Copepods, for those who have seahorses and Mandarin Gobies

[Man From Atlantis]

Where is the best place to buy copepods, in volume and cheap, I dont know if it is better to buy these online or in the local stores, please advise, do i need to aclimate them.

[bigronbo]

i get my tiger pods at BRA at i think 19.00 a bottle not sure who else carries them i would think several stores so again call your closest store and check so you don't waste gas going to a farther store. I'd say get a refregum and put some in there. Breed them, Chuck had a good sized tank with all kinds of sea weeds and loaded with pods.

[Man From Atlantis]

Thanks for the help, I will give them a call first, what do the pods eat if i was to breed them, i have a spare bio cube, would that work. and who is chuck, not sure of his member name

[seanathen]

your biocube would work fine, but it's prolly bigger and more expensive to operate than you really need. My biocube is full of them as I have no natural predators. I'd be willing to scoop out some sand and give it to you. They breed like rabbits in my cube....

[Man From Atlantis]

(seanathen) That's kind of you, I just recently purchased a Mandarin Goby and im not sure of my current population of copepods in my display tank, 200 gallons, with 150 pounds of live rock, not sure if he would deplete the population in their. what size is your tank that you breed them in? my biocube is 24 gallons, i wasnt sure if it would be worth setting up or can do it with something far smaller.

[tbone74]

Do you have a sump with a refugium?? you could breed them down there

[Man From Atlantis]

I have a sump, but no refugium, could i still grow them in there being as there is no light.

[seanathen]

I can't imagine 1 goby decimating a copepod population in a tank that big...Just my opinion. How established is your tank? If it's been up and running for a year, you are probably fine with 1 mandrin goby...

[Luke]

the bottles are only really practical to start copepod populations... i wouldnt want to rely on the bottles to sustain the mandarin goby.. I would add a refugium to your sump and see about breeding them there.

[Man From Atlantis]

cheers guys, I dont have the pace to add regugium with all the filtration I already have in the sump. My tank should be larger enough to sustain the Mandarin and if needed I will get more to boast the numbers.

[Luke]

http://www.3reef.com/forums/i-made/battery-box-gravity-fed-refugium-diy-fun-85163.html

its not too hard to add a fuge, and it doesnt need to be complicated either.

[Man From Atlantis]

ok Can you tell me how beneficial one will be and what else would i need to add one to my sump.

[Man From Atlantis]

Thats a clever DIY refugium, I dont hav the space for that in my under my tank, I can only add a fuge to my sump, is that possible?

[Luke]

yeah thats possible! got a pic of your sump?

[Narazbad]

All things are made easier through visuals.

You could also do a HOB fuge.

[Man From Atlantis]

I will attach a picture soon, just need to get my camera charged.

[Man From Atlantis]

Here are a few pictures of my sump, as you can see im limited for space to add a refugium, if you can assist me with your ideas and how to add this feature can you please let me know. :) in the sump i have a protein skimmer, filter sock and filter pads and a UV steralizer 2235223622372238

[tbone74]

Wow you weren't kidding, zero room under there