Copepods

[mbuckley]

The 1 fish I really what is a Mandarin Goby. I know they need a healthy pod population to thrive so today I setup a 20 gallon refugium under my 35 gallon display tank. I plan on adding Culerpa once I find a source (ie someone trying to get rid of it).
My question is too others with a Refugium...How do you pods' get in the maintank. Do they get sucked through the pump or do you move liverock between the 2 tanks? Is there another way?
Thanks for your help, Mike

 

[striker]

I don't have a refugium myself but I do have a mandarin. I've read before that to replenish the pods every now and then you can remove a few rocks and put them into the main tank so the copepods could be reintroduced. I've also heard that a sponge could work just as well. Maybe someone else has more info.

 

[nm reef]

In a well established refugium pods will flourish....if returned via pump(which yours would because its under your system) then it would seem some would be damaged but some would make it back to the display. My refugium is gravity returned and sustains a large population of copepods(and numerous other micro fauna)....the key I think is to have a stable/mature refugium. Pods can be transfered back to the display by pumps/gravity/or even manually via replacing rocks or as mentioned sponges. A thriving pod population in a refugium will always be recycling back to the display.

 

[bang guy]

My refugium is 8' below the Display so I use a high pressure pump to get the water back up to the display. It works exactly as NM Reef claims. Some pods are damaged/killed but most arrive alive. I estimate that more than 95% of copepods make the trip unharmed based on past experiments. Amphipods have less chance at surviving.