Re: Daphnia culture and keeping green water

["Mr. Fish" <mrfish at ix_netcom.com>]

>
> Date: Sun, 4 Jun 2000 12:10:22 +0100
> From: Manda Scott <mcs at wiccan_demon.co.uk>
> Subject: Daphnia culture and keeping green water
>
> Sylvia,
>
> I have an almost identical problem (starter culture of daphnia eating a
> well-furred bucket of old tank water to clean in a week.)  I've just set up
> a light over the top of one bucket on the basis that the one thing that
> seems to stimulate algae is light. Am considering getting one of the marine
> 'blue' lights which (allegedly) create massive algae - sod's law dictates
> however, that they only stimulate huge amounts when you don't actually want
> them. I read on the Krib (I think, or it may have been e-aquaria) that
> daphnia like egg yolk so added some of that to both buckets today to keep
> them happy....
>
> will report on success...
>
> m (in Newmarket, UK, where I didn't put up my rainwater barrel in time to
> collect any of the heaviest rainfall seen in East Anglia for a century...:<)
>
> Syliva wrote:
>
> >I have an odd problem. I'd like to keep my green water.
> >
> >I borrowed some green water from a neighbor (who doesn't want it), put a
> >starter culture of daphnia in, and threw in all kinds of sponge squeezins.
> >I also had very slimy fur-algae-covered ambulia and watersprite, which I
> >tossed in. I have the whole mess circulating in a 5 gallon tank in a sunny
> >(half the day) window.
> >
> >The problem is the water is clearing. I tossed in a plant tab with N-P-K.
> >The tank continued to clear, I've even discovered new growth on the
> >plants, without algae. So I removed the plants, thinking they were helping
> >clear the water. There was obviously no emerged growth, as the mess just
> >rolls around in the current.
> >
> >So, I contemplated getting a small heater for the tank, and heating the
> >water up a tad. Doesn't algae grow better in warmer waters? The only
> >problem being that I found a mention in archives that daphnia do not like
> >warmer waters, will die off if it's too high, and prefer it in the 70's.
> >What a dilemma.
> >
> >I was wondering if turning the temp down on tanks with green water may
> >help to clear the tank, along with some other measures--for folks who
> >don't want green water. There has never been any mention of this.
> >
> >I am also wondering how the heck to keep the water green? Seems like I'm
> >going to have to start feeding the daphnia . . .
> >
> >Any ideas?
> >
> >Sylvia
>

I use brewers yeast as food for the little algae that the daphnia like to eat, if the
water is getting less green then the daphnia are getting ahead of the green stuff.  Add
more yeast.  a pinch every so days is enough.

I do not use any plants like water sprite as they will take the nutrients out of the
water that the green things need to propagate and thrive.  Usually put a snail in with
them to keep the walls clean.. Vacuum the mulm off the bottom often, they like it clean
in there, the little buggers.

Tank temperature not a requiremtn.  Algae needs food, daphnia nees algae, simple enough

Don't let moskitos at your daphnia as they eat em.  and quickly.



Mr. Fish

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