copepods everywhere so many population control

[Boxed Fish]

I have so many copepods and tiger pods in my system. im sure there's other unidentified crawlers but the only reason I need to clean my glass is due to them fogging it up. how much is to bad or should I leave them continuing to populate?

 

[EnterName]

I doubt copepods are "fogging up" your glass. They are sitting on the glass because they like the biofilm that is growing on it. Usually it's a mix of bacteria, diatoms, and other organisms that populate clean surface area fast.

If you can manage to get decent photos (macro lens could be enough, but microscope would be better), we can see if there is something you have to worry about, but probably it's fine. Munnidae isopods are a bit larger than copepods, maybe that's what you are seeing. I also sometimes see Tanaids on the glass (but rarely as they prefer staying in the substrate)

 

[Saltyreef]

Get yourself a 6 line wrasse.

 

[Boxed Fish]

ill see if I can get something delivered today. whats a good microscope for reef peaking

 

[Boxed Fish]

Get yourself a 6 line wrasse.

I doubt copepods are "fogging up" your glass. They are sitting on the glass because they like the biofilm that is growing on it. Usually it's a mix of bacteria, diatoms, and other organisms that populate clean surface area fast.

If you can manage to get decent photos (macro lens could be enough, but microscope would be better), we can see if there is something you have to worry about, but probably it's fine. Munnidae isopods are a bit larger than copepods, maybe that's what you are seeing. I also sometimes see Tanaids on the glass (but rarely as they prefer staying in the substrate)

would the flipper work or no...never mind

 

[EnterName]

ill see if I can get something delivered today. whats a good microscope for reef peaking

Compound microscope, not a digital one.

• 10× eye pieces,
• 20× objective
• 40× objective
• Diaphragm (without a diaphragm you won't get certain things into focus appropriately)

25× eye pieces are usually trash, ignore scopes with those. They are sold so marketing can claim BS like "2500× magnification). You will never reach beyond 1000× magnification with a light microscope, no matter what they tell you. The wavelengths of visible light won't allow for more detail than roughly 1000× magnification. Everything else is just like "digital zoom".
400× is enough (10x eye pieces ⋅ 40x objective).

There are many cheap options from AmScope, Swift, etc. there is no need to invest a lot of money for most people if you aren't really enthusiastic about it.

(Source: https://microbenotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Parts-of-a-microscope.jpeg)
​

 

[Boxed Fish]

Compound microscope, not a digital one.

• 10× eye pieces,
• 20× objective
• 40× objective
• Diaphragm (without a diaphragm you won't get certain things into focus appropriately)

25× eye pieces are usually trash, ignore scopes with those. They are sold so marketing can claim BS like "2500× magnification). You will never reach beyond 1000× magnification with a light microscope, no matter what they tell you. The wavelengths of visible light won't allow for more detail than roughly 1000× magnification. Everything else is just like "digital zoom".
400× is enough (10x eye pieces ⋅ 40x objective).

There are many cheap options from AmScope, Swift, etc. there is no need to invest a lot of money for most people if you aren't really enthusiastic about it.

(Source: https://microbenotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Parts-of-a-microscope.jpeg)
​

thanks, good to know

 

[Boxed Fish]

i am more than currious to find out if this is all good or is there some bad in this. the back glass was full of detritus and algae and was picked clean in under 5 days