Rotifer culture Q's

[ri]

Two questions for the group:

1. I'm wondering if a small MiniJet404 (~100GPH) pump could be used to keep the culture (and food) circulating and aerated in the 10 gallon tank. Maybe the current rigid airline I use is enough?

2. I feed the rotifers algae paste. As time goes on, the glass walls turn green from a buildup of the algae. If I remove the gunk with something like a toothbrush, will the rotifers eat the gunk?

Any thoughts/comments?

ri

[mattydub]

1. the rigid airliine is plenty
2. you should clean the culture from time to time (yes they'll eat some of the gunk, but not enough to make it a "self-cleaning" tank which is what I think you're asking...)

[Kathy55g]

I would not use the minijet. Going through the impellar would damage the rotifers, I think.

[rsman]

BAD idea

a minijet will make quick mush out of all of your rotifers....


rotifers are small, if you can see the gunk they cant eat it, if the gunk is disapearing then either 1 its decomposing or 2 you have something else in with your rotifers....

best choice would be to drain all of your rotifer culture thru 2 seives 400 and 52 keep what goes thru the 52 toss the rest, clean the culture tank and put the rotifers back.

[pszemol]

No, do not scrub walls when rotifers are inside.
The gunk will polute rotifers and you will get a mixture of gunk particles and rotifers.
Instead, leave the gunk on the walls and bottom, crefully pour the rotifers with their water to a clean container then clean your culture vessel with a brush to get rid of the gunk on the walls/bottom. Now you can replace rotifers with their water back to the culture container. I use brine shrimp net to remove particles bigger than rotifers in this process - water with rotifers goes through the net unstopped, but larger particles of gunk are stopped on the net.

Also, consider feeding more often with smaller quantities of algae paste. If you feed with one large amount a lot of algea will settle on the walls and bottom before getting a chance of being eaten.
That is why people try using dosing pumps for feeding very small quantities constantly.

[ri]

Thanks for the replies.

I did not think the pump would be a good idea but thought I would ask.

ri

[pamsreef]

If I could ask, what would be a good pump. Also, I read that you could use a coffee filter to strain the water. Any thoughts?

Pam

[Kathy55g]

a paper coffee filter will collect rots and gunk together. a plastic coffee filter will collect some of the bigger gunk and let the rots go through.

[Kathy55g]

Originally posted by rsman
drain all of your rotifer culture thru 2 seives 400 and 52 keep what goes thru the 52 toss the rest, clean the culture tank and put the rotifers back.

rsman, won't you also need to keep the rotifers that are collected by the 52? Toss the stuff collected by the 400?

[rsman]

oops i did that all wrong

keep what doesnt go thru the 52, toss what doesnt get to the 52 (sticks to 400) and what goes thru the 52