[jfingers8]

Im trying to get a population of copepods going for my mandarin that i plan on getting a couple of months from now. I put about 5 lbs. of rubble rock in my sump to basically try to start a breeding ground for pods. Will that work? I don't have any macro plants or sand in the sump just rubble rock and bare bottom.

[scubadude]

Hi jfinger

Your rubble rock would be best if there are tons of small holes for the pods to take refuge in, I have also seen ppl use cut up sections of eggcrates to stimulate a refuge area. Heck bioballs would work if you had some of them around. Also I would make sure you get a healthy population to start the breeding grounds, and also make sure you feed them (so they populate). The reason why macro algae is so important is because not only is it a source of food but they also take refuge in it. Chaetomorpha is the best for pods, I would try going to a fish store and seeing if you can buy some for a few bucs....well worth the investment, or better yet a reef club some members will give it away. Hope that helps ya out a bit

[Samper]

I've made a refuge for pods inside of the display in the past. Now I don't have to mess with it because of the way my refugium gravity feeds into the display but before that here is what I did. I took a rubbermade with a lid...whatever size you can hide will work fine. Drill or use a soldering gun to put tons of holes in the container and lid. The soldering gun works better because a drill tends to fracture the container. Fill it with rubble, hide it behind some rock and there ya go. The pod eaters that I had at the time would visit the container and eat the pods that emerged however they did have a safe haven in the display to breed. The population of pods thriving inside it was easily seen over time. Every month or two take it out and give it a good shake in the display to remove detritus...the fish will eat the pods that come out and your corals will start feeding whenever you do this. Your skimmer will remove the rest of the junk.