I am wanting to start breeding my own copepods and brine shrimp so that my fish have live food. Does anyone have any tips on how to get my cultures started? I have a bunch of Chaeto algae, small pieces of live rock from my display tank, and airline bubbling into a large critter keeper set up right now. I have two bottles of copepods in the refrigerator that I was going to add in a couple of days. Would it be better to have a small filter or will I be ok doing water changes? I am wanting to get a skipper blenny and I know they like pods so I figured breeding my own would be best. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance
How to culture Copepods at home
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Best is to have a refugium in the sump -- If necessary you could drill a whole bunch of fine holes in a kritter keeper and shove that in your sump, and put the algae in there. Self contained 'fuge' section.
Awesome, here's what I would do (and what I did, when I was in middle school with my first reef)
Get a hang on back filter like an Aqua Clear 110, or maybe one of the Marina Breeder boxes -- Those also work quite well (but will need a tiny pump). Next, you'll need a small light -- many lights will fit the bill, but I can put together a little list of suitable stuff.
Here's (IMHO) the best way to do this cheaply and effectively, without having to maintain multiple tanks.
Marina Hang on Breeder Box
Uniclife UL80 Micro return pump (80gph max)
-- Any of the billion clip on lights, OR, a 12" T5 / T8 fixture from Home Depot --
The breeder box has 3 sections -- You could take the first 'section' out, and have 2/3 of the box run chaeto, and have the last 1/3 of the box run Siporax, Carbon, or whatever you may need. Or just use the whole thing for chaeto too.
The problem with the critter keeper will be maintaining somewhat stable water params. Fall asleep with a salinity of 1.025, wake up with 1.035+ -- Small water volume = fast changes.
Marina Hang on Breeder Box
Uniclife UL80 Micro return pump (80gph max)
-- Any of the billion clip on lights, OR, a 12" T5 / T8 fixture from Home Depot --
The breeder box has 3 sections -- You could take the first 'section' out, and have 2/3 of the box run chaeto, and have the last 1/3 of the box run Siporax, Carbon, or whatever you may need. Or just use the whole thing for chaeto too.
The problem with the critter keeper will be maintaining somewhat stable water params. Fall asleep with a salinity of 1.025, wake up with 1.035+ -- Small water volume = fast changes.
Like one of the mesh ones? It should not have much problem. With some modification you can make this one hang inside the tank as well, you would still need the little pump to push water through it of course.
The main difference is efficiency. What makes this efficient is it's sucking in water, pushing it through the cheato, and out the other side. If you have a breeder box or mesh net type box inside the tank you aren't forcing water through the chaeto -- It's like taking a filter and chucking it into the tank and expecting it to do a lot of good.
So will it work, yes. Will is be optimal? No. Can you modify something to fit inside, and easily become optimal? Absolutely!
Another way is to get something like an Aqua Clear 110 HOB filter and put chaeto in it and call it a day. That also works. They DO make in-tank, in-sump, and HOB refugiums. The problem is they aren't always very cheap.
And Lastly -- Watch the BRS video on Chaeto. Don't mind that they're trying to sell Kessils, just look at whats happening in general.
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Gaines69
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Wow. I so want one now. (the hang on the outside of the tank). I really liked that it was the only one that he said had pods etc. producing in it. Copepods are the main reason I want one. Thanks so much for the information. I will be ordering one soon. Quick question. I work in a school and we have a bio-cube marine tank in the classroom. Can we put Chaeto in the sump area and try and get pods to reproduce there as well?
Oh no, they were ALL growing pods and various other animals -- he just specified that he was surprised how much grew there, because he wasn't really expecting any/much. The other options undoubtedly had just as much if not more microfauna, they just weren't pressed up against the glass. Basically, if you have a 'fuge, you will have pods -- No matter where it is.
And yes -- Lots of people do that. They remove the black vinyl from the back and light it from the backside (where the vinyl was).
Here's a few examples
And yes -- Lots of people do that. They remove the black vinyl from the back and light it from the backside (where the vinyl was).
Here's a few examples
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Gaines69
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Oh no, they were ALL growing pods and various other animals -- he just specified that he was surprised how much grew there, because he wasn't really expecting any/much. The other options undoubtedly had just as much if not more microfauna, they just weren't pressed up against the glass. Basically, if you have a 'fuge, you will have pods -- No matter where it is.
And yes -- Lots of people do that. They remove the black vinyl from the back and light it from the backside (where the vinyl was).
Oh my bad. I'll pick up one of the breeder boxes soon. I can always find another use for the critter keeper. lol thanks again for the info.
Here's a few examples
No problem. The Critter keeper is good for a social acclimation box. Just use a magnet to hold it to the glass, and put your new fish in there so the fish can get accustomed to one another.
Social Acclimation boxes are invaluable -- People tend to not realize how social fish are. Years ago with extremely sensitive microphones we've recorded fish vocalizations -- Yes, fish communicate with their 'voices' (striations). Pretty cool, if you watch the GBR documentary from David Attenborough (the recent one) they've recorded some of it.
Social Acclimation boxes are invaluable -- People tend to not realize how social fish are. Years ago with extremely sensitive microphones we've recorded fish vocalizations -- Yes, fish communicate with their 'voices' (striations). Pretty cool, if you watch the GBR documentary from David Attenborough (the recent one) they've recorded some of it.
Anything that holds water will work, but it needs water to flow through one side and out the other for it to do a good job. The Marina box I suggested will work with modification, this will work, a water bottle will work. Everything can work. But for it to do a good job it needs water / nutrient flowing through the container to bring in stuff to help the pods thrive. If it's just stagnant, it won't do half as well as if you put a cheap $5 power head on one end and drill holes on the other end.
The grand total of the 2 items I suggested for you is $21. This second suggestion will be $17.
Disclaimer: I am a broken record when I'm trying to help --
There's a lot of answers to your question and ways to solve it -- That's just my 'how to save cash, but yield results' suggestion. I will still say, it will do 10x better if you get a little pump to push water through it. And an additional increase if you can make the inside of the box reflective (lots of ways to do that)
If you mod it to be inside the tank:
- Cut off that pipe, or at least seal it (it will be sticking outside the tank anyways)
- Silicone something to cover the little lip the water comes out of (it will again, be outside the tank anyways)
- Drill a whole metric ton of SMALL holes all over the thing -- Left, Right, Bottom, Front
- Don't have a drill? Go to Harbor Freight, make sure to bring one of their web coupons -- you'll have a fairly capable drill for $20 or less
- It may be ugly as sin... You MIGHT want to get a vinyl, or look into Reef Safe paint/epoxy to cover it up so it just looks like a black box in the corner.
- White is HIGHLY reflective -- If you could line the inside of it with a white low gloss plastic you would increase the light reflection within the 'fuge 10 fold.
If you want it outside the tank:
- Get this $8 pump and shove it into that tube that goes in the tank
- Don't worry about any other mods, or reef safe paints (But you could still paint the OUTSIDE a flat white, to both trap and reflect the 'fuge light, making it significantly better
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Gaines69
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I'll be wanting it outside of the tank. My tank is only 30 gal cube so I dont want to take up any space. I really appreciate all of the help. By the way, I don't mind the broken record thing. Sometimes I need to be told more than once. lol Thanks so much ....
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