sump critter recommendations

[mjpelikan]

I am to the point in my sump to put some critters in there. The macro algae (calpera and cheato) has some little bugs (rotifers/copopods/amphpods whatever) which I would like to not be ate until they get sucked up by the pump and thrown into the display

There is 4 to 6in of sand intermixed with some live rock.

I am thinking:
brittle star
a peppermint shrimp or two
various snails
and maybe a cucumber.

Thoughts/suggestions?

 

[McBeck]

The peppermints will definitely chow down on the pod population, so I wouldn't recommend them.

Why do you want to add critters? If you have a goal result in mind, it might be easier to help you choose.

 

[Phyto]

If you are more interested in zooplankton production, I would add snails and maybe a cucumber. Like McBeck said, it depends on your goal/reason.
Personally, I prefer the thriving zooplankton sump . I only keep snails in my sump to limit predation. The plankton population is ridiculous. I have many different pod types, chitons, spaghetti worms, ctenophores, rotifers, bristles, several differenst species of soft bodied worms, mysis, stomatellas and several species of calcareous tube worms. Thats just the stuff I can see and identify.
If you have something like a 90 gallon sump and lots of macro, then keeping larger inverts may have little/no effect on plankton populations. You just wont have pods, in masses, hanging all over your glass like they own the place.
I really enjoy looking at my sump. It is another world apart from the display full of coral.

 

[mjpelikan]

I saw a couple of small aiptasia, so i figured peppermint, however, I deffinatly want a thriving zooplankton population!
I only have a about 30gal water in my sump, now that I have added a mess of sand and live rock.

I have noticed some detris collecting, but I noticed a blue leg hermit down there and the detris has started to disapate...
Thank you!

 

[saltyunderground]

I agree with all of the above.

Remove the aips now before they get any worse. If they are on a smooth surface, scape them off with a razor blade. if they are on rock, use a chisel to knock off the rock under them.