Pods?

[RNich34]

I had a small HOB refugium that I want to use to house Pods. I know Pods need really dirty water, but what else do I put in the water? some small rocks? I've been putting old Nitrated water in this for a little while now and I think I can sustain a pod population now. But any help would be great. Thanks.

 

[Ted]

Pods thrive in my sump. I have some live rock and chaeto in there. Anytime I half the chaeto I shake it in the DT so I dont just give them to the fish store. I dont keep the refugium any more or less dirty then It gets naturally. There is green film algae in it from the twisty light that fuels the chaeto. I also have some snails in there to help keep that down. So if you run the hob fuge with a light, chaeto and some rubble you should be good.

 

[little_fish]

Pods don't need nitrates, but they do like the algae that grow from the nitrates. They also seem to like the detritus that collects in sumps and fuges

 

[RNich34]

Oh. So the thing I read about needing old water and nitrates was wrong? But will they die in old nitrated water? Because I don't have any type of filtration or anything on. It just has algae all over it.

 

[RNich34]

So would you suggest that I empty what I have in this hob and refill it with clean water and just throw chaeto in it and then wait?

 

[little_fish]

No, i think you are fine using that water, I just didn't want you thinking that they need nitrates.

 

[RNich34]

Ok. I just wasn't sure. I was planning on taking some of the dirty water that I take out every 10 days and putting it in there? Do they need a filter? Or just a small power head and a light? And how much light?

 

[little_fish]

Just a small power head and the light should be good enough to grow what ever macro algae you have in there.

 

[RNich34]

How much light? It's only a 1-1.5g thing. And what's the best macro to use?

 

[RockStacker]

Most copepods encountered in the marine aquarium hobby feed primarily on phytoplankton. This is why folks say you need some nitrates in the water, so that phytoplankton have something to eat.
You do not want dirty water. You want water with just enough nitrates to feed phytoplankton.

Nitrates => metabolized by phytoplankton => copepods eat some strains of the phytoplankton.

While copepods can and do eat detritus, it would be just survival mode for them.
Live phytoplankton will be the healthy diet for them.
Healthy copepods will lead to happier fish.

 

[RNich34]

Yes. I knew about the phyto. I was going to get phyto in there for a week or so and then introduce the pods. Correct?

 

[RockStacker]

You can add them at the same time.
The phyto will not stay in the refugium exclusively and would disperse into the main tank as well.
The pods in the refugium will catch whatever phyto passes through the refugium again.

A skimmer will most likely catch most of them though after some time, so you have to work out a feeding plan to replenish the phyto.