Oh shucks I did not know that... I appreciate the information going forward!
What do each of those do?
No worries! A lot of people buy them and they will do a great job cleaning up algae. They just don’t live long as they’re native to temperate waters of the northeastern pacific. It’s kind of a shame they are still marketed for use in our hobby.
The copepods and amphipods, less formally referred to just as “pods”, are detritus eaters. They help manage waste in the tank and help recycle nutrients. The phytoplankton can help with nutrient (nitrate and phosphate) export from the tank which can starve out nuisance algae. Phyto is a great coral food and will also be eaten by the pods you add. Personally I wouldn’t recommend starting phyto until the tank is more established. Too much can become a pollutant and have the opposite of the intended effect, raising nutrients as it dies off. But if careful, it can be beneficial. In general I just don’t like to add too many variables to a new tank with such a fragile biome already.
Not trying to discredit you but, I added pods to my tank right after the cycle and started dosing Phyto the same day 15 years ago I still dose Phyto and don't have anything but mushrooms and fish never had the ugly stage. I think it was because I was ahead of the problems. I now have small amounts of hair algae here and there as I have slowed down on the dosing of the Phyto so my tangs have some natural food, also the fish eat the pods so I don't have to feed as often.
I don’t feel discredited at all. I agree they are great for a tank and may help with the ugly phase. I just wanted to add a word of caution about going slow, because phyto overdose can spike nutrients. As long as its done carefully, phyto is excellent for the tank.
