Oyster filtration

Bigfoot_reef · 06/08/2009, 08:13 PM

Has anyone ever used oysters as a filter or have any info on it?

Pohono · 06/09/2009, 02:22 AM

Last I checked, oysters and aquariums are usually a death sentence for the oyster. Maybe there is a hardy species I haven't heard about. I was interested a year or so ago in a couple oysters at the local store, but did some research and didn't find anything positive to be said for their long term survival. If I recall they need very specific water conditions, and unlike the freshwater or bay oysters folks eat, tropical saltwater oysters don't do well with 'dirty water'. I think if you do get one you either need a super skimmer that can deal with you flooding your tank with micro foods, or somehow feed each oyster individually with what I don't know.

coolfish5 · 06/09/2009, 06:10 AM

I've worked with Crassostrea virginica, from Chesapeake bay. They can eat a ton of phytoplankton. I don't really see it being possible to feed them enough while maintaining a tank clean enough for reef. They are normal in fairly turbid water with little light penetration, and we would feed very heavy with phyto each day. They also make quite a mess when they spawn which is frequently in warmer water.

Maybe someone has done something like that. I would love to see if it works.

billdogg · 06/09/2009, 06:50 AM

about 15 years ago, i brought home a piece of rock with some mushrooms on it. the mushrooms all moved away, leaving a flat chunk of rock. but wait - whats that??? a mollusk of some sort about the size of a BB in a crevice. flash forward to now - it has grown into a 3 - 4" spiny oyster, one of the centerpieces of my tank, if for no other reason than because it was there!!! I have never fed it directly, it has survived numerous cyano/hairalgae outbreaks, etc

Bigfoot_reef · 06/09/2009, 07:58 PM

I was planning on putting a few in a separate sump that can be isolated from the display tank with a turn off valve so I could feed them plankton, and not release the food to the display tank.

06/08/2009, 08:13 PM	#1
Bigfoot_reef Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 6	Oyster filtration Has anyone ever used oysters as a filter or have any info on it?

06/09/2009, 06:10 AM	#3
coolfish5 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Christiansburg, VA Posts: 358	I've worked with Crassostrea virginica, from Chesapeake bay. They can eat a ton of phytoplankton. I don't really see it being possible to feed them enough while maintaining a tank clean enough for reef. They are normal in fairly turbid water with little light penetration, and we would feed very heavy with phyto each day. They also make quite a mess when they spawn which is frequently in warmer water. Maybe someone has done something like that. I would love to see if it works. __________________ John Current Tank Info: Reef: 65RR (6x HOT5 Nova Pro). Fresh water: 55 tropical

06/09/2009, 06:50 AM	#4
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	about 15 years ago, i brought home a piece of rock with some mushrooms on it. the mushrooms all moved away, leaving a flat chunk of rock. but wait - whats that??? a mollusk of some sort about the size of a BB in a crevice. flash forward to now - it has grown into a 3 - 4" spiny oyster, one of the centerpieces of my tank, if for no other reason than because it was there!!! I have never fed it directly, it has survived numerous cyano/hairalgae outbreaks, etc __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

06/09/2009, 02:22 AM	#2
Pohono Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Humboldt County, CA Posts: 60	Last I checked, oysters and aquariums are usually a death sentence for the oyster. Maybe there is a hardy species I haven't heard about. I was interested a year or so ago in a couple oysters at the local store, but did some research and didn't find anything positive to be said for their long term survival. If I recall they need very specific water conditions, and unlike the freshwater or bay oysters folks eat, tropical saltwater oysters don't do well with 'dirty water'. I think if you do get one you either need a super skimmer that can deal with you flooding your tank with micro foods, or somehow feed each oyster individually with what I don't know.

06/09/2009, 07:58 PM	#5
Bigfoot_reef Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 6	I was planning on putting a few in a separate sump that can be isolated from the display tank with a turn off valve so I could feed them plankton, and not release the food to the display tank.