Copepod Reactor

[Kal]

Hi All,

I have a Waterbox 134 which doesn't come with room in the sump for a refugium. (Pic included) This is problematic as I absolutely want to keep a Mandarin Goby so I need a strong pod population. To remedy this, I have a large pile of rubble rock hidden behind my aquascape, and I am also trying to put together a reactor for them.

I grabbed the Reef Octopus reactor linked below, filled it with rubble rock (my lfs strongly advised against chaeto so that I don't have a light on my sump) and a bag of pods. When I turned it on, the flow was so strong that there is no way those little guys are still in there.

So my questions are these:

1. Is this strategy even solid? Both the rubble in the tank and the rubble in the reactor.

2. Is there a weak pump anyone would suggest that could replace what I have on the reactor now?

3. Is there a reactor you would suggest I use that doesn't have the tube in the middle? That middle tube makes filling with anything kind of a challenge.


Reef Octopus Beginner OCT-MF300B 2.5 Inch Media Reactor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016ABH9EW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_L9DwBb8DFA904


Thanks!

 

[Webslinger]

Getting your Mandarin to eat pellets is your best option. I use New Life Spectrum Marine 1mm Sinking Pellets. For some reason none of my other fish will eat it except the Mandarin, Diamond Goby and long nose hawkfish. My mandarin is the fattest fish in my tank.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Is the ball valve in the back for the reactor? I would try 1/3 open and see if flow is more manageable

 

[Gareth elliott]

Mandarins need copepods, I guarantee if you looked at your sand bed and rocks at night with a light you would see tons of movement from pods in your tank.

As to the op for the reactor i would look towards pods that reproduce quickly. Apocyclops would be my choice. The reactor will help but i would give time for pods to see the whole tank.

You can also speed this up culturing them in a container and using a copepod screen.

Use say a 2.5-10 gallon aquarium with an air stone and add phyto till a light green. When becomes less green add again. Every 6 days do a 50% water change and screen the water change water to add those pods to the aquarium.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

The reason macroalgae reactors work is because you can isolate them in the reactor with light from all sides, perfect flow, perfect aeration, creating an ideal area for them to grow quickly. I don't believe this will equate the same way to pods. Pods need a constant food source, which is detritus and algae. Beyond that you don't want a mechanical filtration/skimmer past their grow out area because that will significantly reduce their numbers. What I have seen work is:

Mechanical filtration 1st
Skimmer 2nd
Refugium with diverse macroalgae and 'light' flow (pod grow-out) 3rd
Return pump

Only negative with the above is making sure macros don't start spilling into your DT. I use a large piece of large rock after my refugium area/before my return area. If macros do make it into your DT then you want to make sure the fish you selected will eat it. When I get my macros growing very quickly, my pod population explodes. When macros are stagnant in growth, pod population decreases.

Another thing you can do is keep a separate 'dirty' tank designed just to grow pods and you can move water/pods from there into you DT. (This is too much work for me)

I also agree with above, mandarins needs a pod population, even if they are eating frozen. I feel this keeps them healthy and gives you a good shot at maintaining them for years.

 

[Webslinger]

My mandarin picks at the rocks all day and eats pellets when I feed. A mixed diet is best for all fish. Get a friend that has a 3d printer and print out a POD hotel and throw it in the sump. What your trying to do is overkill and you'll have better luck with the hotel. My number one rule in this hobby is KISS

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2811807

 

[Kal]

Is the ball valve in the back for the reactor? I would try 1/3 open and see if flow is more manageable

The valve is currently on the output hose, I'll move it to the input. Thanks!

 

[Kal]

Seems like the consensus is my idea won't necessarily work well. I am going to try to slow down the flow of water going into the reactor to see if that changes anything, but that doesn't solve the food requirements usually provided by an actual refugium.

Am I just SOL on this one? I thought about turning the ATO reservoir into a refugium, but I would still want that reservoir somewhere and the wife isn't keen on anything sitting beside the tank (I was going to hide it in maybe an ottoman or something).

 

[Kal]

My mandarin picks at the rocks all day and eats pellets when I feed. A mixed diet is best for all fish. Get a friend that has a 3d printer and print out a POD hotel and throw it in the sump. What your trying to do is overkill and you'll have better luck with the hotel. My number one rule in this hobby is KISS

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2811807

Nice! So friend, do you have a 3d printer? Haha

 

[Webslinger]

Sure, send me your address and I'll print one for you.

 

[PerplexyHexy]

Hi All,

I have a Waterbox 134 which doesn't come with room in the sump for a refugium. (Pic included) This is problematic as I absolutely want to keep a Mandarin Goby so I need a strong pod population. To remedy this, I have a large pile of rubble rock hidden behind my aquascape, and I am also trying to put together a reactor for them.

I grabbed the Reef Octopus reactor linked below, filled it with rubble rock (my lfs strongly advised against chaeto so that I don't have a light on my sump) and a bag of pods. When I turned it on, the flow was so strong that there is no way those little guys are still in there.

So my questions are these:

1. Is this strategy even solid? Both the rubble in the tank and the rubble in the reactor.

2. Is there a weak pump anyone would suggest that could replace what I have on the reactor now?

3. Is there a reactor you would suggest I use that doesn't have the tube in the middle? That middle tube makes filling with anything kind of a challenge.


Reef Octopus Beginner OCT-MF300B 2.5 Inch Media Reactor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016ABH9EW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_L9DwBb8DFA904


Thanks!

Does the waterbox you have got an ATO reservoir?

 

[PerplexyHexy]

My tank is semi close to my barhroom... I ran a tunze ATO under my stairs from under my sink to have its own ATO reservoir away from the tank which then I converted the ATO reservoir on the red sea into a refugium. I put old rock rubble from my old tank in it, grape caulerpa, dragons breath, chaeto and shaving brush plant in it. I painted all 4 sides a flat black to isolate the light in the refugium. Ive had it up and running for 2 weeks and it is full of pods... they are getting into the display and just munching on the diatoms I have on my new rock... Didnt think they would reproduce that quickly... and the macroalgae is growing like crazy...

 

[PerplexyHexy]

Sorry, didnt mean to change the subject... just wanted to throw an idea out there for ya that worked out pretty well for myself

 

[Halal Hotdog]

Seems like the consensus is my idea won't necessarily work well. I am going to try to slow down the flow of water going into the reactor to see if that changes anything, but that doesn't solve the food requirements usually provided by an actual refugium.

Am I just SOL on this one? I thought about turning the ATO reservoir into a refugium, but I would still want that reservoir somewhere and the wife isn't keen on anything sitting beside the tank (I was going to hide it in maybe an ottoman or something).

I don't see your current reactor being overly successful at growing pods. IMO the easiest way to do it is a refugium. Without a refugium and accompanying algae, it will be tough to get a large population of pods. Also algaes have to grow somewhere in your tank. By focusing the growth in the fuge then your DT may require a lot less work.

 

[bjc451]

I have a sump with no space for a refugium or pod production and was looking a hob refugium. The aquamaxx one looks pretty clean

 

[bjc451]

For know I have rubble in mesh bags in the sump. I have put only once into the display at night. Idk how often to let the rubble build back up to try again. Also some water does come out transferring the bag to the display. Idk if this is a good method or not. That how the pod hotels seem better.