- Joined
- Aug 7, 2016
- Messages
- 439
- Reaction score
- 191
I want to cultivate copepods for my 180 gallon reef for 2 mandarins. The cost to keep buying pods for a 180 via algae barn seems too expensive. I have a read few threads but am not understanding how to keep a copepod culture running? I have read different opinions - after the pod population is started do you need to continue to dose phyto others say your pods can live w/ out dosing phyto? I could see dosing a small population of pods with phyto but for a 180 gallon this seems expensive b/c of the qty needed?
Also I have filter socks and a return pump... will the pods live in my cheato in my sump and move between the tank and the sump? Doesn't the return filter kill the pods?
Last question - my sump is very dirty right now - heavy with ditritus. I have looked and DON't see any pods at night in the sump with a flashlight... Should I remove the detritus from my sump before I stock with pods or leave it as pod food? When I did have pods living in my sump I did NOT clean it for fear of killing the pods.
Also I have filter socks and a return pump... will the pods live in my cheato in my sump and move between the tank and the sump? Doesn't the return filter kill the pods?
Last question - my sump is very dirty right now - heavy with ditritus. I have looked and DON't see any pods at night in the sump with a flashlight... Should I remove the detritus from my sump before I stock with pods or leave it as pod food? When I did have pods living in my sump I did NOT clean it for fear of killing the pods.