Copepod Transport System

[noochstyle]

So I have been researching copepods vigorously trying to find the best way to breed them (I am going to do a 30 gallon sump with refugium) basically the water will come down an overflow into a 5 gallon bucket with live rock and drain slowly into a 30 gallon rubbermaid storage tote. In the tote I will be doing some live sand, chaeto, and a couple pieces of live rock. the 30 gallon tote will act as a refugium, but there will be another 5 gallon bucket with holes in it to where the return pump will reside. Basically the 5 gallon return pump bucket will act to make sure stuff doesn't get drawn back into the DT and to baffle the flow a little. I know I will have to work out the flow rates so that the 5 gallon bucket never goes dry and doesn't create a huge draw through the holes sucking my refugium stuff in (lost of little holes up high).

So now that you have an idea of the design (long winded I know), I have 2 ideas for copepod transport/breeding.

Option #1 - I know this will work, but it seems like it is going to be more work.

Pump the water out of the sump/refugium into a small tank elevated above the display tank and into the display tank. The elevated tank would be for copepod breeding with a small overflow (1/2" or smaller) to drip feed the copeds into the DT. I am thinking of making a dripper type setup.

Option #2

Breed the copeds exclusively in the refugium and us a small low flow diaphragm pump in conjunction with my centrifugal pump return pump.


From reading it sounds like the centrifugal pump does not pass the "sock test" as a transport system. Survival rate for copepods via the pump is very very low.

Thoughts/ideas are more than welcome!

Thanks,
John

[OrQidz]

I don't have any ideas but I'm curious too! Hopefully some folks with chime in with what's working for them.

[airmantx]

I'm also curious! Also what exactly is "the sock test"?


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[zeemofree]

Originally Posted by noochstyle

So I have been researching copepods vigorously trying to find the best way to breed them (I am going to do a 30 gallon sump with refugium) basically the water will come down an overflow into a 5 gallon bucket with live rock and drain slowly into a 30 gallon rubbermaid storage tote. In the tote I will be doing some live sand, chaeto, and a couple pieces of live rock. the 30 gallon tote will act as a refugium, but there will be another 5 gallon bucket with holes in it to where the return pump will reside. Basically the 5 gallon return pump bucket will act to make sure stuff doesn't get drawn back into the DT and to baffle the flow a little. I know I will have to work out the flow rates so that the 5 gallon bucket never goes dry and doesn't create a huge draw through the holes sucking my refugium stuff in (lost of little holes up high). So now that you have an idea of the design (long winded I know), I have 2 ideas for copepod transport/breeding. Option #1 - I know this will work, but it seems like it is going to be more work. Pump the water out of the sump/refugium into a small tank elevated above the display tank and into the display tank. The elevated tank would be for copepod breeding with a small overflow (1/2" or smaller) to drip feed the copeds into the DT. I am thinking of making
a dripper type setup. Option #2 Breed the copeds exclusively in the refugium and us a small low flow diaphragm pump in conjunction with my centrifugal pump return pump. From reading it sounds like the centrifugal pump does not pass the "sock test" as a transport system. Survival rate for copepods via the pump is very very low. Thoughts/ideas are more than welcome! Thanks, John

There is a huge thread in this already, what I recommend I designing a complete phytoplankton tank to hook up to your system, Pods and other things have high survival rate going through filter pumps

[Sk8r]

Yep. Even amphipods get through my 2300 gph return pump just fine, and that thing's impeller is a Cuisinart...

[C.Eymann]

+1 plankton shear caused by pumps is blown way out of proportion in the hobby

[noochstyle]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Yep. Even amphipods get through my 2300 gph return pump just fine, and that thing's impeller is a Cuisinart...

Have you done the sock on the output of the filter to see? Just curious because I am reading other posts where it state that is the best test and it makes sense to me...open to a contradicting opinion though.