apmphipods?

johnnynatfan · 12/14/2013, 07:15 AM

I'm new to salt water tanks. I have a 90 gallon tank with live rock and a sump. I am interested in seeding the tank with apmphipods but don't know how to go about it. I've read a lot online but there are many conflicting methods. Apmphipods condo? Refugium?

smtank · 12/14/2013, 08:33 AM

Curious why to you want Amphipods specifically? Liveaquaria as well as a number of on line vendors sell different types of Zooplankton.

Most any zooplankton come in on frags and marcro algae that you add to the tank.

Simply by preventing them from being eating by fish, providing mediums like chaeto or rock will go a long ways in maintaining a population. It's does not have to be anything fancy.

johnnynatfan · 12/14/2013, 08:44 AM

I don't necessarily want anything specifically. I really just want something that my fish can eat. I have cheato in the sump along with a few mangroves. I guess what I'm asking is if I buy the zooplankton etc do I add them straight into the main tank or the sump?

dkeller_nc · 12/14/2013, 09:05 AM

To the sump. Otherwise, your fish are likely to eat them immediately. If your tank was started with live rock, then you already have an amphipod population, and likely copepods as well. If you want to estimate their density, wait for about an hour or two after your tank lights are totally out, then look closely at the rocks near the bottom with a small flashlight. Most tanks have an amazing amount of these critters skittering around after "sunset".

If you want to really encourage a copepod population, you can consider feeding them with phytoplankton. Reef Nutrition's phytofeast works really well for this purpose, and comes in a convenient refrigerated liquid.

smtank · 12/14/2013, 10:08 AM

Yes, forget about feeding them phytoplankton.

12/14/2013, 07:15 AM	#1
johnnynatfan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 29	apmphipods? I'm new to salt water tanks. I have a 90 gallon tank with live rock and a sump. I am interested in seeding the tank with apmphipods but don't know how to go about it. I've read a lot online but there are many conflicting methods. Apmphipods condo? Refugium?

12/14/2013, 08:33 AM	#2
smtank Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,204	Curious why to you want Amphipods specifically? Liveaquaria as well as a number of on line vendors sell different types of Zooplankton. Most any zooplankton come in on frags and marcro algae that you add to the tank. Simply by preventing them from being eating by fish, providing mediums like chaeto or rock will go a long ways in maintaining a population. It's does not have to be anything fancy.

12/14/2013, 08:44 AM	#3
johnnynatfan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 29	I don't necessarily want anything specifically. I really just want something that my fish can eat. I have cheato in the sump along with a few mangroves. I guess what I'm asking is if I buy the zooplankton etc do I add them straight into the main tank or the sump?

12/14/2013, 09:05 AM	#4
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	To the sump. Otherwise, your fish are likely to eat them immediately. If your tank was started with live rock, then you already have an amphipod population, and likely copepods as well. If you want to estimate their density, wait for about an hour or two after your tank lights are totally out, then look closely at the rocks near the bottom with a small flashlight. Most tanks have an amazing amount of these critters skittering around after "sunset". If you want to really encourage a copepod population, you can consider feeding them with phytoplankton. Reef Nutrition's phytofeast works really well for this purpose, and comes in a convenient refrigerated liquid.

12/14/2013, 10:08 AM	#5
smtank Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,204	Yes, forget about feeding them phytoplankton.