DCU Mesocosm #6 Setup outside

 

DCU Mesocosm #6 Setup outside

In previous posts, I pointed to the plinth made to support the 900 litre tank - Tank T1. The other four tanks (T2 - T5) are being brought into use

I spent yesterday doing up the shed so we can store supplies (garden hose, brushes, bleach, extension lead, and invertebrate food when we are at that stage) in it.  This has to be kept locked for security purposes.

I laid an anti-weed membrane for stones to go down - the stones conform to the shape of the tank giving support, but in the case of the large tank (T1), the plinth was necessary to prevent cracking. I'll have these in the next couple of weeks. 

Also, I'll spray-paint stenciled codes on the tanks and have signage confirmed and printed (even if it's temporary).

T2 is the tank with the tube in the lid, this is to allow air to circulate in but keeps allochthonous material out. We can adapt these to connect to insect traps for mayflies etc. 

So the order of play will be as follows:

T1 - large tank - natural ecosystem for sampling / inserted partitioned as needs be.

T2 Moina in 5L drums inside @ 20'C

T3 Gammarus in partitioned sub-tanks inside at 10'C

T4 Mayflies in sub-tanks inside at 10'C (till end of April)

T5 TBD - possibly an estuarine/marine species

The tanks are being cleaned and put into use. The heated tank (T2) is working well, so I'm happy for Moina to go down to SPD when we can organize that.

The Gammarus is working well, so I'll be able to get them out into a tank as well in the coming weeks. I'm feeding them shrimp granules, which they seem to like a lot.

I'm less certain with the mayfly nymphs, but we'll see.