“Best” environment in sump to promote populations of pods.

[mikee002]

What would be the best environment in the refugium to promote a healthy colony of pods? Chaeto, live rock, rubble, pod nests, etc?

Thanks

 

[ichthyogeek]

Whatever maximizes surface area for pods to colonize. I'm not aware of any papers that directly do comparisons, so I'm just speculating here.

Pod nests, or something like corrugated plastic works because it does its best to optimize the available area for pods to settle on.

Chaeto also works well, since there's some amount of available algae for the pods to graze on, and chaeto itself is high in surface area for the pods to colonize.

In terms of efficiency, rubble and live rock probably rank very low (in comparison to chaeto and corrugated plastic). If you have a pile of rubble, and a stack of corrugated plastic, I'm willing to assume that the corrugated plastic does a better job at maximizing surface area. Live rock can be hit or miss; super dense rock won't have as much surface area as a lighter rock, like Pukani.

 

[mikee002]

Thanks. This is pretty much the answer I was expecting... just didn’t know if there was something else I was missing.

Would bio-media such as matrix be somewhere between the chaeto/corrugated plastic and live rock?

Looking to go faux “rock” in the display with a bio media such as matrix in the sump/fuge. Trying to plan it all out best. Thanks.

Whatever maximizes surface area for pods to colonize. I'm not aware of any papers that directly do comparisons, so I'm just speculating here.

Pod nests, or something like corrugated plastic works because it does its best to optimize the available area for pods to settle on.

Chaeto also works well, since there's some amount of available algae for the pods to graze on, and chaeto itself is high in surface area for the pods to colonize.

In terms of efficiency, rubble and live rock probably rank very low (in comparison to chaeto and corrugated plastic). If you have a pile of rubble, and a stack of corrugated plastic, I'm willing to assume that the corrugated plastic does a better job at maximizing surface area. Live rock can be hit or miss; super dense rock won't have as much surface area as a lighter rock, like Pukani.

 

[Silent]

You could try the pod hotel

 

[ichthyogeek]

Yes, matrix would probably be somewhere in the spectrum of chaeto to live rock. Think of it as just a very tiny rubble pile. Or a fancy gravel bed...

Personally, I'd just go with some sort of sponge or highly porous block (think something like a marinepure block) for the biofiltration, and then make a pod hotel with corrugated plastic.

 

[Mark Gray]

Just to comment I have cheato a small amount of live rock, and Fiji mud in my sump, have tons of pods in the sump. Not to many in the tank but lots in the sump.

 

[mikee002]

Cool, thanks for the input.

Just to comment I have cheato a small amount of live rock, and Fiji mud in my sump, have tons of pods in the sump. Not to many in the tank but lots in the sump.

 

[mikee002]

Marine pure blocks were my original idea, I’ve read lots about them prematurely breaking down and turning to mush and also possibly leaching aluminum.

Yes, matrix would probably be somewhere in the spectrum of chaeto to live rock. Think of it as just a very tiny rubble pile. Or a fancy gravel bed...

Personally, I'd just go with some sort of sponge or highly porous block (think something like a marinepure block) for the biofiltration, and then make a pod hotel with corrugated plastic.

 

[Mr Mumblez]

I just put the algae barn ultimate refugium pack to good use in mine. The marine pure 2” cubes have ridiculous surface area! I don’t think anything beats that? The bricks seem tighter to me, smaller pores. Anyway Chaeto ball came with that so I tossed that in, shut everything down for a while. Then went back to business and seems great so far. Have to feed them phyto everyday, don’t miss this step. I’ll keep you updated.

3 section sump. Refuge in the middle,in and out on sides.Normal Home Depo grow led red spectrum.

 

[mikee002]

Cool thanks for the input. How long have you had the marinepure in the sump? I keep reading about how they break down to mush... and possibly leach aluminum (which is debated).

Thanks

I just put the algae barn ultimate refugium pack to good use in mine. The marine pure 2” cubes have ridiculous surface area! I don’t think anything beats that? The bricks seem tighter to me, smaller pores. Anyway Chaeto ball came with that so I tossed that in, shut everything down for a while. Then went back to business and seems great so far. Have to feed them phyto everyday, don’t miss this step. I’ll keep you updated.

3 section sump. Refuge in the middle,in and out on sides.Normal Home Depo grow led red spectrum.

 

[flampton]

Remember with all these excellent suggestions of surface area they need food. So whatever option you choose try to dose phyto as well if you're looking to have tons for some reason, mandarin.

 

[CakeyCake]

I have 15 plastic pot scrubbers in my sump that I use as "pod hotels". It doesnt look pretty but it works. I actually have too many copepods and amphipods in my tank, even with my mandarin and six line wrasse. They dont even eat what I feed my other fishes

 

[Mr Mumblez]

Cool thanks for the input. How long have you had the marinepure in the sump? I keep reading about how they break down to mush... and possibly leach aluminum (which is debated).

Thanks

I just got the marine pure brick 1.5 weeks ago and the cubes came with the refugium pack about week ago. The cubes do feel like they will break down way sooner than the 8”x4” brick will. The cubes after the RODI rinse could easily be smushed between fingertips. I’m not going to use them forever though. Hoping for a year at least for the price.

 

[mikee002]

I have a mandarin, fat and healthy for over 2 years now. Planning a new tank and just looking at options. She eats frozen and pellets, but mostly pods I’m assuming.

I have the Poseidon system for pods and phyto, but crashed both cultures last year and never restarted.

Remember with all these excellent suggestions of surface area they need food. So whatever option you choose try to dose phyto as well if you're looking to have tons for some reason, mandarin.

 

[Mr Mumblez]

I wonder if those natural sponges would be good?

 

[mikee002]

I tried this a while back, I seemed to get more amphipods from them than anything.

Thanks!

I have 15 plastic pot scrubbers in my sump that I use as "pod hotels". It doesnt look pretty but it works. I actually have too many copepods and amphipods in my tank, even with my mandarin and six line wrasse. They dont even eat what I feed my other fishes

 

[flampton]

I have a mandarin, fat and healthy for over 2 years now. Planning a new tank and just looking at options. She eats frozen and pellets, but mostly pods I’m assuming.

I have the Poseidon system for pods and phyto, but crashed both cultures last year and never restarted.

Yeah I think growing copepods outside the tank is unnecessary unless you have a mandarin in like a 15 gallon or something.

And yup dosing phyto is over the top unless you really need a very strong population.

So if the mandarin is doing fine now you probably don't need to dose in a new tank, except if you need to expand the population quickly at the start

 

[F i s h y]

I have 15 plastic pot scrubbers in my sump that I use as "pod hotels". It doesnt look pretty but it works. I actually have too many copepods and amphipods in my tank, even with my mandarin and six line wrasse. They dont even eat what I feed my other fishes

Picture? Always looking for idea.

 

[CakeyCake]

Picture? Always looking for idea.

so I just realized I actually have 25 not 15. They're all over my sump. These are the ones i tossed in with my return pump. As you can see, it doesn't look great lol. I'm sure I could rig something to make it look nice but it works so i don't really care

 

[Larry L]

I have 15 plastic pot scrubbers in my sump that I use as "pod hotels". It doesnt look pretty but it works. I actually have too many copepods and amphipods in my tank, even with my mandarin and six line wrasse. They dont even eat what I feed my other fishes

Do you need to do anything to keep them from accumulating detritus?