[Killietalk] Additives for healthy fry starts and Daphnia in one room..

[listhub at libros_andante.mn.org]

After a year of procrastination, I finally got a roundtuit.

Some people have been asking me to illustrate the room I use to produce Daphnia
and some of the things I put into new fry growth containers.  I have done so to
the Members Gallery of the AKA site.  I have tried to make the photos as
self-explanatory as I can.

Here is the general idea.

The room is lit 24/7 with a Metal Halide Halogen.  Under the Halogen are three
tanks.  One with Daphnia, one with Green Water, and one with a bunch of
Ramshorn Snails and huge wad of Java Moss.

I keep the water in the Java Moss / Snail tank about 200 to 250 ppm.  This is
soft enough for the moss and still hard enough for the snails to form shells. 
Into that tank I through some Rotifer Cysts about every two months.  There is a
small airstone in that tank.  Microscope observation shows a ton of critters
from single cell paramecium to multi cell Rotifers in that tank especially
around the Java Moss.

Here is how I use that tank.  When I flood peat while the fry are still above
the peat (I tend to leave them over peat for 3 days) I use the water from that
tank to float off Vinegar Eels from the coffee filter thus adding these
organisms along with the Eels to the flooded peat.  This is the only food I add
to flooded peat.  No microworms or bbs.  This keeps the peat fairly clean in
case I want to redry it.

When I isolate fry from annuals or non annuals I add a few of the Ramshorn
Snails and some sprigs of the Java Moss to the container.  This moss, as I said,
above is overflowing with micro critters.

The green water is fed to the Daphnia at a rate of about one to two liters and
then wait for the Daphnia to clear the tank.

I replenish the Green Water water with waste water from fish tanks.

The whole thing is in an area under the basement stairs that is 3 ft by 4 ft by
4 1/2 ft in size.  It is painted white to increase reflection.

The Daphnia culture has been continuous for close to 4 years now.  I will admit
that I do not get a ton of Daphnia indoors.  Enough to feed all my killies at
least once a week from that one 10 gallon culture.  In the summer things move to
the back yard and the Daphnia production goes way up.  I have friends that come
over in the summer and take home a 1/2 cup of solid Daphnia and there still is
excess.  I have found it will freeze fairly well just like Glass Worms.

The way I do it outdoors is two 30 gallon containers and alternate with Green
Water and Daphnia blooms.

One final note, in my hands, Daphnia seams to be sensitive to Dechlorinators so
I tend to use charcoal filtered or RO to grow it.  Again I keep the ppm about
200 to 250 so the snails can be healthy.

Hope this helps.
Peace
john
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John N. Alegre                   o
Andante Systems               o
eCommerce Consulting       o
Custom Web Development <*{{{{}><
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