Cuttle egg adventure

[DeepBlueWonders]

Ok, so I set up the 44 gallon with the 29 gallon as sump, but with the smallest pump I have, there is way too much flow in the sump (cuttle tank) for the cuttle. So because it is so late, I am going to run the pump for about an hour to let all the water adjust so that the water in the 44 gallon is the exact same water in the 29, then I'm going to turn the pump off, and put the cuttle in the 29 gallon (after I acclimate it). Tomorrow morning I'll post parameter tests of both tanks (although the 29 gallon shouldn't be too different, considering its only one cuttle in there...). Hopefully I will be able to pick up a smaller pump tomorrow.

Lilalancarey - How are your cuttles doing? About how many mysid a day are they eating?

 

[cuttlegirl]

I'm guessing that your poor hatch rate may have had to do with your water parameters, especially since you think those two hatched prematurely (the yolk sacs). In the wild, not all of the eggs would have hatched either.

Will your 29 have any water flow tonight?

Make sure you get something (like a piece of foam or sponge) over the intake of the new pump so that the cuttles aren't sucked into the intake by mistake (like a piece of foam or sponge).

 

[DeepBlueWonders]

I'll run the protein skimmer all night, with a really small pico tank pump to help with circulation. Thats what I've been doing from day one.

 

[DeepBlueWonders]

OK I don't know how this is possible...
29 Gallon Tank:
Nitrates - 0ppm
Nitrites - 0.5ppm

44 Gallon Tank:
Nitrates - 0ppm
Nitrites - 0ppm

How are they that different in such a small amount of time?

 

[cuttlegirl]

What are you using for the test kit? I would run the test again.

How is the little guy this morning?

 

[Thales]

OK I don't know how this is possible...
29 Gallon Tank:
Nitrates - 0ppm
Nitrites - 0.5ppm

44 Gallon Tank:
Nitrates - 0ppm
Nitrites - 0ppm

How are they that different in such a small amount of time?

Because the 44 has established biological filtration that processes nitrites, while the 29 doesn't.

 

[DeepBlueWonders]

What are you using for the test kit? I would run the test again.

How is the little guy this morning?

He hasnt gone "crazy" one time, which is very (fortunately) unusual. He is still not eating, but just haning out at the bottom, moving every now and then.

The new eggs just came in.
There are twelve of them, I believe all the eggs are viable and ready to hatch within a few days.
I just had an epiphany for a solution to the filtration problem. Although there is too much flow in the sump for the cuttles, its the appropriate amount for the sized tank, so Im going to keep it there. Instead of the cutles being inside the 29, I can keep an overflow box hanging on the 29 gallon, with the side with the drain in the the sump and the overflow side out side of the tank. I can set up that small pico pump I mentioned inside the sump to flow into the overflow, then the water will go through the U-tube and back into the sump, constantly bringing new water to the overflow. Then I can keep the cuttles in the overflow box instead of a net breeder. I can put netting over the U-tube so that nothing gets sucked up. This way, the cuttles are receiving clean water from the system, in a much calmer enviornment.
Then a different over flow box will be filtering water from the 44 gallon to the sump, and then the regular pump to put water back into the 44.
What do you guys think?

 

[Thales]

He hasnt gone "crazy" one time, which is very (fortunately) unusual. He is still not eating, but just haning out at the bottom, moving every now and then.

The new eggs just came in.
There are twelve of them, I believe all the eggs are viable and ready to hatch within a few days.
I just had an epiphany for a solution to the filtration problem. Although there is too much flow in the sump for the cuttles, its the appropriate amount for the sized tank, so Im going to keep it there. Instead of the cutles being inside the 29, I can keep an overflow box hanging on the 29 gallon, with the side with the drain in the the sump and the overflow side out side of the tank. I can set up that small pico pump I mentioned inside the sump to flow into the overflow, then the water will go through the U-tube and back into the sump, constantly bringing new water to the overflow. Then I can keep the cuttles in the overflow box instead of a net breeder. I can put netting over the U-tube so that nothing gets sucked up. This way, the cuttles are receiving clean water from the system, in a much calmer enviornment.
Then a different over flow box will be filtering water from the 44 gallon to the sump, and then the regular pump to put water back into the 44.
What do you guys think?

That sounds scary to me. I wouldn't want to restrict or potentially block an over flow tube for any reason as a blocked over flow is a flood. I would also be nervous about the cuttles getting sucked out of the overflow (or sucked agains the screen). I have seen too many overflow go wrong to want to mess with them.

You could however, take a critter keepker, cut a hole in it and glue window screen over the hole. Put it in your sump in such a way that the hole you drilled is above the water level in the sump, and use the little pump to add water to the kritter keeper (which will then drain into your sump). Or you could put it in the 29. I hope that makes sense.

 

[DeepBlueWonders]

What if iI got endcaps for a large size PVC, like 6 inch, and drilled small hoes around the top then covered the holes with screen/netting. That would work, right? And I think that would be cheaper than a Citter Keepers, yes?

 

[DWhatley]

I like the critter keeper idea and it is reusable for multiple generations either in the sump or in the main display any time you have eggs (your own or purchased). Instead of dealing with netting and a single hole, however, how about drilling a series of small holes staggered (to minimize the weakness you are creating an limit cracking as you drill) near the top perimeter. This should help spread the outflow and mix the water. You will have to experiment with the number of holes that will keep up with the mini pump but it may be easier and you likely have all the tools at hand needed.

As an aside, I have found the larger mag floats (or equivalent with a good strong magnet and proper saltwater protection) to work really well to attach breeder nets and the like to the side of a tank with a consistent depth. It should be strong enough to keep a critter keeper in place as well but you will have to test the thought.

 

[DWhatley]

And I think that would be cheaper than a Citter Keepers

They are pretty reasonably priced, ranging from $5 to $15 depending upon size at PetSmart and should be in the same range at most pet stores. In general they are a nice box to have around for any number of situations where you want to separate something from the main body of the tank. Drilling the holes would not negate other uses (and might enhance its use for other things).

 

[DeepBlueWonders]

Alright, I'll go with the critter keeper. Would magnets be ok to hold it in place?

 

[DeepBlueWonders]

Well, turns out while trying to make room for the critter keepers, I found a way to reduce the flow in the sump. So now I'm just going to continue with the net breeders.

UPDATE: The cuttle and all 13 eggs are now in the net breeders

 

[Thales]

For anyone in the future - kritter keepers are made of brittle plastic and are difficult to drill, but easy to cut wit a dremmel and cut off disks (I should have been more clear above). I usually cut a 1 cm - 2 cm wide slot on the short edge of the keeper and then glue mesh of the appropriate size over that.

 

[DeepBlueWonders]

For anyone in the future - kritter keepers are made of brittle plastic and are difficult to drill, but easy to cut wit a dremmel and cut off disks (I should have been more clear above). I usually cut a 1 cm - 2 cm wide slot on the short edge of the keeper and then glue mesh of the appropriate size over that.

Yes I did find out for myself how diffiult they were to drill. I didn't have any trouble with small holes, but for big ones it was virtually impossible lol. Luckily the net breeders work.