself there are some tiny worm creatures. Since I am having an infestation of bristle worms (fireworms?), I guess they are their babies... I will buy a dottyback to take care of it. Which one would be the most effective and compatible with my melow tank residents?

 

[Unarce]

I wouldn't worry too much about the bristleworms, unless you can determine if they're the fireworms that will eat corals. Dottybacks are also known to hunt and eat pods, so you may want to reconsider that, too.

I'd remove the caulerpa from the sump. Chaetomorpha is a much more effective and easier algae to care for as a form of nutrient export in a refugium. The lush growth, makes it the perfect haven for pods to grow and reproduce. It doesn't go asexual like caulerpa, so you don't need to run your fuge, 24/7.

Try the chaeto, and perhaps jump start your pod population again with a bottle of OceanPods from Adelaide http://www.oceanpods.com/ . Then, run your refuge light at a reverse photoperiod from your display.

Be sure to harvest and stretch out the chaeto from time to time, so it doesn't get too dense.

 

[Anonymous]

Oceanpods! That was the place I orderd from, I was racking my brain...thanks!

 

[jpccusa]

Are the Chaetomorpha available in California? You know how pic they are here regarding flora/fauna from other states...

Regarding the pods, I will definetely jump start the population again.

Regarding the worms, since I don't have corals, should I bother at all? I just hate to find them everytime I lift anything from the sand bed.

 

[Anonymous]

They are good detrivores, I wouldn't worry about them unless they start tapping on the glass at feeding time and demanding second helpings

 

[Unarce]

Couple of years ago, chaeto was hard to come by, but now it's everywhere. Should be no problem getting some from a local reefer.

The bristeworms are great scavengers, and will only go after stuff that's dead, or on its way out. If you find that you have an unsightly overpopulation of them. You can always tie a piece of shrimp in pantyhose and leave it overnight. They'll be stuck to it in the morning. Just toss and repeat if necessary.

 

[jpccusa]

Just as an update for you guys, after running my sump lights during the night and turning them off during the day, I am relieved to see A LOT of life back at my sump. It really made a difference.

I am sure the microfauna needs a period of darkness and another of light, and since I was not giving it to them, they decided to move out of the sump.

Now, everytime I turn on the lights, soon after the display tank lights go off, I can see tiny creatures all over trying to hyde in the macroalgae.