Best Refugium for breeding Pods

[Shep]

Hey,

So I am adding a refugium to my tank and was going to mainly use it as a place to breed pods, what would be the best set up for this? What type of substrate should I use, how much LR, should I have algae growing in there, if so what kind? I have read a number of different posts on here and on other forums but would like to get all the information I can in one place for ease of use. Thanks!

-Shep

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

I think that fuges are a little misunderstood. They help with more water volume, nitrates and phoshate reduction and a source to grow algae elsewheres.

Pod growth..... yes pods grow in fuges and a colony forms. Pods are not big movers, they tend to stay in one area. What I'm trying to get at is don't expect to see the pods moving from the fuge to be the feeding source to a dedicated fish.

For micro algae, I'm running cheato and dragons breathe.

 

[Shep]

I'm more confused now, I have read in a lot of articles and forums that a refugium is a great place to breed pods as a food source but now you are saying that it is not really possible/ment to do that...
Also for the algae would I need anything for it or do I just put it in the refugium and let it go?

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

Fuges can have sand and lr. Micro algae is very popular too but this needs a light over it. A generic bulb will grow it just fine.
If you put pillow stuffing in the fuge from time to time and physically move it to the dt, that is the way that works to transport pods. I have never seen them move by themselves, in fact, I had a starving mandarin and a fuge full of pods. They are not dumb, going threw a pump and dying will not provide the requirements for a fish like that. These are fact, they stay in very localized areas unless some one has some paperwork on the migration life of a copepod.

 

[Shep]

Mine is going to be a HoB so it just overflows into my tank, there is no return pump that will murder thier faces off. Would I need anykind of algae tumbler?

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

No you don't need to tumble cheato which I presume that you are indicating.

You will see soon enough, pods will stay in the fuge and not go elsewheres. The food and safety are in the fuge, they know that.

 

[Shep]

What do you think I should use as a substrate?

 

[Aquarian]

But even if the pods don't move throughout the system you can trap them in a net ad add them to the DT

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

But even if the pods don't move throughout the system you can trap them in a net ad add them to the DT

Yep, stated that earlier.

 

[Shep]

Talked to my LFS about the fish that I was going to breed the pods for and the shop gets captive bred ones that are already trained on frozen foods so I won't really need them as a main food source.

 

[ReeferRob]

Ask to see them eat some food before you purchase them. Too many skeevy shop owners out there looking to line their pockets. Cues "Go on take the money and run" And the Balmer area is rife with them.

 

[Shep]

Ask to see them eat some food before you purchase them. Too many skeevy shop owners out there looking to line their pockets. Cues "Go on take the money and run" And the Balmer area is rife with them.

Yea I plan on it, been screwed over by LFS before. He said that they keep the fish in quarantine for three weeks and they buy the fish from living color....who apparently have a fish show on nat geo.

 

[ReeferRob]

Yea I plan on it, been screwed over by LFS before. He said that they keep the fish in quarantine for three weeks and they buy the fish from living color....who apparently have a fish show on nat geo.

This is the very reason I'm considering opening back up to the public. I still have all of my contacts and I've made a few more in Australia, Fiji and Vanuatu so it's just a matter of time. Dunno where you are in The People's republic, but when I decide to reopen there's gonna be one hell of a sale.