Copepods

[dustyeisner]

If I had a system that was cycled with live rock only and even after the cycle I allowed it to mature without adding any fish or corals for say 4 months. Maybe I could seed it with amphipods, copepods and live sand with lots of beneficial worms and just let it sit. Also I would have a refugium where these critters could reproduce.

Now I add a bunch of corals and a few fish. emphasis on corals. Would I need to feed the tank or would these creatures be able to support the system? Does anyone have a tank that works this way?

 

[Anonymous]

I did my tank just like that. I didn't add any preditors (fish, corals, etc) for 6 months.

Add the critters (copepods first) when you get a diatom bloom, they'll love you for it If they deplete the diatoms, and for some reason no more blooms occure, pick up a phyto product that has brown algaes in it to feed to them.

 

[dustyeisner]

thanks for the reply.

Do you have to feed your tank or is it self sustaining?

I cant wait to get started

 

[Anonymous]

The nutrients from the cycling live rock will drive phytoplankton blooms (diatoms for the most part). Those blooms can feed an army of copepods. After time they'll consume some of the nutrients limitting the production of the diatoms, so in that case you mayneed to feed them some other phyto suppliment that has brown algaes. I didn't have to feed mine the entire 6 months but I added like 80 pounds of LR into a 54g tank.

Once you add the corals I would suggest using a phyto product to feed the infuana, and depending on the coral, food for them. They can survive with out it, but they'll really bloom with it.

Just to be completely transparent, I work for a company that produces phytoplankton feeds and coral feeds. While it is in my best interest to sell these items, I have been an avid reefer FAR longer then I have worked for the company and I have always feed what I could to my corals. Part of my reason to work for the company was to make available all the feeds I wished I could use, and now get to use

 

[mr_X]

gresham- you never feed your fish?
what size tank and what fish are we talking about here fellas?

 

[miston]

After my cycle I had tons of copepods, then they slowly disappeared.

I thought my clowns and shrimp ate them, but your saying since I did not feed them with a phyto product they probably died?

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry if I miss lead you. I can't say for certain the pods in your tank died out from lack of food or predation. I would lean towards the latter as predation usually is the case. They (pods) probably will survice with little or no feeding if the nutrient levels are decent enough, but with predation occuring, adding feed will increase the levels that much more. They don't just eat phyto but it's one of the items we can feed them that they do eat.

Mr. X, never said I didn't feed my fish My lone fish gets what ever I feed my corals What I did say is I didn't add any fish for 6 months.

 

[mr_X]

well, then..i think it's safe to say that you'll eventually need to throw food in the tank, unless of course it's a 300 gallon tank and the fish are a couple damsels and a mandarin.

 

[Anonymous]

It would. I just don't want to come across like I'm pushing goods on anyone or saying using phyto is the only way it'll work, etc etc.

 

[SnowManSnow]

someone may have already said it.. but you should get ample supply and diversity of things like ceopods with any corals or LR u add...

b

 

[Anonymous]

Very true. You'll get species not offerred for sale anywhere using that method. Diversity is key IMO/IME.

 

[bhanson]

Is there a good source to buy copepods/amphipods from? I found one a couple years a go, but cant seem to find it now.

Thanks

 

[trido]

Is there a good source to buy copepods/amphipods from? I found one a couple years a go, but cant seem to find it now.

Thanks

Maybe if you send GreshamH a PM he can send you in the right direction. I have a feeling he knows of a great source.

 

[scifi_3d_zoo]

Just do a Google search or look on Ebay. Tons of people sell them.

 

[Chubosco]

http://www.oceanpods.com

Excellent quality and service. She is really great!

 

[bhanson]

I ordered some from reefnutrition.com, thanks for the help.