About to start new tank - how to safely introduce copepods from old tank?

[armandoarturo]

Hello everyone!
So.. I currently have a 1.5 year old 60 Gallon tank.
I made a lot of mistakes... and learned a lot of them. My tank is currently with fish, LPS and softies.
Now Im ready to have a new bigger tank (120 Gallon display + sup) , but I wat to start all over. This time I want to play it safe and try to avoid as many pests as I can and specially avoid the ones I got in the tank I currently have. (like white flatworms, vermetids, etc).

So now im thinking to start cycling new clean rock and ceramic balls in a new container and introduce saltwater adapted mollys to get it going.
Im also thinking into getting some clean algae at some point. All this will help me to get things going before I get my big tank , which will be in about 3 months.

My question is:
I would also like to get some copepods because I know the importance of microfauna and its role in the ecosystem.
Is there a safe way to hand pick copepods from my current refugium and introduce them into this new cycling tank without introducing other pests?
(I got many and they are very easy to hand pick, I just dont know if they come with high risk potential of introducing other pests).
Any advice?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Cthulukelele]

What are the pests specifically? Something like red planaria would almost certainly catch a ride

 

[armandoarturo]

What are the pests specifically? Something like red planaria would almost certainly catch a ride

I havent seen red planaria, but I do have white planarias, vermetids, aiptasias...
Should I just skip and not do this?

 

[Cthulukelele]

It's up to you. Ghost works aren't terrible, aiptasia are rarely free-floating, and same with vermentids, but there's a risk. How much do you want to gamble? How clean do you want to make absolutely certain the new system is?

 

[nuxx]

Could just go nuts like me and QT everything before the display (cuc, coral, fish...)

I never had a fish diseases, but would get one or two aiptasia a year... Sure there were more I couldn't see, but that's on hundreds and hundreds of pounds of rock. I did think I heard a mantis, but never verified.

 

[armandoarturo]

It's up to you. Ghost works aren't terrible, aiptasia are rarely free-floating, and same with vermentids, but there's a risk. How much do you want to gamble? How clean do you want to make absolutely certain the new system is?

I know there will always be a risk of getting something in, I actually havent had hard time with this pests but I really want to avoid them. Im ok with aiptasia and at some point with vermetids since they can be controlled with bumblebee snails. But I dont wat to have any kind of flatworm at all.
Now you got me thinking how am I gonna deal with transfering my fish from one tank to anoter ?...

Could just go nuts like me and QT everything before the display (cuc, coral, fish...)

I never had a fish diseases, but would get one or two aiptasia a year... Sure there were more I couldn't see, but that's on hundreds and hundreds of pounds of rock. I did think I heard a mantis, but never verified.

Believe me, I will start to QT everything I get.

 

[Cthulukelele]

Could just go nuts like me and QT everything before the display (cuc, coral, fish...)

I never had a fish diseases, but would get one or two aiptasia a year... Sure there were more I couldn't see, but that's on hundreds and hundreds of pounds of rock. I did think I heard a mantis, but never verified.

Yeah aiptasia babies are unbelievable at hiding

 

[brandon429]

you are sourcing all your stuff from the same general sources for the new tank

your new tank will be like this one within 2 yrs

you're better off fixing this tank as-is, then when it runs perfect, switch over.

a repeat is coming.

 

[armandoarturo]

you are sourcing all your stuff from the same general sources for the new tank

your new tank will be like this one within 2 yrs

you're better off fixing this tank as-is, then when it runs perfect, switch over.

a repeat is coming.

I will be using everything new (rock, sand, filter media)... And im planing to QT and medicate everything before I get them to the new tank.
Will this be useless?

 

[brandon429]

yes and I'm not just being a passivist either

when you get your first round of clean up crew, attached on their shells is tiny vermitid juveniles you can't see/some algae/some fish disease

same for all corals/anything wet + hardscape from an LFS

there is tremendous benefit in you addressing the issues now in the running tank and then moving over electively in full control of invasions. I can't tell you how many start overs I've tracked online, thousands, they are on a repeat loop for sure.

I have never seen someone go from typical reefing where we all get hitchhikers / planaria you mentioned etc/ verms/ some bad algae and then set up a tank and be free of them

in fact, the new white rocks lacking any suppressing biota beckon the new challenges worse than the current tank, in my opinion based on pattern tracking of start overs.

I find dinos outbreaks/common in new white rock setups far more devastating than the hitchhikers mentioned so far, and you keeping your current rock is a big big factor in not exchanging all this for dinos eventually.

 

[Tired]

My thought would be to hang a small light over the tank at night to attract copepods, then scoop some water from directly underneath it. That should get pods without anything else. Make sure to wait until there's something in the new tank for them to eat, though.

Quarantine should keep most pests out. However, you might be better off dealing with the pests in your current tank, then moving everything over, rather than starting from scratch. Not least since white flatworms (if you mean ghost or acoels) are harmless.

 

[MnFish1]

I will be using everything new (rock, sand, filter media)... And im planing to QT and medicate everything before I get them to the new tank.
Will this be useless?

I would suggest that you buy a pure culture. Copepods are not a microbe (which implies bacteria) - Just saying that to make sure the question you're asking - is what people are answering. IMHO - buy a pure culture of copepods if you want to do it - I've never done it - and I agree with @brandon429 In 6 months - it will be a non-issue

 

[armandoarturo]

yes and I'm not just being a passivist either

when you get your first round of clean up crew, attached on their shells is tiny vermitid juveniles you can't see/some algae/some fish disease

same for all corals/anything wet + hardscape from an LFS

there is tremendous benefit in you addressing the issues now in the running tank and then moving over electively in full control of invasions. I can't tell you how many start overs I've tracked online, thousands, they are on a repeat loop for sure.

I have never seen someone go from typical reefing where we all get hitchhikers / planaria you mentioned etc/ verms/ some bad algae and then set up a tank and be free of them

in fact, the new white rocks lacking any suppressing biota beckon the new challenges worse than the current tank, in my opinion based on pattern tracking of start overs.

I find dinos outbreaks/common in new white rock setups far more devastating than the hitchhikers mentioned so far, and you keeping your current rock is a big big factor in not exchanging all this for dinos eventually.

How can I get rid of the planarias / flatworms in the new set up then?
I dont mind having the other hitchhikers, just not the flatworms.

 

[brandon429]

it's really good to hold off on the upgrade until they're beaten. You'd have to sample posts on beating them in large tanks, for nano and pico reefs my 200-planaria hitchhiker issue took about 18 mos to beat and I just did rip cleans over and over until none were physically present.


*this is one good reason why a fallow holding system, a full side running reef tank is such a good option on the next iteration too, any hardscape items (the vectors for invasive planaria) are ran in the sub system usually 90 days before going into the main tank. this gives time for flatworms and other maladies to express before they get into a reef tank.

when you do eventually set up a new reef, set up 1.5 new reefs/ the smaller one is a dedicated fallow and observational system so you don't have to fight inside the tank on the next round.

*the common flatworm dosers people add to the water work, but they all have killed reefs too/ not 100% safe and effective. (see any post flatworm exit crashed my reef)

I myself would not know how to beat them in a large reef, perhaps peers will/for sure it's a good idea to beat them currently in the running reef/crucial practice. I dont practice observation or fallowing but my nano is so small it's easy to just wash out all the worms over and over until no more remain. I don't keep any fish so fish disease is not a concern either.

 

[brandon429]

dipping alone --> then going right into the display is not sufficient to prevent repeat issues in the new setup. a dedicated fallow system is the best way known to stop the repeat cycle for sure.

dip/pre treatment then go into a fallow holding mini reef for 90 days observation is really solid.

 

[armandoarturo]

it's really good to hold off on the upgrade until they're beaten. You'd have to sample posts on beating them in large tanks, for nano and pico reefs my 200-planaria hitchhiker issue took about 18 mos to beat and I just did rip cleans over and over until none were physically present.


*this is one good reason why a fallow holding system, a full side running reef tank is such a good option on the next iteration too, any hardscape items (the vectors for invasive planaria) are ran in the sub system usually 90 days before going into the main tank. this gives time for flatworms and other maladies to express before they get into a reef tank.

when you do eventually set up a new reef, set up 1.5 new reefs/ the smaller one is a dedicated fallow and observational system so you don't have to fight inside the tank on the next round.

*the common flatworm dosers people add to the water work, but they all have killed reefs too/ not 100% safe and effective. (see any post flatworm exit crashed my reef)

I myself would not know how to beat them in a large reef, perhaps peers will/for sure it's a good idea to beat them currently in the running reef/crucial practice. I dont practice observation or fallowing but my nano is so small it's easy to just wash out all the worms over and over until no more remain. I don't keep any fish so fish disease is not a concern either.

I did use Flatworm Exit, and did everything step by step. Luckily I did not loose any of my fish or inverts. But flatworms are still romaing around the glass.
I dont want to get a six line since Ive heard terrible agression stories.
I might get a mandarin but I doubt it helps erradicate tem 100%.

This next time I will keep a QT tank and dip multiple times to make sure I reduce the possibilities.

I feel like im in a room with no doors.

 

[MnFish1]

How can I get rid of the planarias / flatworms in the new set up then?
I dont mind having the other hitchhikers, just not the flatworms.

Planaria are normal aquarium inhabitants - there is not need to 'get rid of them'.

 

[MnFish1]

Planaria are normal aquarium inhabitants - there is not need to 'get rid of them'.

it's really good to hold off on the upgrade until they're beaten. You'd have to sample posts on beating them in large tanks, for nano and pico reefs my 200-planaria hitchhiker issue took about 18 mos to beat and I just did rip cleans over and over until none were physically present.


*this is one good reason why a fallow holding system, a full side running reef tank is such a good option on the next iteration too, any hardscape items (the vectors for invasive planaria) are ran in the sub system usually 90 days before going into the main tank. this gives time for flatworms and other maladies to express before they get into a reef tank.

when you do eventually set up a new reef, set up 1.5 new reefs/ the smaller one is a dedicated fallow and observational system so you don't have to fight inside the tank on the next round.

*the common flatworm dosers people add to the water work, but they all have killed reefs too/ not 100% safe and effective. (see any post flatworm exit crashed my reef)

I myself would not know how to beat them in a large reef, perhaps peers will/for sure it's a good idea to beat them currently in the running reef/crucial practice. I dont practice observation or fallowing but my nano is so small it's easy to just wash out all the worms over and over until no more remain. I don't keep any fish so fish disease is not a concern either.

You are totally incorrect IMHO. Planaria are normal aquarium inhabitants

 

[MnFish1]

I did use Flatworm Exit, and did everything step by step. Luckily I did not loose any of my fish or inverts. But flatworms are still romaing around the glass.
I dont want to get a six line since Ive heard terrible agression stories.
I might get a mandarin but I doubt it helps erradicate tem 100%.

This next time I will keep a QT tank and dip multiple times to make sure I reduce the possibilities.

I feel like im in a room with no doors.

IMHO - stop using products - start realizing that the organisms in your tank will rise and fall based on nutrients, etc
Just stop

 

[MnFish1]

There is no purpose to this exercise - IMHO - Just transfer things over - and stop feeding so much