Can't Afford Copepods? Here's a Smarter Way to Boost Your Pod Population
Copepods are incredibly valuable in any marine setup — but their price often reflects the time, effort, and care it takes to culture them. If you're running an established reef tank, chances are you already have a small population of copepods. So what’s the most affordable way to encourage them to thrive? Live phytoplankton.
Dosing live phyto, such as Hulk Juice, Gold Rush, or Reef’s Choice, provides a rich and natural food source for both adult copepods and nauplii. We recommend dosing 25–75 mL per 100L of aquarium water per day. This not only feeds your pods — it nourishes coral polyps, sponges, feather dusters, and other filter feeders, while reducing excess nutrients like nitrates and phosphates.
However, more isn’t always better. Overdosing phytoplankton can lead to imbalances, often visible as diatom blooms. If this happens, reduce your dosing and allow your system to stabilise. Every tank is different — finding your system’s sweet spot is key.
On a budget? Don’t overlook Nannochloropsis, the powerhouse behind our Phyto Nanno blend. It’s one of the most widely used phytoplankton strains in aquaculture — it stores well in the fridge, thrives on phosphates, and remains incredibly effective. Push those phosphate numbers, dial in your ecosystem, and let Nanno do the heavy lifting.