Refugium question

[hawkfish]

I have some copepods in my refugium, and I've decided to buy some additional copepods online in order to help seed the system a little more for what I hope is a future mandarin. It was recommended that I feed the refugium phytoplankton. My questions are:

1) if I feed my display tank phytoplankton already, is it necessary to also feed the refugium?
2) if I need to feed the refugium, given that the light cycle is opposite of my display tank, is it necessary to turn the lights on before feeding?

 

[jef4y]

wcwilson;773055 wrote:
1) if I feed my display tank phytoplankton already, is it necessary to also feed the refugium?

No. The need for phyto is debatable to begin with, (I use it) but if you're putting it in the DT it will rotate through the fuge assuming they are connected.

2) if I need to feed the refugium, given that the light cycle is opposite of my display tank, is it necessary to turn the lights on before feeding?

Light cycle won't matter to the pods. They will eat whenever. And actually you'll find them more active in the dark than in the light anyhow.

 

[hawkfish]

Thanks for the quick response. The refugium is connected, and I've had it up and running since February. How will I know when I have enough copepods to sustain a mandarin?

 

[frantz]

If you already have them I wouldn't personally spend the money on more. My tank self populated quick quickly. The population should self regulate, with fast growth when opportunity exist. Unless you're in a rush for the Dragonet. What size tank do you have?

 

[hawkfish]

I've got a 180 gal display with a 40 gallon refugium connected to the overall system. The macro algae takes up about 2/3 of the tank, deep sand bed, and I have little piles of rock for the copepods to hang out.

 

[jef4y]

That's a huge tank & fuge. Assuming it's been up for more than a couple months, you should be good to go.

Unless of course you have a pile of wrasses or something else that mows through pods. Even then, you could probably do it. I successfully kept our mandarin in a 29g cube for almost a year before upgrading to the 60. Then again my guy eats anything that goes in the tank.

 

[frantz]

I got my first Mandarin for my 120 after about 6 months and it was fine and dandy, fattened up in a hurry. I think you have more pods than you realize!

 

[hawkfish]

Thanks Franz. I have already ordered 1000, buy 1 get 1 free from Reefs2Go. They said they aren't tigger pods which I was told to stay away from. I'm not in a huge hurry for the mandarin, I just hate to get him and then not give him what he needs in terms of food.