Chaeto & Copepods

[LeftFootedJedi]

Hoping you guys can help me w/something. I have bought a 90G Waterbox (60G display/30G sump) in January and have been failing miserably in sustaining my chaeto & copepods.

I’ve bought chaeto & copepods at least 4x and have yet to see either last long term. I dosed Ocean Majik from AlgaeBarn, followed many tutorials & nothing.

My water parameters have been steady & I have a Tunze Eco Chic Refugium Light 8831 that turns on each night over my refugium but I don’t dose anything else.. what am I missing?

My refugium flows directly in my overflow chamber & I used to lose a lot in there. The black biofoam/pad I just added to help stop that.

 

[T-J]

How new is this tank? What are your phosphate and nitrate numbers? Your algae will need PO4 and Nitrate to survive.

 

[LeftFootedJedi]

Tank has been running about 7-8 months. Nitrates have consistently <10ppm & phosphates.. .25 last time I checked.

I try to keep both in check to keep algae in check.

 

[LeftFootedJedi]

Bump

 

[LuizW13]

hmm, I don't think there will ever be a definitive answer to your question. See, I have a 25g AIO and have a loads of pods (mostly amphipods)- and I never even bought any amphipods. The only thing I could have done to contribute to my pod population was the addition of rocks in my sump area. I have two small rocks in sump chambers that seems to be acting like a breeding ground.

So, add some live rock or dead-soon-to-be-live rock to your fuge, and make sure there is enough food for the pods, detritus, phyto, etc.

Forget to mention I use Pukani rock which is crazy porous, maybe a few of those Pod Hotels could work a bit better if you can't find Pukani, I don't know.

 

[ChaosAquaculture]

Do you have sand/ and or rocks? Porous at that? Maybe they are dying because they can’t find a place to live. Do you have fish in the tank? - kali

 

[LeftFootedJedi]

Yes.. sand/rock & tank is stocked but I dont have anything in the sump. Maybe add some rock?

 

[LuizW13]

Yes.. sand/rock & tank is stocked but I dont have anything in the sump. Maybe add some rock?

Yes yes yes add rock to your fuge. The reason I mentioned Pukani is because it's the most porous kind of natural rock used in reef tanks, however, I think they are no longer shipping and selling that type of rock. So, try to find an alternative, something that best matches the Pukani ( i'm not up to speed on the rock game right now).

I'm sure that Pod Hotel product can do the trick if finding a porous rock is an issue.

 

[LeftFootedJedi]

I like the pod hotel idea.. what about my chaeto? Should I be dosing?

I’m curious what steps others take to ensure or at least promote growth.

 

[LuizW13]

I like the pod hotel idea.. what about my chaeto? Should I be dosing?

I’m curious what steps others take to ensure or at least promote growth.

I never tried growing macro algae before. But from what I read and heard on Youtube, you should test for Iron and Manganese (I think), and make sure the levels don't get too low- Macro algae absorbs it.