Food Pond?

[Shikartha]

What if i took like a 50 gallon plastic tub with RO water, put in plants. Add daphnia and scuds and left it outside. Would they breed and thrive, or what els would i need to do?

 

[gomezladdams]

I think old tank water or rain water would work better.Daphnia doesnt seem to do well in clean water

 

[Shikartha]

so when im doing water changes with my tank, just put the water in there?

 

[DeLgAdO]

What if i took like a 50 gallon plastic tub with RO water, put in plants. Add daphnia and scuds and left it outside. Would they breed and thrive, or what els would i need to do?

everything would die if you used RO water

 

[WyldFya]

everything would die if you used RO water

Not true Del. Daphnia will thrive in RO water with the simple addition of active dry yeast to the water.

Daphnia like clean water, but will survive (but not thrive) in dirty water. They require food like all organisms though. Rather than dirty water, green water would be better to add in small amounts. Dry yeast, however is much easier. Do not over do the yeast, 1 tbsp for a 50 gallon drum will be more than enough three times a week. The daphnia will need some water movement though, but not a fast current. A very slow bubbler will work for this, one that puts out 1-2 bubbles/second. Do not use a diffuser, as smaller bubbles can get lodged in daphnia's exoskeleton, which will make it impossible for them to swim, resulting in death. Another word of caution is to be careful when adding water during a water change, as very small bubbles can be formed, and kill of a vast number of your daphnia culture.

 

[guppy]

I think using RO water or pure rain water I would add some hay or farm alfalfa (instead of yeast) as well as plants, preferably elodea, this should give you some green infusoria. Start the infusoria a bout a week ahead of the daphnia and scuds. Definitly use an air stone for surface movement. A few pounds of garden soil in the bottom will also help both the plants and animicules.

 

[DeLgAdO]

your actually suppose to throw in afew slice of white bread.

damn i need to dig up that article in my magazine shelf

 

[Shikartha]

Thanks so much for all the info, I was also wondering what kind of tropical plants, or any plants i could keep in it out in the sun that would thrive. I live in san diego, but the weather has been a little cooler recently.

 

[guppy]

Elodea canadensis or e. brazilensis areyour best bets, cabomba caroliniana would be a close second.