Question on Copapods and Sump.

[Raymond Gathright]

I've got a 75 gallon that's been officially set up as a 75 gallon for about three or four months now. I actually upgraded from a 40 gallon, and just transferred all the live rock over. My fish had all got old and died, or tortured to death by a yellow tail Damsel. Yes, she's gone. Things seem to be going well now though, knock on wood
It does look like I have a fairly decent Copepod/Amphipod colony developing. I looked in the wee hours of the morning last night, after all the lights had been out a while, and the little buggers where all over the sand. I would guestamate I saw around a hundred, plus the one's clamoring around the rock. Still I wanted to bolster this a bit for an eventual mandarin addition.
I built my own sump, using a 30 gallon, and I've been wanting to add some Cheato to help get my nitrates that last little bit down. They're running between 15 ppm and 25 ppm. I ended up getting the Cheato/250 Pod package from Aquarium Depot, along with a couple of zoas and an acan.
The first (intake) compartment is 6" x 12" x18", followed by a larger compartment with my sand. I went with a deep sand bed. I'm pretty sure it's 18" x 12" x 18". Then I have my bubble trap and lastly the return compartment. I had originally planned on putting my skimmer on intake, but it's a Reef Octopus HOB. The stand sits a little to low for it to fit, so I had to put it back on the display tank.
Will the intake compartment (again, 6" x 12" x 18") be large enough for the Cheato? If so, I had thought about turning the second compartment into a frag tank/rescue-rehabilitation tank (not a true quarantine tank). Thoughts??? Also, what does everyone think about adding the copepods to the Cheato compartment, wherever that ends up being? I thought that way they can breed and multiply. I'm thinking that when I thin the Cheato out I can shake the pods out in the main display so that it is "re-seeded" with them. Thoughts on this???
If I do end up adding the Cheato to the larger tank, I'll put a fan or powerhead to keep it moving. If It does go in the intake I may add a fan depending on flow and Cheato roll. I'm going to trademark that term, by the way
I'll try and work on a "build" thread soon so everyone can see how this newish reef system is coming together...
Thanks in advance, Raymond

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Hi Raymond!
Look at the Tunze comline skimmers that may work for your sump.
I have a 30g tall for my sump mine is, intake with tunze skimmer, refugium, then pump chamber.

(again, 6" x 12" x 18") be large enough for the Cheato?

Yep. You already have pods, so I sprinkle flake food or coral frenzy right on top to encourage the pods. Done this even with hob refugiums.

? If so, I had thought about turning the second compartment into a frag tank/rescue-rehabilitation tank (not a true quarantine tank).

Sumps get so funky, so I couldn't do it. Socks help a bit. youll have to wait and see Id guess.

can shake the pods out in the main display so that it is "re-seeded" with them. Thoughts on this???

yup, genius. I do that and let the chato float and a have few of the more porous rocks ill just leave in the DT.

add a fan depending on flow and Cheato roll.

I have a dead spot in my fuge as the designer is , well, me, so I added a small 12v pump it the dead spot of the fuge for extra flow. it doesn't need to have the Chato Roll (tm) and tumble just good flow. I intend to put that pump on a battery backup with a couple of the powerheads(dc jebos) in the dt in case of power failure.

Its a good plan, I think youll have a mandy sooner than you think.

 

[Raymond Gathright]

Thanks Salty. Right now, I'm good with the HOB on the display, though I'm sure I will eventually put one in the sump and move the ReefOctopus to another tank. I've got to admit, having coming from a SeaClown, I love the ReefOctopus.
I don't know why I thought my sump would stay nice and pretty ;-) You brought up a good point... Looks like a separate frag tank it is, though it'll have to wait a while. My wife will not even let me tease about getting another reef tank right now. Though she REALLY wants a puffer and I've had to tell her I'll have to bump up to 125g minimum... plus a sump. She said she would think about that I figure two or three years, so I'll save up. The good news is I got the bigger HOB skimmer just for that reason.
Thanks for the info on feeding the pods, as well. Ha! I never thought about that... I don't know why. Forest for the trees I guess.
Thanks for the info, suggestions, and support. As far as the mandarin; I'm almost comfortable with going ahead and getting one. That said, I have learned to be very patient with this hobby. I'm adding three corals and the cheato this week, and I'm mildly concerned about adding to much at once. Of course, I'm working with about 90 +\- gallons at this point, so I think I'll be more than fine. Like I said, I've just learned to move very slowly in this hobby...
Thanks again, Raymond

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Thanks Salty. Right now, I'm good with the HOB on the display, though I'm sure I will eventually put one in the sump and move the ReefOctopus to another tank. I've got to admit, having coming from a SeaClown, I love the ReefOctopus.
I don't know why I thought my sump would stay nice and pretty ;-) You brought up a good point... Looks like a separate frag tank it is, though it'll have to wait a while. My wife will not even let me tease about getting another reef tank right now. Though she REALLY wants a puffer and I've had to tell her I'll have to bump up to 125g minimum... plus a sump. She said she would think about that I figure two or three years, so I'll save up. The good news is I got the bigger HOB skimmer just for that reason.
Thanks for the info on feeding the pods, as well. Ha! I never thought about that... I don't know why. Forest for the trees I guess.
Thanks for the info, suggestions, and support. As far as the mandarin; I'm almost comfortable with going ahead and getting one. That said, I have learned to be very patient with this hobby. I'm adding three corals and the cheato this week, and I'm mildly concerned about adding to much at once. Of course, I'm working with about 90 +\- gallons at this point, so I think I'll be more than fine. Like I said, I've just learned to move very slowly in this hobby...
Thanks again, Raymond

sounds like you got Skills Raymond. I'd love to see a build thread when your ready to.
I think you can win prizes just for posting one too. Just for starting a thread.

Yea I'd hade to dump a tool I like. I had a not so good hob in my sump for a bit. It was used and never right. I had just enough room to just make it fit but I had to drill a hole in the skimmer cup to set up an auto drain tube because the cup was difficult to take out.

I set up a pretty nice semi display fuge. Is not like a display it's just full of life macros algaes and feather duster and bivalves and little bug swarms. Some Xenia has even made its way down there. It's neat.