Pods cannot survive??

Pete_the_Puma · Mar 14, 2021

Hi all,

I've never had this problem before (have had saltwater tanks since 2005) and was wondering if some of the experts at algeabarn could help.

Despite regular "seeding" my tank cannot support any copepods/amphipods (referred from now on as only "Pods")!?!

I do get "5280 PODS" delivered from AB automatically every 6-8 weeks and have for over a year.

Background:

I have a 140 Gal RedSea peninsula 650 tank that has been running for 2 years. The first 18 months were HELL! Barebottom and "dry" rock build, refugium and undetectable nutrients led to a 18 month battle with Dinoflagellates that was finally won with the purchase and plumbing of a large UV sterilizer and removal of the cheato and grow lamp in the fuge.

The tank now look pretty good, SPS starting to encrust, not a dinoflagellate to be seen. Small amounts of hair algea here and there. Some detritus (or pod food) here and there. Tons of bristle worms. Heavy feeding/heavy export. The refugium is no longer growing any algae and is no longer lit by Kessil "grow" lamps but still has a ton of rock rubble. Detectable nutrients (Phos 0.05, nitrate 0.5-1ppm)

Now I understand that the Dinos are poisonous to the Pods and was not surprised they would all vanish during my battle with the Dinos but now that the dinos are gone I though the last batch of 5280 PODS would thrive.

Lights off and flashlight NOT A SINLGE POD to be seen anywhere!!!

I do have a 6 line wrasse and some cardinal fish (suprisingly decent at cathing pods) but with the refugium granting them a safe place I was sure they would thrive. I have been running GAC 24/7 for at least 6 months to remove the possible Dino "toxins". I do run my specific gravity a little higher than usual (1.027-1.028) but do not believe that would be the issues.

Any Ideas?

Dabcrusher · Mar 15, 2021

Pete_the_Puma said:
Hi all,

I've never had this problem before (have had saltwater tanks since 2005) and was wondering if some of the experts at algeabarn could help.

Despite regular "seeding" my tank cannot support any copepods/amphipods (referred from now on as only "Pods")!?!

I do get "5280 PODS" delivered from AB automatically every 6-8 weeks and have for over a year.

Background:

I have a 140 Gal RedSea peninsula 650 tank that has been running for 2 years. The first 18 months were HELL! Barebottom and "dry" rock build, refugium and undetectable nutrients led to a 18 month battle with Dinoflagellates that was finally won with the purchase and plumbing of a large UV sterilizer and removal of the cheato and grow lamp in the fuge.

The tank now look pretty good, SPS starting to encrust, not a dinoflagellate to be seen. Small amounts of hair algea here and there. Some detritus (or pod food) here and there. Tons of bristle worms. Heavy feeding/heavy export. The refugium is no longer growing any algae and is no longer lit by Kessil "grow" lamps but still has a ton of rock rubble. Detectable nutrients (Phos 0.05, nitrate 0.5-1ppm)

Now I understand that the Dinos are poisonous to the Pods and was not surprised they would all vanish during my battle with the Dinos but now that the dinos are gone I though the last batch of 5280 PODS would thrive.

Lights off and flashlight NOT A SINLGE POD to be seen anywhere!!!

I do have a 6 line wrasse and some cardinal fish (suprisingly decent at cathing pods) but with the refugium granting them a safe place I was sure they would thrive. I have been running GAC 24/7 for at least 6 months to remove the possible Dino "toxins". I do run my specific gravity a little higher than usual (1.027-1.028) but do not believe that would be the issues.

Any Ideas?

Do you ever add any phytoplankton to the tankthats probably the best food source for the pods.idont think the high salinity would kill them but might hinder them from reproducing as much and the life expectancy isn't long that's why they breed so often. Just cause you can't see them though don't mean there not in there.Also the biggest of them the Tigger (tigeropsis californicus) they just get eaten up there the biggest and red so easy to find by the fish.they are more of a Coldwater species so not breeding like the rest of them. Check out the algaebarn reef tank support group on FB there's alot of help on there.

rubertoe93 · Mar 15, 2021

Just my 2pence but is the large uv still running??

ndds73 · Mar 15, 2021

Not quite sure which refractometer you use to measure salinity. Depends on the precision errors, at 1.027 my be 1.029 or more. I have tried from regular refractometer to digital IceCap and Hanna and the swing was so much. I just couldn't trust any until I talked to Golden state Corals and they recommended to get the Tropic Marin Hydrometer with the precision at 0.0001. IMO that is the best salinity tester. Perhaps salinity is too high for pods.

D4jack · Mar 15, 2021

rubertoe93 said:
Just my 2pence but is the large uv still running??

The uv is probably killing them all, and you removed their favorite home (chaeto). I keep some coarse filter sponges in my sump to give them their own safe haven.

Dabcrusher · Mar 15, 2021

He's right uv kills them

Pete_the_Puma · Mar 15, 2021

The UV would not kill the pods in the refugium...

Dabcrusher · Mar 15, 2021

Pete_the_Puma said:
The UV would not kill the pods in the refugium...

If they stay in the refugium your right . But I'm sure they will eventually go for a stroll and get sucked up in the pump

Pete_the_Puma · Mar 15, 2021

Right, so that might explain if I had pods in the refugium and none in the display. The problem is there are no pods ANYWHERE!

D4jack · Mar 15, 2021

They are planktonic in the juvenile stage so they are dispersed through the water column. The uv will kill them in that phase eventually stopping the life cycle completely.

Pete_the_Puma · Mar 15, 2021

You guys might be correct, but I find it hard to believe that the large number of people who run UV all have zero pods? Anyone else with a UV sterilizer who could chime in?

IslandLifeReef · Mar 15, 2021

Pete_the_Puma said:
You guys might be correct, but I find it hard to believe that the large number of people who run UV all have zero pods? Anyone else with a UV sterilizer who could chime in?

I agree with the posts above about the UV. The pods won't stay in the refugium and will venture out into the tank. The pods I have gotten from Algae Barn are almost all juvenile, like 90%. Without any chaeto in the refugium for them to hide in, they are going to go to the display to try to find a place to hide. The UV then does its job.

I would recommend turning off the UV for a while. Order more pods and phytoplankton along with some chaeto to place in the fuge. Give it a month or more for the pods to establish themselves, and then if you need to, turn the UV back on. You could even place the UV on a timer and only have it run a couple hours a day, during a high light period when the pods are going to stay hidden. Then when they come out at night, no UV to kill them.

catalystNfacade · Mar 15, 2021

Pete_the_Puma said:
You guys might be correct, but I find it hard to believe that the large number of people who run UV all have zero pods? Anyone else with a UV sterilizer who could chime in?

I run UV for ICH and so on. I have a healthy population of pods. I've seen people say that pods are too large to be effected by the UV. Though I could see it sterilizing them at the early stage of their life. The UV is in the sump of my tank and my pod population can be seen popping out of the sand and rocks in the tank. Pods are very resilient but sensitive to things that inverts are damage by. Have you checked your copper leaves? Maybe an ICP test? I'm not currently having any problems but use a Waterwise water filter for all my water needs for the tank. I'm paranoid and plan on getting an ICP test of the water that comes out of it just for my piece of mind.