View Full Version : Chaetomorpha & copepods
Shadowflynt
03/06/2015, 09:16 AM
Hey all
I am planning on putting on a homemade refugium on my 33 gallon reef tank. It's a modified aqua clear 110 and I am going to use Chaetomorpha and copepods in it.
My first question might be kinda dumb but I am assuming that the Chaetomorpha will need to be quarantined. Is this right? I am assuming that some diseases can be present in the macro algae from the lfs setup.
Second, do I need to buy copepods or will some that may already be in the tank populate the refugium?
I know this isn't the best setup but it's what I can currently do considering my plans to upgrade to a 55 gallon with the 33 as a sump/refugium (if I can figure a good way to section a refugium in). Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
FraggledRock
03/06/2015, 10:16 AM
the QT chaeto i nver did.
however i NEVER bought pods. just whatever came with the chaeto, and within a month i had swarms of pods..
FraggledRock
03/06/2015, 10:17 AM
keep in mind, the epods may not populate in there, the flow may be too strong.
unless you attach a decent sized box like 12 x 12 x 12
they will probably get washed out into the tank and start populating in the sump pr DT dependent on where you place it.
no matter what they will end up somewhere.
Shadowflynt
03/06/2015, 10:42 AM
Hmm. Currently I put a baffle in the refugium and a sponge at the bottom. It has reduced the original flow some as it pushes more water out prior to going through the chaeto/copepod area. I will have to see if I can restrict the flow some more probably as a box add on right now isn't really feasible due to space limitations. Thanks for the info, hopefully armed with it, I can end up with something that works out
FraggledRock
03/06/2015, 10:43 AM
Hmm. Currently I put a baffle in the refugium and a sponge at the bottom. It has reduced the original flow some as it pushes more water out prior to going through the chaeto/copepod area. I will have to see if I can restrict the flow some more probably as a box add on right now isn't really feasible due to space limitations. Thanks for the info, hopefully armed with it, I can end up with something that works out
Good luck!
i would be weary of a sponge there, i call them detritus traps LOL
pyithar
03/06/2015, 11:04 AM
My first question might be kinda dumb but I am assuming that the Chaetomorpha will need to be quarantined. Is this right? I am assuming that some diseases can be present in the macro algae from the lfs setup
if you don't trust your lfs, you should quarantine the chaeto. there could be ich cysts, flatworms, aiptasia, etc. i quarantined my macro algae for two months for that reason.
Shadowflynt
03/06/2015, 11:27 AM
Ok thanks for the advice.
I figure quarantine for the chaeto is necessary in my case. First one of the lfs receives their shipment, quarantines for 2 days then puts for sale (found this out when searching for specific fish) and second (probably a result of the first) about a month ago, the lfs had flukes (think that's what it was anyways) on several of the fish in their tanks.
Wasn't positive if disease could come in on the chaeto but now I know. Learned my lesson about the value of qt long ago :)
Thanks
MondoBongo
03/06/2015, 11:31 AM
if you don't trust your lfs, you should quarantine the chaeto. there could be ich cysts, flatworms, aiptasia, etc. i quarantined my macro algae for two months for that reason.
i trust no one. x-files style. :)
i QT my macro. last batch i got had a bunch of big ole honking aiptasia that crawled out of it after about a day.
it is almost never a bad idea to QT.
FraggledRock
03/06/2015, 11:33 AM
i trust no one. x-files style. :)
i QT my macro. last batch i got had a bunch of big ole honking aiptasia that crawled out of it after about a day.
it is almost never a bad idea to QT.
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