Moving Tank with Copepods

Thalasstronaut

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 26, 2023
Messages
130
Reaction score
123
Location
New England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I am in the process of moving my 90 gallon to another location in my house. I have everything planned out well, except I am a bit concerned about my population of copepods. My initial plan was to just dose copepods again when I’m set up in the new location, but I planned my move for this weekend and my pod order has been delayed and won’t arrive until next week.

The main issue is with my mandarin, I don’t want her to go hungry waiting for the new pods to come over. So, bullet points:

- Do I even have to worry? I am reusing the rocks (minus algae which I will be scrubbing off.) but not the substrate. Should there be enough of a population in the 120 or so pounds of rock to be ok? For my own information where do pods live? Mostly substrate or rocks? I have them up on my glass, so I figure I have a healthy amount in there, but I’m worried not using the substrate will hollow out my numbers.

- My tentative plan is to move some substrate and a few rocks into a spare 40 gallon tank and fill with water from my display and move the mandarin there. And to leave that setup at least until I get my new pods in. Solid plan or no?

- While I’m here, is there a reliable way to gauge my population, to know when I’m getting “low” and should supplement?

Thanks in advance.
 

shcrimps

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2023
Messages
586
Reaction score
469
Location
san diego
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I am in the process of moving my 90 gallon to another location in my house. I have everything planned out well, except I am a bit concerned about my population of copepods. My initial plan was to just dose copepods again when I’m set up in the new location, but I planned my move for this weekend and my pod order has been delayed and won’t arrive until next week.

The main issue is with my mandarin, I don’t want her to go hungry waiting for the new pods to come over. So, bullet points:

- Do I even have to worry? I am reusing the rocks (minus algae which I will be scrubbing off.) but not the substrate. Should there be enough of a population in the 120 or so pounds of rock to be ok? For my own information where do pods live? Mostly substrate or rocks? I have them up on my glass, so I figure I have a healthy amount in there, but I’m worried not using the substrate will hollow out my numbers.

- My tentative plan is to move some substrate and a few rocks into a spare 40 gallon tank and fill with water from my display and move the mandarin there. And to leave that setup at least until I get my new pods in. Solid plan or no?

- While I’m here, is there a reliable way to gauge my population, to know when I’m getting “low” and should supplement?

Thanks in advance.
gauge population based on the weight of the fish
if it’s nice and fat chances are you’re good
reusing rock and such should have plenty left
unless you plan on leaving the tank without water a couple days the pods will be completely fine, i mean if they’re able to survive the ocean and being shipped through the u.s. mail system
i think you have nothing to worry about
i would however consider setting up a pod/ phyto culture as a little bonus for your tank
so you’ll have a better population/ control and get all the good phyto benefits
 
OP
OP
Thalasstronaut

Thalasstronaut

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 26, 2023
Messages
130
Reaction score
123
Location
New England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
gauge population based on the weight of the fish
if it’s nice and fat chances are you’re good
reusing rock and such should have plenty left
unless you plan on leaving the tank without water a couple days the pods will be completely fine, i mean if they’re able to survive the ocean and being shipped through the u.s. mail system
i think you have nothing to worry about
i would however consider setting up a pod/ phyto culture as a little bonus for your tank
so you’ll have a better population/ control and get all the good phyto benefits
My plan was to move the rocks and fish into a temporary tank, move the tank to the new location, put the rocks in, then new substrate, then fill with water and add fish. Probably a day or two between everything, but the rocks would be wet the whole time. So just the population on the rocks would be sufficient, you think?

I’ve definitely considered the culture approach. Part of the reason I’m moving the tank is to have a bigger “fish space” in a dedicated room vs having just one nook in the living room.
 

shcrimps

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2023
Messages
586
Reaction score
469
Location
san diego
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
My plan was to move the rocks and fish into a temporary tank, move the tank to the new location, put the rocks in, then new substrate, then fill with water and add fish. Probably a day or two between everything, but the rocks would be wet the whole time. So just the population on the rocks would be sufficient, you think?

I’ve definitely considered the culture approach. Part of the reason I’m moving the tank is to have a bigger “fish space” in a dedicated room vs having just one nook in the living room.
yeah you’ll be plenty fine
i moved houses recently and had to move my 20 gallon tank (after selling all my others)
a day after setting it back up 30 miles from its original location pods were back to being all over the glass again
 
OP
OP
Thalasstronaut

Thalasstronaut

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 26, 2023
Messages
130
Reaction score
123
Location
New England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
yeah you’ll be plenty fine
i moved houses recently and had to move my 20 gallon tank (after selling all my others)
a day after setting it back up 30 miles from its original location pods were back to being all over the glass again
No kidding? Did you use new substrate, too? That surprises me you’d have such a quick recovery, that’s awesome.
 

shcrimps

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 5, 2023
Messages
586
Reaction score
469
Location
san diego
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No kidding? Did you use new substrate, too? That surprises me you’d have such a quick recovery, that’s awesome.
no new substrate
i’m sure the sand got mixed and some bad gasses got out but it more than likely just went into the air vs releasing into the water since there was only enough to keep the sand still a little wet for the drive
all my nassarius and sand sifters stayed in the sand but yeah that was all just a 20g tank
most of the rock started dry but there is some aussie live rock that might’ve helped keep some nice biodiversity (on the topic of out of water)
when i got my aussie rock after 3 ish days in shipping, everything was still alive
including some hitchhiking what i believe to be plate corals and other stuff
pretty cool how these things can be tough sometimes
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

DO YOU HAVE A KENYA TREE? SHOW IT OFF IN THE COMMENTS!

  • Yes, and I like it!

    Votes: 18 24.7%
  • Yes, but I don't like it...

    Votes: 5 6.8%
  • No, but I want one!

    Votes: 12 16.4%
  • No, and I don't want one.

    Votes: 35 47.9%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.1%
Back
Top