Repopulating a Sterile Tank.

[Chief Reef]

Coming up on two Weeks into a copper treatment for ich in my DT, Assuming I can Remove all the copper from the rockwork and substrate after week 4 and make the tank invert inhabitable again. Whats the best way to repopulate my tanks microfauna? (Copepods,amphipods etc.) Mostly asking because i have a leopard wrasse whom, although adjusted to prepared foods and fed multiple times day, still hunts the rockwork as per usual wrasse behavior. it would put my mind at ease knowing there was actually something there to pick at, But of course i just ran copper so i imagine all invert life in my tank is dead.

I wont be adding anymore liverock so that eliminates one of the easiest ways. and the wrasse is an active pod hunter so i need a decent sized addition to allow them to repopulate. So far only thing i can think of is getting a Few scoops of Chaeto From my LFS( Their chaeto is TEEMING with pods.) and adding it in at night. Any know of any other alternatives to get Pods back into my tank?

[Scuba_Steve]

That is really your best bet. The only way to get pods back in, is to add pods back in. Chaeto is a surefire way to go about it. Get as much as possible, and try to hide it from the wrasse.

[Chief Reef]

Originally Posted by Scuba_Steve

That is really your best bet. The only way to get pods back in, is to add pods back in. Chaeto is a surefire way to go about it. Get as much as possible, and try to hide it from the wrasse.

Sounds like the way to go then. I use to try those Tigger pods but they just didnt seem to populate my tank even before i had pod hunters, they always disappeared in about a week.

I have an aquaclear 70 i modded into a minifuge so hopefully i can put some in there to keep the population from getting decimated, Think ill try adding the chaeto at night when the wrasse goes to bed to givem a heard start too.