Copepods in Refugium

[nicksEvo]

I've setup the second chamber of my fluval evo as a refugium filled with chaeto. I was looking to get a goby as a third fish that will get along with my clowns. I've heard only good things about a large pod population in reef tanks.
My idea is to establish a population of copepods in my small fuge in chamber 2 with a product similar to like this product. They will eat eat and live in the chaeto, reproducing and maintaining a steady population in chamber two. Some will inevitably get sucked into the return pump and will be brought into the main tank where they will eat algae, detritus and be a great supplementary food source for fish and corals.
Is this a pointless endeavor? Will I have to continually restock them in chamber 2? I've already seeded the tank with live rock, so I already have pods in the tank, but do specific species make a difference? Do having them in the fuge make a difference? Is my fuge too small to accomplish this? Is my tank too small for this to be worth it? Any specific product recommendations? Any notes at all?

I'm just getting back into the hobby after several years and I plan to scale up when I buy a house. I'd like to try different things and learn as much as possible before then.

 

[doubleshot00]

I wouldn’t waste my limited space on a fuge but that me. I did just dose 20oz of pods. They don’t need cheato to live.

 

[SaltySam09]

Honestly if you have pods in the tank I wouldn’t worry about doing anything extra. Although If you really want to help boost the population I would recommend dosing phytoplankton, it makes the copepod population explode.
And If you already have Have a Refugium with chaeto you definitely won’t run out either.

 

[nicksEvo]

@SaltySam09 stupid question: I already seeded with live rock so it's probably a given, but how do I know that I already have pods? I dont want to dose phytoplankton for no pods to eat them

 

[William Mumford]

You can't add too much copepods. Copepods are also very underated for the benefits they add of keeping the tank clean. They have tons of benefits like being the smallest member of the clean up crew that can get into the smallest of areas. They can and will eat any waste and algae in the tank. Dosing phytoplankton will help but on a new tank will add to algae growth.

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[SaltySam09]

@SaltySam09 stupid question: I already seeded with live rock so it's probably a given, but how do I know that I already have pods? I dont want to dose phytoplankton for no pods to eat them

You should see the little white dots on your glass, if you want to be safe you can order a mix of copepods to get more diversity, I really like

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I've had more success using easy lazy banana peel (skin) pod culturing even though I've 3 chamber sump.

Here is link to info:

raising tig pods - tiny 2.5g tank experimental culture #2

2nd attempt at raising tig pods is officially underway. Original attempt was outdoor lazy banana leaf method I found online - that is still underway but seems to be failing. Suspect Texas temperature and full day direct sunshine is too much, but that pod culture experiment still underway. 2nd...

forum.dfwmas.org

 

[kevgib67]

This question hasn’t been answered yet I’ve gotten pods and phyto from both Algae Barn and Dinkins Aquatics and pleased with both. Also both are sponsors of R2R!

 

[Fish Think Pink]

This question hasn’t been answered yet I’ve gotten pods and phyto from both Algae Barn and Dinkins Aquatics and pleased with both. Also both are sponsors of R2R!

I love all three: @AlgaeBarn @Dinkins Aquatic Gardens and @Reef Nutrition

My above different suggested culturing method (external container) starts with @Reef Nutrition tigger pods but in my tank are all types from all three suppliers.

Agree with @kevgib67 that @nicksEvo original question about sump has not yet been answered but pod info (notes) abound above and embedded in my other thread is pod recommendations for alternate external container culturing.

Nick's questions were:

do specific species make a difference? Do having them in the fuge make a difference? Is my fuge too small to accomplish this? Is my tank too small for this to be worth it? Any specific product recommendations? Any notes at all?

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

Personally I think your system is to small for it to make a difference . Rock work and substrate is going to be key in your system. Phytoplankton dosing will definitely be needed to keep the pod population going but on the plus side you won't need much of it . Different species are always a plus some are pelagic some are not some reproduce faster then other . Some hold egg sacks longer making them nutritious to your fish etc etc diversity is always a good thing . At the end of the day copepods are what you feed them a high DHA/EPA mix of phyto is a great start . You can on visually see less then 5% of your copepod population. The rest will be on your rock work and substrate. Good way to see if you have any in your system is let film algea build up on your glass if you see them then you definitely have them .

 

[nicksEvo]

I've had more success using easy lazy banana peel (skin) pod culturing even though I've 3 chamber sump.

Here is link to info:

raising tig pods - tiny 2.5g tank experimental culture #2

2nd attempt at raising tig pods is officially underway. Original attempt was outdoor lazy banana leaf method I found online - that is still underway but seems to be failing. Suspect Texas temperature and full day direct sunshine is too much, but that pod culture experiment still underway. 2nd...

forum.dfwmas.org

This is super cool, definitely going to try it out

 

[Keko21]

I have dosed my tank 3 times over the course of 6 weeks with pods- 2 jars from Algae Barn, 1 from my LFS. I put the majority in my fuge and some in the DT. I have Chaeto in there too. I have yet to see a single pod on my glass lol. I go in there at night with a flashlight and see nothing. I've been dosing with Ocean Magik as well. Tank parameters are all great. Fish in there are 3 fire fish, royal gramma, lagoon shrimp goby, leopard wrasse (who only comes out every couple of days to eat) CUC and some shrimp. I feel like I should have thousands in there, but there is legit no visual evidence and it kind of drives me crazy!

 

[bnord]

I had a question about my pod population over time as well, with key rock, algae barn and local additions to the fuge and display
about 18 months back had a velvet outbreak (QT'd fish entry - obviously inadequate) and removed all fish and fallowed the tank.
Had to use the algae scrapper to keep the glass free of pods. smile

Just cause you don't see them, doesn't mean that are not there

 

[Fish Think Pink]

I have dosed my tank 3 times over the course of 6 weeks with pods- 2 jars from Algae Barn, 1 from my LFS. I put the majority in my fuge and some in the DT. I have Chaeto in there too. I have yet to see a single pod on my glass lol. I go in there at night with a flashlight and see nothing. I've been dosing with Ocean Magik as well. Tank parameters are all great. Fish in there are 3 fire fish, royal gramma, lagoon shrimp goby, leopard wrasse (who only comes out every couple of days to eat) CUC and some shrimp. I feel like I should have thousands in there, but there is legit no visual evidence and it kind of drives me crazy!

Like you, I want to SEE them... and I love doing the lazy easy banana peel method with powdered spirulina so each day I add them in - I *know* they are in there... lol

raising tig pods - tiny 2.5g tank experimental culture #2

2nd attempt at raising tig pods is officially underway. Original attempt was outdoor lazy banana leaf method I found online - that is still underway but seems to be failing. Suspect Texas temperature and full day direct sunshine is too much, but that pod culture experiment still underway. 2nd...

forum.dfwmas.org

 

[Keko21]

Holy crap! They actually showed up! Finally saw a bunch of pods crawling all over my glass last night!!