Starting a refugium?

[DalPal25]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this thread but it does have to do with getting my mandarin to eat so I figured it was the closest thing I could find.

So I have the Innovative Marine 40 gal cube tank and wanted to start a refugium in the back chamber where I could keep copepods. I have a heater in that same chamber. If anyone says this isn't a very good idea then I can take out one of my filter socks and put the refugium in the next chamber but would prefer not to. I just wanted to know if I could possibly pull this off and how to start it/what it would need to be successful.

Thanks for anyone's help.

 

[Brew12]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this thread but it does have to do with getting my mandarin to eat so I figured it was the closest thing I could find.

So I have the Innovative Marine 40 gal cube tank and wanted to start a refugium in the back chamber where I could keep copepods. I have a heater in that same chamber. If anyone says this isn't a very good idea then I can take out one of my filter socks and put the refugium in the next chamber but would prefer not to. I just wanted to know if I could possibly pull this off and how to start it/what it would need to be successful.

Thanks for anyone's help.

Having a heater in the same chamber shouldn't be a problem. You will need to keep some form of macro algae in it, like Chaeto, to provide shelter and food for the copepods. You will probably also need to run your tank a little "dirty" to maintain a large enough copepod population for a mandarin.

 

[DalPal25]

Having a heater in the same chamber shouldn't be a problem. You will need to keep some form of macro algae in it, like Chaeto, to provide shelter and food for the copepods. You will probably also need to run your tank a little "dirty" to maintain a large enough copepod population for a mandarin.

Thanks so much for the reply. Do you know the size of the chamber I'm talking about? Do you think it's big enough? And how do I know if I run my tank dirty?

 

[Brew12]

Thanks so much for the reply. Do you know the size of the chamber I'm talking about? Do you think it's big enough? And how do I know if I run my tank dirty?

Unfortunately, I do not. I tried to look at the IM website but couldn't find a size or see a picture of the back side of the tank.
Copepods feed mostly on phytoplankton, which is a microalgae. If you use products to control algae it will starve your copepods. You can add phytoplankton to feed the copepods to help keep them reproducing.

 

[DalPal25]

Unfortunately, I do not. I tried to look at the IM website but couldn't find a size or see a picture of the back side of the tank.
Copepods feed mostly on phytoplankton, which is a microalgae. If you use products to control algae it will starve your copepods. You can add phytoplankton to feed the copepods to help keep them reproducing.

Okay thanks! I do have a bag of chemi-pure elite in my tank to try and take care of a cyano problem I had a while back. Adding phytoplankton to that back chamber won't make my tank super dirty and green looking, will it?

 

[Brew12]

Okay thanks! I do have a bag of chemi-pure elite in my tank to try and take care of a cyano problem I had a while back. Adding phytoplankton to that back chamber won't make my tank super dirty and green looking, will it?

Not unless you add an entire bottle!

It won't take much and you don't need it every day, but it should help your pod population.

 

[DalPal25]

Not unless you add an entire bottle!

It won't take much and you don't need it every day, but it should help your pod population.

Okay and do I need a light for growing the chaeto (how the heck do you even pronounce that?) or would my current lighting (AI Prime) be enough to keep it running sufficiently? Last question I promise! You've been such a huge help.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

I couldn't agree more with all of the suggestions above. Keep in mind that you may need to supplement the refugium starter population by purchasing and adding copepods to the main tank so that the refugium group have a chance to populate while the mandarin feasts off of the main tank group. A mandarin can easily devastate a copepod population in a smaller tank within a few weeks. You should also introduce other non-live feed types to the mandarin. Some people have gotten them to eat mysis shrimp, granulated feeds, fish eggs, non-live copepod, etc. I totally agree with the phytoplankton recommendation, and the Chaetomorpha is an excellent habitat that can harbor bacteria and microalgae that the copepods will consume. My final recommendation is to add a few different species of copepods, mainly harpactacoid and cyclopoid types like Tisbe, Tigriopus and Apocyclops. I have heard of the multiple copepod species approach and find it very useful. What does everyone else think of that approach? The correct pronunciation is "key-toe-morph-a". "Cheato" meaning "hair" and "morpha" meaning "shape of".

Chad

 

[Brew12]

Okay and do I need a light for growing the chaeto (how the heck do you even pronounce that?) or would my current lighting (AI Prime) be enough to keep it running sufficiently? Last question I promise! You've been such a huge help.

The algae will need light to grow and thrive. Unfortunately, I would only be guessing if I tried to answer this. My guess is that you won't be able to grow much Cheato, but you don't need much. As long as it grows in across the top fairly well it should do the job. It doesn't need strong light like a reef tank but it does need some.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Keep in mind that you may need to supplement the refugium starter population

No, thats a must.

My final recommendation is to add a few different species of copepods, mainly harpactacoid and cyclopoid types like Tisbe, Tigriopus and Apocyclops.

Iso pods and amphipods too. The different pod populations will bloom out of any sync.
Its a common myth that mandarins eat only copepods. . My current mandy has actually decimates my sand worm population too'.

The term "dirty" comes from the excess food you need to sustain the bug population. They're like cockroaches or rats. They eat scraps.
In fact My tank has run pretty low No3 and P04 but the bug population has never suffered.

Keep in mind you dont "need" chato or macros you just need a place for them to live and breed. so you could use floss or a tulle pom pom. BTW you can use a submersible freshwater light to grow macros.
The back of AIOS can collect funk. good for pods but bad for numbers. so being able to get the macros or chato out to clean is important.

I hate to cast doubt on things, but and AIO would be tough for a mandarin esp as it gets bigger. All my tanks have been mandy tanks and its been a species specific care to do it. It will be a considerable challenge.

 

[DalPal25]

No, thats a must.

Iso pods and amphipods too. The different pod populations will bloom out of any sync.
Its a common myth that mandarins eat only copepods. . My current mandy has actually decimates my sand worm population too'.

The term "dirty" comes from the excess food you need to sustain the bug population. They're like cockroaches or rats. They eat scraps.
In fact My tank has run pretty low No3 and P04 but the bug population has never suffered.

Keep in mind you dont "need" chato or macros you just need a place for them to live and breed. so you could use floss or a tulle pom pom. BTW you can use a submersible freshwater light to grow macros.
The back of AIOS can collect funk. good for pods but bad for numbers. so being able to get the macros or chato out to clean is important.

I hate to cast doubt on things, but and AIO would be tough for a mandarin esp as it gets bigger. All my tanks have been mandy tanks and its been a species specific care to do it. It will be a considerable challenge.

I only have two other clownfish in there. My main focus will be keeping this mandy alive, healthy and happy. I've heard it's pretty hard in a tank like this but I keep a very close watch on things and think I can do it.

 

[DalPal25]

Thanks for all the help everyone. Any specific light that would work for the small refugium?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I only have two other clownfish in there. My main focus will be keeping this mandy alive, healthy and happy. I've heard it's pretty hard in a tank like this but I keep a very close watch on things and think I can do it.

A good constant supplementation is key. Also take a look at PaulB's feeders and black worms. ALso for frozen, baby brine mysis, eggs, and Nutramar ova.

 

[Reef Nutrition]

Iso pods and amphipods too. The different pod populations will bloom out of any sync.
Its a common myth that mandarins eat only copepods. . My current mandy has actually decimates my sand worm population too'.

Agree! They eat all kinds of 'pods. I had no idea about the worms though! The misconception that mandarins only eating copepods is definitely worth mentioning. I have even heard from others that mandarins can't digest Tigriopus; absolute nonsense.

 

[DalPal25]

Also, someone said I don't need actual chaeto but I could use floss or something else instead. Since all I have is mint waxed floss and I assume I don't want to put that in my tank, would just regular fishing line work until I can actually get some chaetomorpha? And would this remove the need of a light in the mean time? since I obviously can't grow fishing line lol

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Also, someone said I don't need actual cheat but I could use floss or something else instead. Since all I have is mint waxed floss and I assume I don't want to put that in my tank, would just regular fishing line work until I can actually get some chaetomorpha? And would this remove the need of a light in the mean time? since I obviously can't grow fishing line lol

No I wouldn't use it. Some pods ship with a small sponge loaded with a variety of pods. Some are bagged with water and food like reef nutrition.

 

[DalPal25]

Okay so new idea. I read an article that says you can take a Tupperware container and put a small air pump in it and use it to grow copepods. I filled it with saltwater, same salinity as my tank, and the red light is just to show the air pump. If it's a problem I can definitely unplug the light. I have some phytoplankton I can dump in there to grow some copepods. Is this a bad idea, does anyone think it'll work?

 

[Gustavo Martinez]

6500k light is supposedly the best lighting to grow algae's...