Copepod question

Mare100 · 08/13/2007, 06:25 PM

Hi....me again....

Is there anything besides natural predators (i.e. nitrates..) that would hinder the growth of a good copepod colony?

I bought a bottle of live pods on-line and put them in the 120 reef tank and after a few weeks...it was crawling with pods.

I bought another bottle and put some in the 55 gal. (the one with the nitrate issues)....and after a few months, I hardly see any.

M

bertoni · 08/13/2007, 07:05 PM

I doubt the nitrate level was the problem. Lack of food might be the issue. What animals are in the 55g, for that matter?

Carlos · 08/13/2007, 07:05 PM

They are very susceptible to water quality. Good micro-organism population is always a sign that water quality is optimal.

If your tank is still cycling, it will take some time for the micro population to become noticeable.

One way to help the 55 is by making water changes using water from the 120... that will help the 55 cycle and at the same time, transfer some of the 120's fauna over to the 55.

Carlos

Mare100 · 08/13/2007, 07:19 PM

Thanks for the replies.

The tank is fully cycled, as it has been up since Nov. 06. There is about 80 lbs. of LR in there. The "guys" we have in there are as follows:

1 Lunar Wrasse
1 Snowflake Eel
1 False Perc
1 Flame Hawkfish
2 big hermit crabs (who got kicked out of the 120 for killing snails)
a bunch of teeny-weenie hermit crabs
3 Turbo snails
5 or so little necarrius snails.

This is the tank that I posted about in my other thread that I am ready to scream because of the nitrate issues.

M

Randall_James · 08/13/2007, 07:35 PM

I would go with lack of food also, you might start a small dosing of phyto every 3 or 4 days and see where you are in about a month.

Also, Wrasses can be pretty hard on amphipods/copepods IME as they spend the better part of their day picking them off the rocks.

You mention a nitrate issue but you do not give the levels...(fishing other threads for numbers does not work well here)

Mare100 · 08/13/2007, 08:04 PM

I will try adding some Phytoplex every few days. I keep it on hand for the other tank. I was adding some to this tank every now and then...but I stopped because I thought this might be adding to the nitrate problem.

Sorry for not posting the levels...I know there are a ton of threads here to fish through. My Nitrates in this tank have been hovering between 40 - 60 ppm for months.

And yes....I see what you mean about the wrasse. He is definitely an eating machine and constantly picking. That is when he is not trying to "lay" on everybody else in the tank. He's such a goof.

M

Young Frankenstein · 08/14/2007, 04:24 AM

DTs works for me

08/13/2007, 06:25 PM	#1
Mare100 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Becket, MA Posts: 382	Copepod question Hi....me again.... Is there anything besides natural predators (i.e. nitrates..) that would hinder the growth of a good copepod colony? I bought a bottle of live pods on-line and put them in the 120 reef tank and after a few weeks...it was crawling with pods. I bought another bottle and put some in the 55 gal. (the one with the nitrate issues)....and after a few months, I hardly see any. M __________________ "No, no, yes, no, I tried that, yes--both ways, no, I don't know, no again. Are there anymore questions? Good." - Xena Current Tank Info: 55 Gal. FOWLR; 120 Gal. Reef - since 1/07

08/13/2007, 07:05 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I doubt the nitrate level was the problem. Lack of food might be the issue. What animals are in the 55g, for that matter? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/13/2007, 07:05 PM	#3
Carlos Premium Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 7,258	They are very susceptible to water quality. Good micro-organism population is always a sign that water quality is optimal. If your tank is still cycling, it will take some time for the micro population to become noticeable. One way to help the 55 is by making water changes using water from the 120... that will help the 55 cycle and at the same time, transfer some of the 120's fauna over to the 55. Carlos __________________ Carlos "Only a fool wants to hear the echo of his own voice." "What do you want for nothing? rrrrrrubber biscuit?" Current Tank Info: Custom 210 gal Reef Octopus Tank with SlimFlow overflow, IceCap 36XL Sump, Reef Octopus ELITE 200INT Skimmer, 2-Part Dosing, 3 x Giesemann VerVve, KH Guardian Alk Controller, ClariSea Roller Filter

08/13/2007, 07:19 PM	#4
Mare100 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Becket, MA Posts: 382	Thanks for the replies. The tank is fully cycled, as it has been up since Nov. 06. There is about 80 lbs. of LR in there. The "guys" we have in there are as follows: 1 Lunar Wrasse 1 Snowflake Eel 1 False Perc 1 Flame Hawkfish 2 big hermit crabs (who got kicked out of the 120 for killing snails) a bunch of teeny-weenie hermit crabs 3 Turbo snails 5 or so little necarrius snails. This is the tank that I posted about in my other thread that I am ready to scream because of the nitrate issues. M __________________ "No, no, yes, no, I tried that, yes--both ways, no, I don't know, no again. Are there anymore questions? Good." - Xena Current Tank Info: 55 Gal. FOWLR; 120 Gal. Reef - since 1/07

08/13/2007, 07:35 PM	#5
Randall_James Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,727	I would go with lack of food also, you might start a small dosing of phyto every 3 or 4 days and see where you are in about a month. Also, Wrasses can be pretty hard on amphipods/copepods IME as they spend the better part of their day picking them off the rocks. You mention a nitrate issue but you do not give the levels...(fishing other threads for numbers does not work well here) __________________ "It's a dog eat dog world and I feel like I am wearing milkbone underwear"

08/13/2007, 08:04 PM	#6
Mare100 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Becket, MA Posts: 382	I will try adding some Phytoplex every few days. I keep it on hand for the other tank. I was adding some to this tank every now and then...but I stopped because I thought this might be adding to the nitrate problem. Sorry for not posting the levels...I know there are a ton of threads here to fish through. My Nitrates in this tank have been hovering between 40 - 60 ppm for months. And yes....I see what you mean about the wrasse. He is definitely an eating machine and constantly picking. That is when he is not trying to "lay" on everybody else in the tank. He's such a goof. M __________________ "No, no, yes, no, I tried that, yes--both ways, no, I don't know, no again. Are there anymore questions? Good." - Xena Current Tank Info: 55 Gal. FOWLR; 120 Gal. Reef - since 1/07

08/14/2007, 04:24 AM	#7
Young Frankenstein Moved On Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Miami Florida. Posts: 3,842	DTs works for me