Zooplankton Refugium

[Subsea]

Two years ago, I put together an algae reactor using four feet of clear 3” pvc to be incorporated into 5 year mature 120G display with 40G cryptic refugium with mud filter. With intense lighting strapped to outside of 4’ high tower, I quickly found out that algae growing on inside of pipe obscured light penetration. Too much added maintenance for me. So, I included a submersible 3’ led light and grew chaeto and pods. That was 6 months ago, since then, I have incorporated the display tank weir overflow box of about 3G into an overflow chaeto reactor. Because I am all about recycling nutrients into live food, now my focus is to use the 4’ tower as a pod generator. I will leave submersible light for observation & pictures. Presently strapped to light is 2” wide 3’ long eggcrate which now has biofilm and robust large amphipod population on it. At present a maxi jet power head moves 300 GPH thru 3” pipe. Tower return to tank is 12” above display water level. It is my intention to run a reduced flow thru 4’ vertical tower using air bubbles, then periodically to turn on power head to dislodge pods and feed display tank.

 

[Subsea]

@Timfish
Do you think this 4’ vertical clear pvc tower would get too much ambient light to be a cryptic refugium? I would only use the submerged light for observation or pictures.

I can see large amphipods on egg rate. Would I get more pods with an algae generator than a cryptic refugium, because I already have a mature 40G cryptic refugium.

 

[Timfish]

Seems with the ambient light from the aquariums you're going to have algae growing on the inside walls. How things progress with changing light levels will be something to watch.