Copepod invasion.

Hey guys, I know a lot of people is going to say this is normal, but my tank just went crazy after adding the sump/fuge. One of the things that happened is that the copepod population went off the chart.

This is really bothering me. I really wanted the pods so I can get a mandarin goby at some point but due to my tank being too new, I haven't yet (besides, I've been having problems with other fish dying, specially all 3 of the dwarf angels I attempted to add to the tank and my hippo tang getting ich all the freaking time)

The copepod problem is just getting on my nerves. So bad that I just use my magfloat to get them off the glass, but they come back in a matter of minutes. I also noticed that my water has tons of white particle floating around and I'm unsure as to what can cause this, or even if the particles are actually copepods that are just doing that... floating around with the current.

I used to add calcium long time ago, but since I've been using a better salt mix, I don't have the need for that. My parameters are within normal:

checked 4/8/2010

Temp: 78f
pH: 8.2
Ammonia and Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: between 5 and 10
Magnesium: 1275
Calcium: 440
dKH: 8.6
Alk: 3.09

Other than my dKH and Alk being on the high side, I don't have any major water problems.

I've been feeding once daily since I started Vodka Dosing 1 week ago, but this copepod population issue started a few weeks before starting Vodka dosing.

Any ideas as to what can cause this, and secondly, what can be the white stuff floating around? I can't really tell, and I've tried to take a picture of them on the glass or a pic of the water but it doesn't show.

Thanks for tips/suggestions.

- Mag.

 

Just out of curiosity what filtration methods are you using? mechanical? chemical, bio? ANy other store bought compounds?

 

Do you have a sponge of floss in your sump? That might be it. Your powerheads may be stirring things up too much. Generally debris flooting around get caught up in the mechanical filtration in the sump. Your going to have to explore the situation. Maybe it's the salt concentration flooting around? Pods are a good thing. Your parameters are ok.

 

Thanks for the quick response!

My filtration is easy: I have about 60 pounds of LR in the tank, then another 10 pounds of crushed coral in the refugium with chaetomorpha and 4 mangroves. Then my skimmer (rated for 200 gallons, but I only have a 55gal) and that's it.
I have a deep sand bed in the fuge.

I don't have floss or cannisters of any sort. But I do have a filter sock I've been thinking to put there (didn't install it to promote copepods).

The sand in the tank is simply too heavy to be floating around like this. This particles are tiny enough to move around with the water and the sand is quite coarse.

As far as flow goes, I only have a Koralia 4 and two maxijets, one is a 600 and the other one a 1200. And I was thinking of adding more, since there's a couple of blind spots I get detritus sitting there all the time. My CUC hangs out in that corner. OH!! Right! My clean up crew consists of 40 snails, 50 hermits, 30 dwarf ceriths and 14 nassarius (funny fellas)

I wanted to promote copepods for my future mandarin goby, but they're just not so nice to see on the glass all the time... and so many of them. I wish my camera would get them. I've estimated about 45 to 50 in a square inch of glass.... really annoying.

I may have to get my mandarin before expected.... this could the "Hey honey!!!... look at these nasty bugs on the glass" excuse I was looking for.
I just didn't want to add the mandarin until a year had passed, since I read that's a rule before adding a mandarin.

- Mag.

 

I might consider getting the mandarin sooner than later. It'll take care of the pod problem somewhat, it'll have adequate food, and they tend to be ich-resistant (not immune) because of their thick mucus coating.

I'd guess the pods are floating around; the ones in my tank definitely are lol

 

HO!HO!HO! X-mas come earlier this year!! I think I'll get the mandarin and 2 cleaner shrimp to replace the two that were eaten by my pseudo chromis... that little fish from hell!!

I'm not really sure where they get the food, the copepods I mean. I target feed Phytoplankton to the corals and dump about 0.3 milliliters in the tank for filter feeders in general. I do this every 3 days.... they just seem to still find tons of food. I also know the chaeto is like a 17 bedroom mansion for them and all that may contribute.

 

It's obvious that it's time for a mandarin goby. A floss might clear things up and then you can do what you want when you get it to your liking. Your parameters are fine.

I don't take water tests but every few months, My water changes are with water from the gulf stream right off the coast. Every month I get an 80 gallon blast of all the nutrients, calcium, stontium, ph, alkalinity etc. for a $1 a gallon delivered. There are advantages being in So Florida.

 

Read your next sentence. LOL

......and there ya go. You answered your own question.

 

yeah but I think he may still have a problem. As stated below, he is having issues with other fish dying. So somthing is not right with the chemistry. Or, perhaps there may be a parasitic issue. I would find out what it is before adding that Goby

 

Your tank is going through one of the many stages of maturation. Many tanks go through a pod bloom where copepods and amphipods are everywhere. It happened in my tank at around month 4-6. Like you, I thought it was time to get a mandarin to get rid of all these tiny eye-sores. And then, all of a sudden, the pods diminished to the point of almost disappearing. And I had a bloom of stomatella snails! They were EVERYWHERE at night. That lasted for a month or two, and then they mostly died off, and was replaced by a bloom of collonista snails!

Anyway, you get the picture. Likely your tank is just continuing to mature, and is not yet totally stable. Get a mandarin if you want, but be prepared that your pod population may well decline and then you may have to consider other options to feed him. Personally I'd either wait, or else consider something like a 6-line wrasse, that will eat pods, but can still feed and survive if the pods decline.