Copepods are alot tougher than I thought

[Copingwithpods]

I had a 14g as a quarantine I forgot about and kinda left to its own vices. As I went to clean it out I found it to be packed with copepods and other organisms. Curious I measured the Salinity.

SG 1.051 or 68ppt

I can see thousands of them moving around. This tank gets no light so I don't know what they could be eating, it has no flow and no heater. Basically a stagnant saltwater pond. Kinda interesting so I figured I'd share.

Be interesting to see what the rest of the parameters look like.

 

[Copingwithpods]

I'm going to let it run its course and see how high of a Salinity they can survive in. No way I'm cleaning it now (great excuse for not cleaning it BTW)

 

[Copingwithpods]

So far according to api (for what that's worth) here are some parameters

TEMP 63
PH. 8.8 (maxed out on kit)
Ammonia. 4 ppm
Nitrite 0? (very odd)
Nitrate. 100-140ppm

 

[Pablopufferfish]

Wow just wow. I have never seen anything survive in such a high salinity! Plus the very whacked out parameters.

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

It’s amazing what can survive. Looks green too so there is some bacteria surviving in there too.

 

[Copingwithpods]

It is packed with life, much more than my phone can show. There are tiny living organisms I can just make out with my eye that make out that haze you see in the picture. Copepods by the millions, worms, amoeba looking things. Very surprised.

Wow just wow. I have never seen anything survive in such a high salinity! Plus the very whacked out parameters.

 

[Copingwithpods]

What I can only imagine are bacterial colonys

 

[Pablopufferfish]

A supercharged saltwater petri dish perhaps.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Now that I've let the results sit for a minute here are the updated parameters

TEMP 62
Ph 8.8 (still maxed out)
Ammonia 8.0 (maxed out on kit)
Nitrite still zero
Nitrate now 160+
Phosphate 10+ (maxed out on kit)

OK for acros?

 

[SALTYMOPAR]

Tiger pods are tough they hang out in tide pools in stagnant hot water between tides. But crazy their just floating along having a good old time in that tank.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Now a question

What can I do with this little ecosystem?
Dose 2 part to lethal levels?
Raise magnesium ?
Add more salt lol?

 

[Copingwithpods]

Tiger pods are tough they hang out in tide pools in stagnant hot water between tides. But crazy their just floating along having a good old time in that tank.

To be honest, this stagnant cesspool is growing pods better than when I try to do it on porpoise.

 

[Pablopufferfish]

Now a question

What can I do with this little ecosystem?
Dose 2 part to lethal levels?
Raise magnesium ?
Add more salt lol?

Maybe go as high as the ecosystem can go without dying. Problem is I don’t think anyone knows the breaking point. Experiment with it.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Maybe go as high as the ecosystem can go without dying. Problem is I don’t think anyone knows the breaking point. Experiment with it.

I'll try, I mean all these dude are doomed anyway. I have to clean this tank out and there's no way I'm putting any of these guys in my display so somethings gotta give. Currently testing alk and cal

 

[Pablopufferfish]

I'll try, I mean all these dude are doomed anyway. I have to clean this tank out and there's no way I'm putting any of these guys in my display so somethings gotta give. Currently testing alk and cal

Well then the sky’s the limit.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Alk 9
Cal 450
what the heck!

 

[Anihiel1]

Maybe you should bag those suckers up and sell them. They're SuperPods Lol

 

[Copingwithpods]

Maybe you should bag those suckers up and sell them. They're SuperPods Lol

Chernobyl pods

 

[Copingwithpods]

I'm starting to wonder.... What would be more detrimental, continue on present course or slowly bringing Salinity back up to normal.

 

[Fezbearer]

Salton Sea tank!