Got Copepods????

povsan · 05/26/2006, 12:08 AM

Hello and thanks in advance.

My tanks been doing really well since I've had it (about 4 months) now and I've just noticed that I have alot of copepods, I mean ALOT of them.... like it's infested with it or something. I don't want to put in a mandarin right now for the simple fact that I just want to put in fish last, due to past experience. Is this way to many copepods for the tank? Can it handle it with out the mandarin? I have a sailfin in there now and a few softies. If I need to then I'll get a mandarin.... what do you guys think?? any ideas or comments would be appreciated. Thank you.

Blown 346 · 05/26/2006, 12:10 AM

No copods are great even if they are all over, they will help eat detritus.
I wouldnt add a Mandarin until the tank is atleast 6 months to a year old, hasalot of rock and a refugium. You will be amazed on how fast a mandarin can make your tank barren of copods.

povsan · 05/26/2006, 12:15 AM

Thank you,
taht puts me at ease alot.

unimike · 05/26/2006, 12:16 AM

I have copepods that are all over in my refigium, yes they do eat the detritus and goes into the main tank at nights and eats the microalgae on my LRs

Sk8r · 05/26/2006, 12:34 AM

They'll grow about as numerous as they need to in order to handle the algae your tank produces, but a mandarin can knock them down amazingly fast. The sand has to practically crawl with them at night to supply one of those greedy little fish and keep its population up.

Danfish · 05/26/2006, 12:49 AM

This may be a dumb question, but...
How do the pods get from the refugium to the tank w/o being chopped/killed by the refugium pump, or get mechanicaly filtered out (I assume you avoid using any form of filter pads in a refugium? Baffles instead to stop bubbles?)

I ask because I've been trying to wrap my head around the whole refugium practice and I completely get using it to tackle nitrates, but with pod production I can't help but wonder how they survive going through the pump.

Phong33 · 05/26/2006, 12:54 AM

Some do get chopped up in the pumps but a lot does get thru the pump without any problems. I do not use any pads, just baffles to stop the bubbles.

Danfish · 05/26/2006, 12:58 AM

The next dumb question would be...
If I wanted to keep my wet/dry working as a wet/dry, would that hinder pod production?

Not only do I have (several) filter pads in the line but there is a sponge and the balls, and the difussor plate.

Or would the overflow dam tend to prevent them from getting down into the wet/dry sump?

05/26/2006, 12:08 AM	#1
povsan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: california Posts: 123	Got Copepods???? Hello and thanks in advance. My tanks been doing really well since I've had it (about 4 months) now and I've just noticed that I have alot of copepods, I mean ALOT of them.... like it's infested with it or something. I don't want to put in a mandarin right now for the simple fact that I just want to put in fish last, due to past experience. Is this way to many copepods for the tank? Can it handle it with out the mandarin? I have a sailfin in there now and a few softies. If I need to then I'll get a mandarin.... what do you guys think?? any ideas or comments would be appreciated. Thank you.

05/26/2006, 12:34 AM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	They'll grow about as numerous as they need to in order to handle the algae your tank produces, but a mandarin can knock them down amazingly fast. The sand has to practically crawl with them at night to supply one of those greedy little fish and keep its population up. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

05/26/2006, 12:10 AM	#2
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	No copods are great even if they are all over, they will help eat detritus. I wouldnt add a Mandarin until the tank is atleast 6 months to a year old, hasalot of rock and a refugium. You will be amazed on how fast a mandarin can make your tank barren of copods.

05/26/2006, 12:15 AM	#3
povsan Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: california Posts: 123	Thank you, taht puts me at ease alot.

05/26/2006, 12:16 AM	#4
unimike Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Whittier, CA Posts: 234	I have copepods that are all over in my refigium, yes they do eat the detritus and goes into the main tank at nights and eats the microalgae on my LRs

05/26/2006, 12:49 AM	#6
Danfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 296	This may be a dumb question, but... How do the pods get from the refugium to the tank w/o being chopped/killed by the refugium pump, or get mechanicaly filtered out (I assume you avoid using any form of filter pads in a refugium? Baffles instead to stop bubbles?) I ask because I've been trying to wrap my head around the whole refugium practice and I completely get using it to tackle nitrates, but with pod production I can't help but wonder how they survive going through the pump.

05/26/2006, 12:54 AM	#7
Phong33 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 371	Some do get chopped up in the pumps but a lot does get thru the pump without any problems. I do not use any pads, just baffles to stop the bubbles.

05/26/2006, 12:58 AM	#8
Danfish Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 296	The next dumb question would be... If I wanted to keep my wet/dry working as a wet/dry, would that hinder pod production? Not only do I have (several) filter pads in the line but there is a sponge and the balls, and the difussor plate. Or would the overflow dam tend to prevent them from getting down into the wet/dry sump?