A few daphnia Pulex questions

[mina]

I read john clares article on daphnia which was helpful, and he mentionsed a bio foam filter? I went out and bought this http://leesaqpet.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=305&category_id=46&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

IS this wwhat he was talking about? OR did he mean a sponge filter. Either way could I use this?

And would anyone like to show me some pictures of there daphnia set ups?

 

[mina]

I really need to know asap. Got some eggs that could hatch any time... well... Not aanytime. but not w. out enough time for the culture to flourish.

 

[mark]

Air driven foam filters are sometimes referred to as “bio foam filters”. The filter you have is a fancy version of an air driven foam filter. I can’t say I’ve ever used a filter for my daphnia cultures. Have a look at http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/microfoods.shtml for a photo of Jen’s daphnia tub.

When you talk about eggs hatching it makes me wonder of you are talking about brine shrimp instead of daphnia?

 

[mina]

I mean sally eggs, that will need to eat them...

 

[ravenous]

you should be ok without a filter. I have never used a filter for daphs and never had any problems. ideally you want the water to contain things that a filter would remove such as degrading matter. the daphnia will feed from the bacteria that grow on degrading matter and should keep the water clean enough if not too clean.
i use a plastic tank and drill a small whole about 1 inch from the bottom. i put an air hose through the whole and seal it with silicone.

the tank below is what i use. (small tank on top of the big 1) it's being used for quarantine in the photo but you can see the air hose in the side with an air flow regulator. also you shouldn't use an air stone. just air hose.

 

[mina]

Oh. okay.could you get a closer picture.? And do you think I could use it?

(Message edited by herptastic on February 13, 2007)

 

[jennifer]

I think that by biofoam filter, he meant a sponge filter. I use bare plastic tubs with a piece of air tubing bubbling gently from the bottom (I hold the tubing down with a rock).

Keep in mind that Daphnia are sensitive to water quality. They are killed by chlorine, but I have also heard that they don't like the chemicals typically used to dechlorinate water. I would recommend using tap water filtered through a Brita/Pur type filter OR using old aquarium water.

 

[mina]

Okey dokey. Would like 1.3 gallon plastic shoe boxes nbe ok? I COULD use like a 4.5 gallon rubbermaid, but, I caould only have one culture where as with the shoeboxes i could have to in case one dies out or something.

 

[jennifer]

The problem with using smaller containers is that daphnia don't like to be crowded. When they reach a certain density, they can sense it and turn themselves into little black "seeds" called ephipia. You would only be able to grow a few, and you'd have to be careful to put only a really tiny tiny tiny amount of food in. Too much food, and the tub goes foul. Could you use the 4.5 gallon tub AND one of the shoeboxes? I think you're more likely to succeed with the larger tub.

This was a post from someone who was trying to grow daphnia in 2-liter (1/2 gallon) containers:
http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/24861/76652.html?1169355368

 

[mina]

Or could I just seed a new container with daphnia as the other starts to flourish? (using the shoeboxes)

 

[jennifer]

Are you limited by a lack of space, or a lack of actual containers?

I've never tried raising them in small containers. In theory, I think it could be done, but it might make it even more tricky to keep them alive.

 

[mina]

No I have (and can get) containers. But I am only 13 so My room,yes i am limited, I recently switchedroomsfromthe playroomfromthe bedroom (I had the play room(pretty big), and my brother had1 bedroom, and 1 bedroom as a playroom) but now the play room is a playroom. butit is kindof a mes,and I needto cleanit first,buti think i figured it out, still, pictures of how you raise them would be great!

 

[jennifer]

I currently use 2 tubs like the one shown on this page, except I don't bother with the light, which isn't necessary. And I stopped using the bubble bar.
http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/microfoods.shtml
As soon as the weather is a bit warmer, you can raise daphnia outdoors, and they will usually do much better there than indoors.