Seeding Copepods?

[Airborneguy]

I want to start seeding a population of copepods in my tank so I can start thinking about some different species of fish. What do you think is the best route?

I'm finding all of these auctions on ebay for "1000+ Copepods" and "Cultured Copepods" and wondering whether this is the way to go.

In the past, I got them as hitchhikers on my live rock, but this time around, I don't plan on buying much and want to add everything myself to seed the tank.

On a side note, I picked up a pair of cardinals today which are doing great. They ate about 20 minutes after hitting the tank and have been staying out in the open. My firefish goby is also spending more time in view now, so I know everyone is comfortable. So far so good! Just waiting to get that money for the light!!!

 

[Lotus]

Pretty much anything you add will give some more hitchhikers ... corals on rock, sand from an established tank, macroalgae. I don't think I'd get them off eBay.

At one point I got a bottle of copepods, but none of them made it.

 

[Airborneguy]

I might be setting up a ten gallon refugium soon... would they survive in there you think?

 

[Joe Fish]

I don't see why they wouldn't. You could always get a bottle of copepods.

 

[zoalover34]

If there's any local reefers by you just ask them for a cup of sand from all their tanks.. Put the sand in your tank and whatever backteria they had that you didn't will start to grow in your tank

 

[Lorna]

a 10g refugium with some cheato and live sand a bit of rock rubble and you will have a copepod factory. even a small rubble pile in your main display will act as a refuge also.

 

[zoalover34]

if you don't have a sump or refug you can put some cheato in your main tank also i have some tucked under some rock so its not floating all over the place, i know alot of people say cheato needs to be 'turned' over with water movement but mine grows super fast and its getting next to no flow so im not really sure why they say that?

 

[TRe]

i agree a refugium with cheato is a guarenteed way to establish pods (a dsb doesnt hurt either) when ever i used dt's photo plankton in the past i always notice a boost in my pod population