Getting "Pods" from the fuge to the tank....

[tabwyo]

Anybody tackle this issue effectively yet??? I plan on adding a refugium sometime soon. I have the space for a descent sized setup (20g), I have all the extra equipment needed for one and hey, I like refugiums. But the question I have is how can I set it up to most optimally convey food type critters into my display for my fish to snack on???? I know I'll never be able to feed my DT 100% off of what i grow in a fuge. But if I am going to set one up anyway. Why not set it up to get as many pods as possible from the fuge into the DT.

First idea I had was a surge bucket type fuge. Build a eggcrate housing around the flapper and float. Then fill the bucket with rock rubble to say 3-4 inches over the level of the flapper. You get the idea. Bucket fills, covers rock, pods scramble about, flapper opens and the sudden outflow of water carries some careless/hapless critter from the SHU into general population (you know, where the real predators are).

Second idea was to build a plus sized "pod condo" with the fuge overflow plumbed into it. Not saying the flow would be so great as to constantly wash pods into the DT. But it would definitely be the most direct way of getting them into the fuge outlet line. Then it would be up to gravity and a pods curiosity to see them the rest of the way into the DT.

 

[EdMan71]

I think keep refug above tank so it can overflow into DT. Use powerhead or manifold from main pump to run water into refug and drain into DT. I do like the surge idea.

 

[travis32]

I'm curious on this as well. I have an external return pump. Will pods survive the transition fromt he sump to the DT if passed through an external pump? I'm not sure how external pumps work as far as whether things get chopped up or not?

 

[chuckreef]

They pass through the pumps just fine.
You don't need to do anything special just have some constant flow to the tank. The adult pods don't get transferred much, and you don't really want them too. You want them to make a nice happy home in the refugium so they begin reproducing. The young larval forms then, during their egg and waterborne stages, are what moves to the DT. As long as you have a "happy" (as in reproducing) stable colony in the refugium, you will provide young'ins to the DT.

 

[djkms]

Use rock rubble. Every week or so just switch out pieces of small rock from the fuge to the display and the display to the fuge.

 

[barjam]

I would do nothing. I setup a brand new refugium (55 gallon with 90 display) with a display that looked absolutely devoid of pods. The refugium was packed with pods within 4-5 days.

 

[Sk8r]

I have amphipods make it up through 15 feet of hose and through an Iwaki 100, which is sort of like making it through a Cuisinart on steroids: solid cast impeller with only a small hole.

 

[davocean]

Yep, someone described it like people going through a revolving door, but really really fast!
Pods go though my return and enter display no problem.

 

[bobbychullo]

pods, starfish, snails, bristleworms ALL make it thru my return pump no problemo

i see baby snails get shot out of my MP10 all the time too, most survive although some do get ground to a wet paste

 

[myerss]

+1, this would be foolproof.

I think keep refug above tank so it can overflow into DT. Use powerhead or manifold from main pump to run water into refug and drain into DT. I do like the surge idea.

 

[Thatnewguy]

Would adding live rock in the fuge add to pod population? I have a small piece of rock in there now and some cheato growing but pod population is small. Should i add more?

 

[jeff@zina.com]

Would adding live rock in the fuge add to pod population?

Not necessarily. It can't hurt, but you just need to wait for pods to accumulate.

Jeff

 

[Liquid Hobby]

I think keep refug above tank so it can overflow into DT. Use powerhead or manifold from main pump to run water into refug and drain into DT. I do like the surge idea.

This is my set up: an over DT fuge that gravity feeds into the DT fed via manifold from the return pump (Plus the calc, gfo and carbon reactors). It's just rock rubble and large live rock. 3 months in and the fuge is covered with bugs. My DT also has a nice population of bugs visible at night.