I want to harvest some scum and bugs to seed a new aquarium, but I'd like it to come from a relatively clean source. Not anywhere with fertilizer runoff, next to a field full of pesticides, etc.

The tank will hold freshwater shrimp and snails and they are extra sensitive to these things. Especially copper.

Where's a spot around BCS where I can scoop up some muck with plenty of scuds and arthropods and worms?

Tim Weaver said:

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I want to harvest some scum and bugs to seed a new aquarium, but I'd like it to come from a relatively clean source. Not anywhere with fertilizer runoff, next to a field full of pesticides, etc.

The tank will hold freshwater shrimp and snails and they are extra sensitive to these things. Especially copper.

Where's a spot around BCS where I can scoop up some muck with plenty of scuds and arthropods and worms?

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Just a word of caution about mentioning ideal environmental conditions in this region. But seriously, I think you'd like have to go somewhere closer to the Austin area or somewhere that has a spring fed river coming in/out of it.

I don't know about pesticides or fertilizer for certain, but go to Tanglewood Park, and then walk across the street to the grassy area with the gravel trail. There is a small grass-obscured waterway that always seems to have water, and I have seen tiny fish and critters in it, so I assume it will meet your needs.

I have no idea if it survived this summer, but I think it dd.

How far do you want to go to get it? I have a wetland out by Somerville that's grasses flooded with well water. Any man made contaminants should be very low. Always seems to be a lot of invertebrates.

FlyRod said:

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I don't know about pesticides or fertilizer for certain, but go to Tanglewood Park, and then walk across the street to the grassy area with the gravel trail. There is a small grass-obscured waterway that always seems to have water, and I have seen tiny fish and critters in it, so I assume it will meet your needs.

I have no idea if it survived this summer, but I think it dd.

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I'll go take a look at this, thanks!

CS78 said:

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How far do you want to go to get it? I have a wetland out by Somerville that's grasses flooded with well water. Any man made contaminants should be very low. Always seems to be a lot of invertebrates.

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I don't mind a little drive.


If you want to send me some info its HighSPL (at) G Mail (dot) com

Email sent.

What about getting some RO water from Jacobs Well and then adding any minerals or organic material to get the water exactly like you want it ?

Koko Chingo said:

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What about getting some RO water from Jacobs Well and then adding any minerals or organic material to get the water exactly like you want it ?

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That can work, but it also means you have to "be the bugs" in that scenario. You have to do lots of regular maintenance to replace the nitrate cleaning process that bugs, bacteria, and invertebrates do in nature.

Remineralized RO water does not include those hard working critters.

If this will be a planted tank I would love to see pics when you have it up and running!

aneisch said:

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If this will be a planted tank I would love to see pics when you have it up and running!

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Yeah, it'll be a while before it looks good enough to share. I have two swords that I put in there and they both died back. That happens a lot since the plants are grown not submerged at the plant farms. Once you submerge them those leaves die off and it has to regrow.

It's really not a show piece, just a 5 gallon office tank. It's small so I'm only doing snails and shrimp.


BTW, Tanglewood park was full of Water Hyssop. It's incredibly easy to grow and is super tolerant of salts, even to the point of growing in brackish areas. It carpets and grows fast, and has very pretty little white flowers. If you have a constantly wet spot somewhere this would be a great plant to put there to firm up the soil and prevent erosion.

It is invasive, but honestly it already exists just about everywhere worldwide, so I wouldn't worry about it unless your wetspot backs up to a wetlands area. It has the tendency to take over, but won't grow on dry ground.

Also, I ordered shrimp from Flip Aquatics. I've ordered from them once before and they have very healthy livestock. I got 20 random Neocaridina this time. I'll put a few in my other tanks at home just to bolster some genetic diversity, but maybe ten or so will go in my office tank. I'll probably have 100+ by January! lol

https://flipaquatics.com/

Shrimp are cool. Bettas rule my tanks so sadly shrimp would become food very fast. They're fun to watch, even the boring ones like ghost shrimp.

Slightly off topic but I wonder if those giant native freshwater prawns still exist in some Texas rivers, or if they all got eaten by locals.

FlyRod said:

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Shrimp are cool. Bettas rule my tanks so sadly shrimp would become food very fast. They're fun to watch, even the boring ones like ghost shrimp.

Slightly off topic but I wonder if those giant native freshwater prawns still exist in some Texas rivers, or if they all got eaten by locals.

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I'd love to find that out too.

Texas has its own Killifish, better known as the Mud Minnow, but the really nice looking Texas Fish would be the Rio Grande Cichlid. They are invasive, but have made a very decent living around coastal areas here, and in Florida. They are really pretty, but also get big and require a large tank.

A channel I subscribe to has some amazing tank stuff with small creatures. Insane what is possible.

David Happymountain said:

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A channel I subscribe to has some amazing tank stuff with small creatures. Insane what is possible.

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I love his channel. Often have it running in the background.

I have a pond if you haven't found anything. No fertilizer, and no pesticides sprayed anywhere near it to my knowledge. Neighbors on both sides run cattle, and we don't fertilize that portion of our property.

It's pretty low, but that's in part because it seems like everything that can grow in a pond seems to take root in ours.

Lake Bryan is fed from well water, no creek flowing into it. That would be my recommendation

Possibility.

A local spring