should I seed Copepods

[Jlew766]

I have a 75 gal mixed reef tank approx 5 months old, all is going great so far (Knock on wood) all parameters in check not much algae only rocks covered in some diatoms and are slowly decreasing. The only thing i dont see is copepods of any kind. I started tank with dry rock and live sand I was wondering if I should seed them by buying em and putting em in.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I have a 75 gal mixed reef tank approx 5 months old, all is going great so far (Knock on wood) all parameters in check not much algae only rocks covered in some diatoms and are slowly decreasing. The only thing i dont see is copepods of any kind. I started tank with dry rock and live sand I was wondering if I should seed them by buying em and putting em in.

No reason not to. Get a few different species. Make sure you are willing to dose phytoplankton every so often. I do daily. Pods go nuts.

 

[Goaway]

I would. The reef tank isn't the same with out them. They are a huge food source for coral and fish

 

[Tamberav]

They often come in on corals or macroalgae as well.

 

[rhostam]

Question related to this and the recommendation to dose phytoplankton:

Is the phytoplankton necessary after a certain point? I mean, do they eventually/also consumer larger algae like GHA, even other kept macros, and even other plankton?

 

[Goaway]

Not all life stages consume larger algae. The phyto works for many of the pods life stages.

 

[Jlew766]

any recommendations on which kinds and brands that are good

 

[rhostam]

any recommendations on which kinds and brands that are good

I’ve used the offerings from AlgaeBarn (OceanMagik)

But I switched to Mercer’s brand:
Live Phytoplankton - Tetraselmis - 1 Liter (33.8oz) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXF31KM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_3SFT394R37WXZX6AW4WF?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Copepoda always seemed to love it. They even recommend it if you want to start your own cultures.

 

[Jlew766]

any brands or places for copepods and what species

 

[Jlew766]

Should I introduce them at night time as well in order to give them a better chance to survive?

 

[terraincognita]

Should I introduce them at night time as well in order to give them a better chance to survive?

Honestly shouldn't matter.

any brands or places for copepods and what species

I like Algae Barns pod package.

5280 Pods

Each 16oz portion of 5280 Pods contains 5280+ LIVE Tigriopus, Tisbe, and Apocyclops Copepods ranging from nauplii to adult sizes. 5280 Pods is great for seeding new tanks and refugiums, boosting existing populations, or feeding finicky fish & inverts such as Mandarins, Seahorses, Anthias...

www.algaebarn.com

 

[terraincognita]

Btw. You can cultivate phyto from your own tank, especially if you've dosed phyto before, you should definitely still have spores in the water column.

Growing phyto without a starter culture

Index: Phase 1 of 4 (looking for phyto in water bottles) - p1 Phase 2 of 4 (culturing bird bath phyto) - p1 Phase 3 of 4 (capturing algae spores, porch phyto) - p3 Phase 4 of 4 (saltwater porch phyto) - p4 Phase 1 of 4 (looking for phyto in water bottles) While doing some research on culturing ph...

www.nano-reef.com

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Reef Nutrition is best bang for buck. Live phyto is many times more concentrated as are pods.... The company is about a gazzilion times larger than competitors and centerfuges live phyto (or similar process). I've bought from all sorts of places. Would only buy reef nurtition now because amoutn you get for the $$$ unless they didn't offer exactly the species/type i wanted

 

[G Santana]

I purchased a small amount of cheato from a LFS and within a few weeks I had thousands in the tank. More than enough to keep my Mandarin happy.
Never had to supplement, although I might.

 

[rhostam]

I purchased a small amount of cheato from a LFS and within a few weeks I had thousands in the tank. More than enough to keep my Mandarin happy.
Never had to supplement, although I might.

Good to know.

 

[cww81]

Most if not all LFS will have copepods for you to buy. I've bought reef nutrition apex and tigger pods, along with nutramar tigiri pods as thats what my LFS have. I've found that the tigger pods are great for feeding fish since they're bigger than other species and are bright red which makes hunting them down easier which means they can get consumed much more quickly.

 

[Jlew766]

i think ill try some cheato and put it in sump and then seed with copepods ill try the lfs because ARC is close and if they dont have any ill go with the 5280

 

[terraincognita]

i think ill try some cheato and put it in sump and then seed with copepods ill try the lfs because ARC is close and if they dont have any ill go with the 5280

Sounds 100% great.

 

[Jlew766]

ty everyone for quick replies

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

I purchased a small amount of cheato from a LFS and within a few weeks I had thousands in the tank. More than enough to keep my Mandarin happy.
Never had to supplement, although I might.

Just check their tanks for ich and the like... Personally, i think its worth the few bucks to buy macro algae from sourses that may be cleaner than friends tanks and LFS's.