Needing advanced copepod help

ZoWhat · Sep 2, 2020

Okay....amazing how little documentation there is on maintaining a copepod farm. Lots to "How to Start" but very little about ongoing maintenance.

I'm about 3 weeks into cultivating/harvesting various copepods. All is going very well, pods are populating TWO different 2gal containers.

Above container to the left has a blend of many types of copepods/rotifers. To the right 100% Tisbee copds.

Overall plan is to take 50% of the farm and into it to my rake late at night with all fpiw off for 2hrs. The remaining 50% stays in the containers to continue to cultivste population BOOMS, lol.

QUESTIONS:

At some point the SW in the two vessels will need to have a 100% water change.

#1) I assume (?) the best way is to STRAIN both vessels thru a 52micron strainer i purchased from Mercer of Montana....

#2) I assume (?) that I make a brand new 100% fresh batch of 1.020 SW and once strained immediately introduce them to the new SW.

#3) I assume (?) the old SW just gets poured down the drain?

#4) Would I have an advantage testing the copepod farm water every couple of weeks? Do I test for Ammonia? Nitrates? What?

#5) Should I be on a strict 100% water change every 2-3 weeks?

Any advice from Advanced Copepod'ers is appreciated!

Idoc · Sep 2, 2020

hmmm... interested in following along. I don't raise copepods, but find it interesting. Maybe some day...

WvAquatics · Sep 2, 2020

@hollback he has culture might have some answers

hollback · Sep 3, 2020

I have had the same copepod cultures going since 2004 so I have some experience.

You really want to set up mono cultures of one species. Rotifers will outcompete the copepods for food and dominate culture. What species is in with the rotifers? What are you feeding? Live phytoplankton? If so, what species?

Here are my answers to your questions:

#1) I assume (?) the best way is to STRAIN both vessels thru a 52micron strainer i purchased from Mercer of Montana.... Yes, strain them through your 52 micron screen to collect them.

#2) I assume (?) that I make a brand new 100% fresh batch of 1.020 SW and once strained immediately introduce them to the new SW. Yes, newly mixed saltwater back in the container. I actually keep my cultures at 1.025

#3) I assume (?) the old SW just gets poured down the drain? Yes.

#4) Would I have an advantage testing the copepod farm water every couple of weeks? Do I test for Ammonia? Nitrates? What? Nope. Don't test. Your 50% water change takes care of the nutrients.

#5) Should I be on a strict 100% water change every 2-3 weeks? No. In fact, I only do a 100% water change about once a year. You are basically doing massive water changes every time you pull half the culture. I would recommend siphoning out the detritus that accumulates on the bottom about every other month.

revhtree · Sep 3, 2020

@Reef Nutrition
@AlgaeBarn

WallyB · Sep 4, 2020

hollback said:
I have had the same copepod cultures going since 2004 so I have some experience.

You really want to set up mono cultures of one species. Rotifers will outcompete the copepods for food and dominate culture. What species is in with the rotifers? What are you feeding? Live phytoplankton? If so, what species?

Here are my answers to your questions:

#1) I assume (?) the best way is to STRAIN both vessels thru a 52micron strainer i purchased from Mercer of Montana.... Yes, strain them through your 52 micron screen to collect them.

#2) I assume (?) that I make a brand new 100% fresh batch of 1.020 SW and once strained immediately introduce them to the new SW. Yes, newly mixed saltwater back in the container. I actually keep my cultures at 1.025

#3) I assume (?) the old SW just gets poured down the drain? Yes.

#4) Would I have an advantage testing the copepod farm water every couple of weeks? Do I test for Ammonia? Nitrates? What? Nope. Don't test. Your 50% water change takes care of the nutrients.

#5) Should I be on a strict 100% water change every 2-3 weeks? No. In fact, I only do a 100% water change about once a year. You are basically doing massive water changes every time you pull half the culture. I would recommend siphoning out the detritus that accumulates on the bottom about every other month.

I agree with all the answers provided by @hollback

Once your copepod farm is running, and you don't introduce any contaminets it's pretty hardy for months.
I would sometime not do water changes for many weeks, it go filthy and kept going till I noticed.

One additional bit of missing advice is over time you'll see sediment on bottom. THat's loaded with pods,,,so strain rinse that sediment (RO water), and put back some of the sediment for the Next Batch Start up. (ONLY If you want a extra kick start on the next Batch).

To support the MONO culture point stated....
One caution is don't get a LIVE contaminent into the Farm water. I once was reaching over my farm and a few drop of water got into the Farm Container. In that water were a (few Brine Shrimps (I never noticed)). Shortly aftewards The farm was quickly depleting copepods, and I noticed TWO HUGE BRINE shrimps like Paddle Machines, eatting Copepods like crazy. They got huge since they had unlimited easy to catch PODS.