Pods in MI LR?

[JRPhd]

Hello,
Just wondering if I should expect to see copepods or any type of pod emerging from my MI rock as the tank matures. Anyone who has purchased this LR can feel free to give their .02.

Also, my corraline has stayed purple and violet, but hasn't spread much yet. The tank has been up and cycled for 2 months now.

Any thoughts would be apprceiated.
Jon

 

[Jeremy B.]

Hi Jon,

You will get some pod life with the Marshall Island, however not as much as what you would with Kaelini or Fiji.

What are you buffering the tank with right now? What are your calcium and alkalinity levels at?

Thanks,
Jeremy

 

[eclecticvibe]

I agree with Jeremy on the pod life. I've definitely seen pods come out of MI rock. In my experience, corraline algae sometimes takes up to 6 months before it starts really growing. Once it does start, it's a weed and have fun scraping it off the glass.

 

[cwegescheide]

Oh these premium guys don't know what they're talkin about

My rock (granted thats the only rock I've ever had) Marshall from Premium has critters crawling all over it. So bad I decided to get some wrasses and scooter to help thin those things out!!

If I turn on a flash light in the middle of the night it looks like they are swarming all over the place.. Its a trip. Now they could have hitch hiked on zoo's I've gotten or corals but still. You'll get em one way or the other..

 

[Balandar]

You will get pods. I have some tiny copepods on my back glass which can barely be seen, I didn't notice them until my turbos tried to plow through them. And of course my little buddy the isopod. :beachbum:

This was from Fiji rock btw

 

[cwegescheide]

Actually it seemed to me once my cycle was over and the tank was stable they came out from everywhere.

 

[JRPhd]

Well I'll do the flashlight thing and see. To be honest, I"m in a post cylce holding pattern until the new year. That is, I'm not adding any fish or corals. I haven't yet bought test kits beyond the Red Sea kit from you guys. As u know, the alk. doesn't give you a number and there is no calcium test.

While I'm at it, what would be the most practical tests to add? Salifert calc., alk, and phosphate? Since I don't know what my measurements are beyond ammonia, ph, no2, and no3, I haven't been dosing.
Jon

 

[eclecticvibe]

Phosphate is useful to know. Many people only test for that if there's an algae problem, but it can also inhibit color and growth in some corals. Alkalinity and Caclium are very important for a reef tank. Magnesium can be a factor, but ususally only if you're having trouble balancing calcium and magnesium. And or course if you're going to add something to your tank, i.e. iodine, strontium, etc..., please test for that before adding.

 

[JRPhd]

so a "basic advanced" kit would maybe include Alk, phosphate, and Ca then. And other tests if you're dosing s/t.

 

[eclecticvibe]

Sounds good to me.

 

[JustOneMoreTank]

I got my Premium Aquatics MI LR delivered on 10-06-2005. I have a good number of pods crawling around. I would like some more and may add some to the tank in the near future because I want a Mandarin eventually.
As far as the Coralline... I am watching the coralline algae spread almost daily. It is really great fun watching it slowly take over the overflow grate area, back painted glass, and the Closed Loop intakes. I have a few pictures that I will post. I need to put them on Photobucket first.

 

[JustOneMoreTank]

Keep your Alk and Ca levels up and you should see the Coralline algae spreading in no time. Here are a few average quality pictures that I took today showing some coralline growing on the back glass and overflows of my tank. I got my PA Marshall Islands rock about 10-6-05... so my tank has been running for about 2 months plus a week.

 

[JustOneMoreTank]

Here are some more pictures...