rcoapstick
Member
So I have decided to kick start the population of copepods and amphipods in my 3-4 month tank. I currently have 90gal Display tank with a population of snails and hermits, 2 emerald crabs, 1 strawberry crab, 1 fighting conch, 1 blood fire shrimp, 1 skunk cleaner shrimp, 1 fancy banded serpent star, 2 pink skunk clowns, and 2 percula clowns. Just this week I have reached a 0 nitrate/ 0 phosphate level. I would like to introduce some copepods and amphipods. I have a nice sump set up with a refugium. The refugium has a 7" sandbed. The flow through the refugium is slow to stagnant near the sand with most of the flow staying close to the surface. I observed this by watching some free floating chaeto strands moving about. The refugium is on an opposite schedule for lighting as the the display tank.
I have customized the outlet of my skimmer to dump into the refugium. It dumps the water into a small clear overflow container so that the sand is not disturbs the water flows through a ball of chaeto then exits the clear overflow box and the water moves accros the top of the refugium into the return chamber were it is then pumped back up into the dislpay tank.
Near the partition between the refugium I have set up some live rock rubble against the glass and thrown some chaeto across the top of it to prevent too many of the copepods and amphipods from leaving the refugium too quickly.
All of this is the outcome of many modifications over the past few months. I am pleased with it, but would like some input from more experienced reefers on any modifications that would help render the refugium I have here as the greatest amphipod/copepod nursery ever created!
I have customized the outlet of my skimmer to dump into the refugium. It dumps the water into a small clear overflow container so that the sand is not disturbs the water flows through a ball of chaeto then exits the clear overflow box and the water moves accros the top of the refugium into the return chamber were it is then pumped back up into the dislpay tank.
Near the partition between the refugium I have set up some live rock rubble against the glass and thrown some chaeto across the top of it to prevent too many of the copepods and amphipods from leaving the refugium too quickly.
All of this is the outcome of many modifications over the past few months. I am pleased with it, but would like some input from more experienced reefers on any modifications that would help render the refugium I have here as the greatest amphipod/copepod nursery ever created!