So if I were to purchases these two mixes of phyto and copos, how often should I add them?
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Who are you asking? That's not a bad question but not really topic related..So if I were to purchases these two mixes of phyto and copos, how often should I add them?
My experience, I think they are a great biological addition to the whole system.So if I were to purchases these two mixes of phyto and copos, how often should I add them?
I have never added them - and I do not think there is any benefit to adding them - except if there is a fish that eats them alone. Many people have no uglies without copepods. IMHO - this would be an experiment for @Dan_P et al. because - IMHO - its a good live food - but - nothing thats going to work miracles (I know this is heresy - but I have never bought them in 40 years)First of all, I'm a big fan of microfauna like copepods but since there are so many ways to get them pretty quickly (even simply by accident), what is the true value of adding one or multiple species? Please feel free to be as detailed as possible, or, if you feel it's kind of pointless, feel free to share your opinion as well. I've heard that they can help prevent the "uglies" or lessen them to some extent but how many people have really experienced this firsthand? Clearly there must be some reason people have made billion dollar companies out of startups that began with copepods. Very curious...
This is interesting - why? What is a 'great biological addition'. - What do you think they are doing?My experience, I think they are a great biological addition to the whole system.
It would be more interesting than watching cyanobacteria grow. We should discuss which ones to try.I have never added them - and I do not think there is any benefit to adding them - except if there is a fish that eats them alone. Many people have no uglies without copepods. IMHO - this would be an experiment for @Dan_P et al. because - IMHO - its a good live food - but - nothing thats going to work miracles (I know this is heresy - but I have never bought them in 40 years)
We’ll, I guess it goes back yrs ago, like you lol, when our live rock just came alive. We had lots of beautiful big dead corals we’d bleach to keep white. Once we added live rock I’d just watch with magnifying glass as Bristleworms appeared, mushrooms, paly Zoas started slowly appearing. I’d see tiny shrimp like things across substrate. We had that all in one drip tray and sump at bottom. All this stuff clear fronds or something. It just seemed as we had a truly biological balance. I had read yrs ago that pods were a sign of a healthy tank. Tangs will pick off and eat. I find all this just wonderful. You know as most 40 year vets in this, how much has changed since the 80’s. I love Paul B.’s ideas. I’m interested in what you’ve seen, I think you know much more than I as to chemistry, lighting etc. I’m glad we have a place to shareThis is interesting - why? What is a 'great biological addition'. - What do you think they are doing?
Having funny glass animals that bounce like springtails.First of all, I'm a big fan of microfauna like copepods but since there are so many ways to get them pretty quickly (even simply by accident), what is the true value of adding one or multiple species? Please feel free to be as detailed as possible, or, if you feel it's kind of pointless, feel free to share your opinion as well. I've heard that they can help prevent the "uglies" or lessen them to some extent but how many people have really experienced this firsthand? Clearly there must be some reason people have made billion dollar companies out of startups that began with copepods. Very curious...
Like many things in this hobby there is an element of truth in the heap of nonsense vendors claim about their products. The gullibility of the average consumer and their belief in quick fixes and desire for miracle cures makes hobby snake oil sellers rich. So, there is a reason people toss all sorts of things into their aquarium, but the reason is not based on controlled experiments. The recent fad about adding copepods to solve all sorts of issues is a text book example of how to turn BS into wealth.First of all, I'm a big fan of microfauna like copepods but since there are so many ways to get them pretty quickly (even simply by accident), what is the true value of adding one or multiple species? Please feel free to be as detailed as possible, or, if you feel it's kind of pointless, feel free to share your opinion as well. I've heard that they can help prevent the "uglies" or lessen them to some extent but how many people have really experienced this firsthand? Clearly there must be some reason people have made billion dollar companies out of startups that began with copepods. Very curious...
To me buying copepods is like buying grass seeds to throw on your existing grass. I don't feel it will do anything "UNLESS" you run a quarantined or medicated system and you killed everything natural.
Especially if you dip all your rock and corals. (I don't)
In the 52 years my tank is running I have never bought a pod but I am lucky and I can collect things from the sea. But even if I didn't pods multiply very fast. I have about 45 mostly smaller fish and probably 10 pod eaters including mandarins, Ruby Red Dragonettes blue stripe pipefish and scooter Bleenies. Those fish are all spawning and dining on what they find naturally growing in my tank.
Of course I never quarantine, dip or medicate so all those things grow in far greater amounts than I will ever need.
If I shut off the pumps for a few minutes, the surface of the water becomes covered in microscope life and the pipefish hang out there and suck it up as they are smiling.
This is in my tank. I wanted to see how many pods a Ruby Red Dragonette can eat in a minute.
It seems they eat a pod about every 3 or 4 seconds. Thats a lot of pods and that is only one of my pod eaters. I could never buy enough pods for these fish but in a natural tank you will have way more than you know what to do with with no help from you.
Not of course if you used dead rock and quarantine and dip everything. Then you may have to buy pods.
Omg, Paul, I’m sorry than-you for you’re service SIRPaul, I think you’re the first I read having breed dragonets, if I lived by the coast, I just might be gutsy like you. I believe in the way you treat exposure to disease, make them healthy and immune. I’m beefing up our pod’s ‘cause I think we vacuum our substrate so heavy. You’re tank is absolutely beautiful.
PS I’ve had your book for awhile and DO go back to it!
Debra
Thank-you for your service sit