TMC Kreisel User manual

GB Instructions

Specialised jellyﬁsh aquariums

ALL MODELS

Welcome to the enchanting

world of jellyﬁsh!

The Kreisel aquarium is speciﬁcally designed to allow an exciting

entry into the fascinating and mesmerising world of jellyﬁsh

keeping.

This booklet is designed to give you some basic information on

jellyﬁsh and how to care for them.

The simple-to-follow format includes how to set up your Kreisel,

introducing jellyﬁsh to the aquarium and maintaining ideal

conditions to give your jellyﬁsh the best possible start.

IMPORTANT

The saltwater in which your jellyﬁsh will live is very important.

It must be prepared correctly and the right water parameters and

temperature for your chosen species of jellyﬁsh must be reached

and stable before introducing any jellyﬁsh to this Kreisel.

CAUTION

Due to its size, this Kreisel tank is NOT suitable for keeping all

species of jellyﬁsh. Please ensure you thoroughly research the

species requirements, i.e. their size, the required temperature and

water parameters, before introducing them into this tank. If in any

doubt check with your local marine livestock retailer.

Small volumes of water are more sensitive to changes in water

parameters and therefore it is not advisable to introduce more

than one jellyﬁsh at a time. Ensure you allow each jellyﬁsh

to settle in fully, and water parameters are correct, before

introducing another. This may take a number of weeks.

Kreisel Instructions

Index

• What is a jellyﬁsh? Page 4

• Jellyﬁsh life cycle Page 6

• General husbandry Page 7

• The nitrogen cycle Page 8

• Cycling your Kreisel Page 9

• Feeding Page 10

• Recommended species Page 11

Kreisel user guide: Parts list Page 12

• Important safety information Page 14

• Parts required for installation (not supplied) Page 16

• Setting up your Kreisel Page 17

• Operation Page 19

• Integrated LED light Page 20

• Introducing jellyﬁsh Page 21

• Safety precautions Page 21

• Maintenance Page 22

• Food and feeding accessories Page 23

What is a jellyﬁsh?

Jellyﬁsh, like corals, are animals; they are part of a large group called

invertebrates. Their name means that they do not have a backbone or spinal cord

(made of vertebra).

Jellyﬁsh are simple invertebrates members of the phylum Cnidaria, which

includes creatures such as sea anemones, sea whips, and corals.

Cnidarians invertebrates look very different from one to another but they share

unifying characteristics like:

Radial symmetry: Each has a centre point (mouth) with a body radiating out

from that point. This “radial symmetry” allows jellyﬁsh to detect and respond to

food or danger from any direction.

Flexible tentacles: that help them in catching their prey. Each tentacle

has thousand of microscopic stinging cells called nematocysts. That's the

component of certain jellyﬁsh responsible for causing a sting when their

tentacles make contact with a living organism. Ouch!

The infamous jellyﬁsh stinging is an involuntary reaction to contact, jellyﬁsh

cannot control it, and it’s used to stun their prey before bringing it to their

mouth.

Jellyﬁsh anatomy

Only about 5% of the body of a jellyﬁsh is solid matter; the rest is water! Lacking

brains, blood, or even hearts, jellyﬁsh are pretty simple creatures.

They are composed of three layers:

1. an outer layer, called the epidermis;

2. a middle layer made of a thick, elastic, jelly-like substance called mesoglea;

3. an inner layer, called the gastrodermis.

An elementary nervous system, or nerve net, allows jellyﬁsh to smell, detect light,

and respond to other stimuli. The simple digestive cavity of a jellyﬁsh acts as both

its stomach and intestine, with one opening for both the mouth and the anus.

CURIOUS FACT

Jellyﬁsh of the same species will not sting each other!

Reproductive glands or Gonads

Male and female jellyﬁsh have them. In the

male they produce sperm, in the female they

produce eggs

Tentacles

These are the bits

that sting you! They

can be short or long,

depending on the

species

Hood or exumbrella

It’s round and doesn’t

have a brain

Mouth

In the wild jellyﬁsh

feed on all sorts of

creatures. Some of

their favourite food

includes zooplankton,

phytoplankton,

brineshrimp and even

other jellyﬁsh!

Oral arms

they are used to take

food to the mouth

Jellyﬁsh life cycle

EGGS

PLANULA

LARVAE

POLYP

STROBILATING POLYP

EPHYRA

ADULT JELLYFISH

or MEDUSA

Jellyﬁsh reproduce sexually. When jellyﬁsh are ready to mate, the male releases

sperm through the mouth opening located on the underside of its bell. The eggs

are fertilized when the female swims through the male’s sperm.

After the eggs of the female jellyﬁsh are fertilized they soon hatch, and free-

swimming “planula” larvae emerge from the female’s mouth or brood pouch and

set out on their own.

A planula is a tiny oval structure the outer layer of which is lined with minute hairs

called cilia, which beat together to propel the larva through the water.

After a brief period ﬂoating about in surface waters, the larvae settle to the sea

ﬂoor, attaching themselves at one end. There they develop into polyps and begin

to feed and grow.

In spring, some of the polyps start to bud off immature jellyﬁsh known as ephyra

larvae.

The polyp looks like a cylindrical, stalk-like structure at the base of which there is

a disc that adheres to the substrate, and at its top is a mouth opening surrounded

by small tentacles.

The polyp feeds by drawing food into its mouth, and as it grows it begins to bud

new polyps from its trunk, forming a polyp hydroid colony in which the individual

polyps are linked together by feeding tubes.

CURIOUS FACT: Some jellyﬁsh are immortal!

There’s a death-defying species of jelly called ‘the immortal

jellyﬁsh’ (or Turritopsis dohrnii) found in the Mediterranean Sea and

in the waters of Japan that’s biologically immortal.

When the polyps reach the appropriate size (which can take several years), the

topmost groove matures the fastest and eventually buds off as a tiny baby

jellyﬁsh, technically known as an ephyra, characterized by its arm-like protrusions

rather than full, round bell.

The free-swimming ephyra grows in size and gradually turns into an adult

jellyﬁsh (known as a medusa) possessing a smooth, translucent bell.

General husbandry

Temperature

Maintain a temperature range of 13-26°C, with adjustments based on

the species and the area of origin. For most Aurelia sp. (Moon Jellyﬁsh), a

recommended temperature falls between 18-25°C. In typical scenarios, this

aligns with the Kreisel's temperature staying a degree or two below the

ambient room temperature, eliminating the need for additional heating. If

temperatures exceed the desired range, consider using a chiller connected to

the Kreisel's INLET/OULET connectors.

Salinity

A salinity range of 25-30ppt for most Aurelia sp (Moon Jellyﬁsh) is

recommended, although some jellyﬁsh can tolerate a broader range.

Other water parameters: pH: Maintain a range of 7.9 – 8.4.

NH₃ (Ammonia): Aim for 0.0 ppm.

NO₂ (Nitrite): Keep it below 0.05 ppm (<0,05ppm)

NO₃ (Nitrate): Maintain levels below 10.0ppm (<10ppm)

PO₄ (Phosphate): Limit to less than 2.0ppm.

Alkalinity: Aim for 7.4 - 8.4 DkH

IMPORTANT: Please consult your local marine livestock retailer for advice

on the speciﬁc water parameters, salinity and temperature of your chosen

jellyﬁsh species.

When you feed

your jellyﬁsh ...

Nitrifying bacteria

consume ammonia

and convert it into

NITRITE NO₂

Bacteria then consume

nitrite and convert it

into NITRATE NO₃, less

toxic than nitrite

You must remove

NITRATE NO₃ from

the system with

frequent partial

water changes

. ... jellyﬁsh waste

and excess food

decomposes

producing

AMMONIA NH₃

Use a suitable alkalinity buffer to stabilize pH between water changes. Note that

Phosphate (PO₄) and Nitrate (NO₃) can contribute to increased algae growth, so

monitor and manage them through regular partial water changes.

Regularly perform partial water changes to keep water parameters in check.

Water quality should be tested regularly using test kits which are available at

most local aquarium stores.

It is good procedure to test your water quality every few days for at least two

weeks after ﬁrst adding jellyﬁsh to ensure levels stay within recommended

parameters. Once it is established that the water parameters are stable you can

reduce testing accordingly.

To understand what is required to keep a healthy Kreisel, you need to understand

the nitrogen cycle, where beneﬁcial nitrifying bacteria start building up in your

Kreisel breaking down harmful ammonia (NH₃), into nitrite (NO₂) and then nitrate

(NO₃).

THE

NITROGEN

CYCLE

Cycling your Kresiel

When you ﬁrst start your Kreisel, it will have limited existing nitrifying bacteria

to process the waste from your jellyﬁsh, therefore harmful ammonia (NH₃), and

nitrite (NO₂) levels can increase rapidly. To prevent this sudden build up you will

need to ‘cycle’ the Kreisel which involves growing enough nitrifying bacteria to

process harmful ammonia (NH₃), converting them to nitrites (NO₂) and then to

less toxic nitrates (NO₃).

Cycling your Kresiel, can happen quickly, but it can also take days, sometimes

weeks, so patience is key.

There are a few products on the market which help kick-start the nitrogen cycle

with a dose of nitrifying bacteria, consult your local retailer for further advice if

necessary.

During the cycling process, it is recommended to test the water in your Kreisel

almost every day for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. This will help you understand

if the cycle is underway and when it is safe to start adding jellyﬁsh.

After a week or ten days, you should see a spike in ammonia concentration,

jumping from zero to a higher number. This is followed by a spike in nitrite,

followed by a spike in nitrate. After your nitrate goes up, your nitrite and ammonia

level should fall back down to zero. Once you have observed this change in water

chemistry your Nitrogen cycle is complete. As a guide, Cycling is achieved when

the following levels are reached:

Ammonia (NH₃),: 0 ppm Nitrite (NO₂): <0,05ppm Nitrate (NO₃): <10ppm

Water testing can be one of the more timely aspects of maintenance, but without

testing, it’s difﬁcult to know what’s going on inside your Kreisel. Every time you

test your water is a chance to correct any imbalances in water chemistry and

improve the overall water quality of your system.

After the cycling process you should be testing your water at least once a week.

Some local aquatic retailers will help you test your water, however, aquarium test

kits are relatively inexpensive and it’s a good idea to start testing your water at

home.

1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage Perfect for jellyﬁsh

pH 7.9-8.4 7.9-8.4 7.9-8.4 7.9-8.4

NH₃ + 0 0 0

NO₂ 0 + 0 <0,05ppm

NO₃ 0 0 >10ppm <10ppm

Feeding

IMPORTANT: Do not feed jellyﬁsh red plankton.

Jellyﬁsh are mostly carnivorous, consuming zooplankton or small ﬁsh. The Aurelia

sp. (Moon Jellyﬁsh) is a recommended species for beginners.

There are various feeding methods with their pros and cons, depending on your

chosen food type (frozen, dry or live). Live food is preferable if available, while

frozen and dry food is convenient but requires more frequent maintenance.

Feeding Live Food

Live baby brineshrimp, while pricier than frozen or dry food, keeps your Kreisel

cleaner in the long run – and your jellyﬁsh will thrive!

Since it’s live, there’s no debris leftover as with frozen and dry foods.

Feeding is simple: just place it in the tank using a pipette, and your jellies will

take care of the rest.

Feeding Frozen and Dry Food

There are different methods of feeding your jellyﬁsh with frozen or dry food,

which mostly come down to personal preference. We suggest the following:

FROZEN FOOD Brineshrimp, cyclops, mysis

DRY FOOD Brineshrimp nauplii, small soft pellets or coral feeds

Feeding Methods

Broadcast Method: This method, though simple, can result in leftover food,

necessitating frequent water changes. Prepare the jellyﬁsh food in a cup, pour

it evenly over the tank, and avoid overfeeding by adding gradually until the

jellyﬁsh stomachs are full. However, be aware that uneaten food may pollute

the tank, requiring more frequent water changes.

Pipette Method: This method minimizes saltwater and food wastage, but there

are reports of reduced jellyﬁsh feeding response over time. If this happens,

consider switching to the broadcast method.

Prepare food in a cup using saltwater from your Kreisel. Use a long nozzle

pipette to suck up and gently spray the food under the jellyﬁsh’s oral arms.

CAUTION:

• Feeding once or twice a day will be sufﬁcient in most cases.

• Always monitor the feeding behaviour of your jellyﬁsh.

• Do not overfeed and always remove any uneaten foods from the Kreisel once

feeding time is over.

• Overfeeding will lead to poor water quality parameters which can be harmful

to the jellyﬁsh.

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