Need help with micro-fauna

[nminunni]

I have had my 20g up and running for almost a year now. I have a 1" or so sandbed with about 25-30lbs of LR. I do not have a refuge or sump.

Current livestock is 2 clowns, 2 cleanershrimp, 1 (maybe 2?) emerald crabs, 10 or so hermits, 1 sandsifting star, 10(?) nass snails and 2 turbos.

I was wondering what I could do to increase my pod/beneficial worm etc population. I really never see pods in my tank. I know the old even though you dont see them , they are there, addage, but I dotn really have anything that should decimate a pod population and am afraid for the overall health of my tank. I like to do things as naturally as possbile, hence the lack of a skimmer and reactors.

I have added tigger pods to my tank once or twice and there really wasnt much of an effect. I have rubble piles in my tank but again, have not seen much affect. There really just doesnt appear to be any small critters running around. I also, do not have any algae problems.

When I started the tank I did not use live sand, nor did I use LR from anyone else's system. I just bought the cycled rock from the LFS

What can I do?

 

[Dre]

Add a another inch of live sand from an established tank and remove the sandsifting star and the cleaner shrimp. I cleaned out my refugium today to make room for some caulerpas i have about 40 pound of live sand let me know if you want some.

 

[nminunni]

no im cool NJ is so far for sand.

I will see what I can scrounge around over on this side of things

 

[Dre]

no im cool NJ is so far for sand.

I will see what I can scrounge around over on this side of things

I'm going to Manhattan tomorrow if you are close i'll let you have some for free.

 

[House of Laughter]

more importantantly, most animals don't like salinity swings - especially smaller invertebrates.

Do you use Auto top off to manage your evaporation? if not, manually adding a 1/2g or so of fresh water per day could be a cause in why pods aren't running amuck in your tank - a year and no pods is very suspect of some larger stability/consistency issue.

Hope this is helpful

House

 

[Reefers Paradise]

absoulty you need some more sand from an established tank and add a bottle of pods at the sametime what u really need to consider which i belive every tank should have a refugium easy to build and cheap