Faux-Reef?

Back-in-the-day I remember the LFS guys saying that the bio-load
(waste-amonia production) of adding inverts to a tank was miniscule compared
to adding fish.

Is this true? Once the tank is cycled, can I add , say, a dozen feather
dusters with half-dollar sized crowns simultaneously without creating a
water hazard? Or, since they are worms, do they produce enough waste where
adding this many would be a concern?

StringerBell wrote:

Is this true? Once the tank is cycled, can I add , say, a dozen feather
dusters with half-dollar sized crowns simultaneously without creating a
water hazard? Or, since they are worms, do they produce enough waste where
adding this many would be a concern?

Yep, it's true. They're filter feeders, which means that they eat stuff that
would normally be trapped in a particulate matter filter (such as a canister
filter). If this stuff goes into a cannister filter, it will decay, producing
ammonia for the cycle. If it goes into a feather duster, it will produce ammonia
for the cycle. Machts nichts.

George Patterson
All successes in conservation are temporary. All defeats are permanent.

"George Patterson" wrote in message news:zVmRg.1018

Yep, it's true. They're filter feeders, which means that they eat stuff
that
would normally be trapped in a particulate matter filter (such as a canister
filter). If this stuff goes into a cannister filter, it will decay,
producing ammonia for the cycle. If it goes into a feather duster, it will
produce ammonia for the cycle. Machts nichts.

I`m sorry---I didnt quite understand the answer, plus , I dont know German


Are you saying that adding 12 feather dusters is OK, or that it is not due
to a big ammonia load?

thanks as always........

StringerBell wrote:

Are you saying that adding 12 feather dusters is OK, or that it is not due
to a big ammonia load?

Filter feeders eat stuff that would decay anyway, this being small particles of
detritus suspended in the water. The amount of ammonia will be the same whether
the feather dusters are in there or not. Unless, of course, you add so many
feather dusters that you have to increase the amount of food you dump into the
water.

George Patterson
All successes in conservation are temporary. All defeats are permanent.

Yes fish produce more ammonia.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



StringerBell wrote on 9/23/2006 11:19 PM:
Back-in-the-day I remember the LFS guys saying that the bio-load
(waste-amonia production) of adding inverts to a tank was miniscule compared
to adding fish.

Is this true? Once the tank is cycled, can I add , say, a dozen feather
dusters with half-dollar sized crowns simultaneously without creating a
water hazard? Or, since they are worms, do they produce enough waste where
adding this many would be a concern?