Copepods without Refugium

[reefinginBD]

Hi guys, I will be setting up a 5 feet long reef tank with dimensions similar to the Red Sea 625. For filtration, I will have a roller mat, followed by a protein skimmer and media reactors. Then I will have the refugium section and finally the return pump. But I won’t be adding any macro algae or sand to the refugium section and will add the Maxspect bio blocks to the bottom of that area. But I am worried that there won’t be any place for the pods to grow, I will have a few wrasses and u may add a mandarin later on when the tank is about a year old. I will only get it if it eats pellets, but I will have pods as well. If I have these pod eating fish in the display then a lot of the pods will be eaten in the display and there may be a shortage of them (probably not) so, will putting some coarse foam blocks in the refugium help? Will the pods stay and breed in there? Or do I HAVE to make something like the Pod hotels (they aren’t available here)? Please let me know, thank you so much! If I add anything else in the refugium it will most likely be an algae scrubber so there won’t be much space for the pods to stay there. Let me know, thanks again!

 

[Xenia]

I have a large rock inside my sump, i see pods swimming in there

 

[MBruun]

Dosing phyto plankton will help to support pods and micro organisms in your system and increase the number of pods

 

[reefinginBD]

I have a large rock inside my sump, i see pods swimming in there

Ohk. Can you please show me a picture of your sump? Will using the Maxspect bio balls instead of the plates help as they have holes in the middle? Will that give more place for the pods to stay?

 

[reefinginBD]

Dosing phyto plankton will help to support pods and micro organisms in your system and increase the number of pods

Will dead phytoplankton work? I was thinking of adding some pods right after adding the first fish so that they have enough time to populate without many predators. But will the lack of algae harm them? Is there anything I can put in the refugium for them to stay in?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If you have live rock (which you should), the pods will populate the tiny little tunnels and holes in the live rock. Pods don't need a hotel to multiply, just needs to be fed phyto.

Add pods, feed phyto to the tank every dew days, and they will multiply.

 

[reefinginBD]

If you have live rock (which you should), the pods will populate the tiny little tunnels and holes in the live rock. Pods don't need a hotel to multiply, just needs to be fed phyto.

Add pods, feed phyto to the tank every dew days, and they will multiply.

I will be using ceramic based man made rock for the tank. That is the one most available here. But I won’t be using live rock, will use matured media from a different tank. And I don’t want to keep rock and all in the sump as I want to make a “clean sump”. I plan on using a powerhead on the protein skimmer section as well to make sure there isn’t any detritus on the sump bottom. Will dead phytoplankton work? The live one isn’t available here.

 

[Willhersh34]

I will be using ceramic based man made rock for the tank. That is the one most available here. But I won’t be using live rock, will use matured media from a different tank. And I don’t want to keep rock and all in the sump as I want to make a “clean sump”. I plan on using a powerhead on the protein skimmer section as well to make sure there isn’t any detritus on the sump bottom. Will dead phytoplankton work? The live one isn’t available here.

From what I’ve read dead phyto won’t work and in same cases is harmful as well as a waste of time. I’m not sure how it can be harmful so take that for what it’s worth. I am currently in the process of starting to culture my own phyto which sounds like wouldn’t be feasible for you. In my experience though if you can get pods and they have even a tiny space, be it live rock or ceramic media it is very unlikely you will end up with zero in your tank. But if you aren’t dosing phyto you will want to add more at regular intervals to keep the population healthy and in great quantity.

 

[Xenia]

Ohk. Can you please show me a picture of your sump? Will using the Maxspect bio balls instead of the plates help as they have holes in the middle? Will that give more place for the pods to stay?

The pods swim freely in the sump

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I agree with Willhersh above, I've tried the dead phyto, and also synthetic phyto, I guess its passable if no choice, but live phyto produce much better results.

You can also collect a bunch of tiny rubble pieces and pile them up in a corner, that is the same a pod hotel. Basically, they just need somewhere where the fish cannot eat them.

If you don't want rocks in your fuge then you can put macro algae, as another option, the pods will collect on there.

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

I will be using ceramic based man made rock for the tank. That is the one most available here. But I won’t be using live rock, will use matured media from a different tank. And I don’t want to keep rock and all in the sump as I want to make a “clean sump”. I plan on using a powerhead on the protein skimmer section as well to make sure there isn’t any detritus on the sump bottom. Will dead phytoplankton work? The live one isn’t available here.

Dead " preserved phyto " will work just the same as live . Copepods do not care if it's alive or preserved phyto only species that's finicky is Parvo which in my experience requires live . Powdered phytos will work if that's all you can find in your area

 

[pezcadoazul]

I have a large rock inside my sump, i see pods swimming in there

Do you have lights in your sump? What do the pods eat? Did you seed your tank with pods or did they just come in as hitchhikers? Thanks