How effective are copepods

[Dirtyshoez]

Curious if these guys are about effective as they are big or extremely effective. Was dealing with some nitrate creep. Did a water change, added 2 jars, and in 4 days im from 26no3 .14po4 to 9.6no3 and .01po4.

 

[Fish Fan]

What do you mean by "nitrate creep", was your nitrate rising over time?

'Pods don't exactly "eat" nitrate or phosphate in the water column, so would not be the direct cause of the reduction of N&P you seem to be recording. How large of a water change did you do, and what are you using for testing?

 

[Dirtyshoez]

What do you mean by "nitrate creep", was your nitrate rising over time?

'Pods don't exactly "eat" nitrate or phosphate in the water column, so would not be the direct cause of the reduction of N&P you seem to be recording. How large of a water change did you do, and what are you using for testing?

Yeah it was steadily increasing. I test with salifert and the change was like any other one. 35g and my volume is 200. After the change it dropped to 18.2 and then after that 9.6. I'm trying to understand what I'm missing here because that just seems like an odd change, prior to the increase my numbers are around 8-12. There is nothing missing so I can't chalk it up to a death either.

 

[Subsea]

Curious if these guys are about effective as they are big or extremely effective. Was dealing with some nitrate creep. Did a water change, added 2 jars, and in 4 days im from 26no3 .14po4 to 9.6no3 and .01po4.

I second Fish comments.

“Curious if these guys are about effective as they are big or extremely effective.“

Also, help me understand what this means.

Effective at WHAT?
Feeding fish or filter feeders?
Eating algae, detritus or uneaten food?


Different species of copepods have different feeding habits and within individual species, their feeding habits change between larvae & adult.

PS: By themselves, 2 pints of Copepods will not reduce your nitrate readings from 26ppm to 9.6 ppm in 4 days on a 200G system. AND a 35 gallon water change on a 200 gallon system will not drop nitrate from 26ppm to 18.2ppm. Using your numbers, you replaced 17.5% of system volume and a 70% reduction of nitrate happened. That does not compute, Check your math.

I looked for a tank journal to better understand your biofiltration.

 

[Dirtyshoez]

I second Fish comments.

“Curious if these guys are about effective as they are big or extremely effective.“

Also, help me understand what this means.

Effective at WHAT?
Feeding fish or filter feeders?
Eating algae, detritus or uneaten food?


Different species of copepods have different feeding habits and within individual species, their feeding habits change between larvae & adult.

PS: By themselves, 2 pints of Copepods will not reduce your nitrate readings from 26ppm to 9.6 ppm in 4 days on a 200G system. AND a 35 gallon water change on a 200 gallon system will not drop nitrate from 26ppm to 18.2ppm. Using your numbers, you replaced 17.5% of system volume and a 70% reduction of nitrate happened. That does not compute, Check your math.

I looked for a tank journal to better understand your biofiltration.

I know it doesn't compute, that's why I'm here asking what the heck happened questions lol.

 

[StradicCi4]

Pods are great- but they wont do that.

 

[Dom]

Curious if these guys are about effective as they are big or extremely effective. Was dealing with some nitrate creep. Did a water change, added 2 jars, and in 4 days im from 26no3 .14po4 to 9.6no3 and .01po4.

Effective at what?

 

[Subsea]

I know it doesn't compute, that's why I'm here asking what the heck happened questions lol.

Something else is going on besides copepods and water change.

None of us on this website can help you with the information that you have given.

Consider maintaining a tank journal on members tank forum. It would help in circumstances like this.

PS: I also read Randy’s comment on your large nitrate change thread where he told you not to worry until nitrate got outside of 5-50ppm.