How to grow & culture copepods in reef tank! The secret benefits copepods have to devouring diatoms!

[@RespectTheReef]

When dosing phytoplankton do it as close to when the lights turn on. They are photosynthesis and need light to reproduce!

[@wanderinggambler777]

I assume adding phyto can spike your nutrients if you add too much. Just a note since you mentioned you can't overdose.

[@RespectTheReef]

@@wanderinggambler777 I’m sure it could but in my experience it dose the opposite. As it eats nitrates and phosphates. Thanks for watching. I appreciate it

[@Brad-k]

@@wanderinggambler777 The live phyto wont raise nutrients like other brands do.

[@4SunnyinMiami2]

​@Brad-k Good to know this. I never purchased live phyto, and I always had nutrient problems. Going for the live bottle now.😊

[@karennation3580]

@@Brad-k Where do you get live phyto?

[@BryznsReef]

I really like the layout of your tank!

[@RespectTheReef]

Thank you 🙏

[@ricodias673]

Those are isopods and a beautiful little reef.

[@RespectTheReef]

👍

[@deluxedo]

Nice looking tank. Goals. I was watching because I just built a refugium in the first chamber of my aio. I was just curious about other people’s success with it in the back. Looks like it is working for you!

[@kevin916587]

do you get a separate light for your aio refugium?

[@queencityreefs]

Tank is looking great 🙌🏼👏🏻😍

[@RespectTheReef]

Thank you

[@kimthompson1618]

I love how colorful your tank is. Beautiful.

[@RespectTheReef]

Thank you! I love the colors

[@saltaquatic]

Nice video. Do you have a light over the caddy to grow the chaeto in it?

[@Notso987]

Algae barn is great

[@RespectTheReef]

Yes I love algae barn

[@daiyiaquarist]

[@karennation3580]

Nice tank! i have the same nuvo and have the chambers but I use both for filters. Can I get away with using just one to filter? Do you have 3 or just two cadys? Also what if you dont have a fuge? I dont have one in my other two tanks and cant fit one in sump. Can they reproduce without the fuge? Do you not feed fish beside copepods? How do you know if they are getting enough? I have recently been purchasing fish that just let them selves starve to death and wont come up for food and hide! Unless they have been hiding so well for over a month and I cant find them but seems if they are dead my ammonia would go up! I am baffled! Would you please share the name of your light? I read that u said it ups ph too so I am definitely doing this! Thanks so much for this very helpful video!

[@RespectTheReef]

I have 2 caddys. One on the intake, and the other one used for a refugium. I have a UV sterilizer on the other intake. You can set it up however you like! You don’t have to have a fuge. You can run nothing, you could put a Uv sterilizer, media reactor, filter floss, a spot for your heater. Literally anything you want to do you can. Yes they can reproduce without a fuge. It’s just a safe haven for them to breed and feed. I do feed my fish almost every day frozen brine, spiralina or pellets. How do I know if fish get enough food? I just make sure they get fed regularly and look healthy. Don’t overfeed. I would get your water quality in check. Get an easy fish like a clown, do regular water changes at the start and feed everyday to every other day. Not a ton but enough for them to eat and not have any left over. There is a product called prime and it helps bring down ammonia in the short term. If any fish dies I add a little bit of that and it neutralizes the ammonia. Just follow the directions on the bottle. Start with half dose. Don’t put a ton of fish in at the start. Just 1 or 2. By the way I have videos on all your questions

[@chrispearl1473]

How does your chaeto do in the sump without light? When do you replace it? Does it seem to grow? I have an IM 30 Lagoon which has a spot for another caddy if I move my heater. I’m wondering if I can do the same and does that help you with your Phos levels? Thanks!

[@RespectTheReef]

It has a light, it grows extremely well, helps with PH too if you run it 24/7. You can for sure make one in there. I did an entire video of it. Check it out! The black coating on the back of the innovative marine can be cut you can place a light on the back. That’s why they used that material. It’s all in the video.

[@stevenmoreno9600]

How do the pods from the refug get to the main tank? Does the return pump not kill them

[@RespectTheReef]

Probably some but a lot seem to make it out just fine. I find them all over my tank. When they are small they will slip through No problem

[@JohnSmith-qy2wm]

👍

[@RespectTheReef]

I appreciate the love.

[@OnlyabcS]

Where did you get the chaeto cage?

[@RespectTheReef]

From Amazon amzn.to/48MSQXw

[@HaneezHaroon]

How is the refuge getting light?

[@RespectTheReef]

I have a video on this. It’s on the back of the tank

[@MrCoolBurn]

were did you get your Refugium?

[@RespectTheReef]

I made a video on it. Check it out

[@jaybel7219]

Do you need a Refug to build a colony in a tank?

[@RespectTheReef]

Honestly probably. It’s the only I’ve ever seen to make them explode in growth.

[@kaldenkyulo4100]

Love how your gramma is out and about mine is always hiding smh also your Chaeto doesn’t die without light and flow? Wanted to put a refuge like that in my IM 30L to grow pods for mandarin I want to get soon but guy at store said refuge that small not worth it and just buy a pod hotel, also what type of phyto do you dose and how long does it last in fridge? Thanks

[@RespectTheReef]

I’ll make a video on the fuge. But it gets light at night and it constantly has flow. The guy at the store is mistaken because you don’t need a big fuge to have success. Mine grows like crazy and produces tons of pods. I just use phyto grown at my local fish store. It lasts a long time. Month or longer. You just need to shake it up every time you use it.

[@gomisreef]

Giveaway lobophyllia

[@mryes413]

I need to get more copepods

[@RespectTheReef]

Always need more 💪

[@karennation3580]

Sorry one more question! Can I remove some of the pods to share with other tank? I have a nuvo and after watching this I am definitely making a fuge but dont have room in my sump of other tanks unless I add a HOB. I want to share some just for a short while to get thought ugly stage in my new frag tank!

[@RespectTheReef]

@@karennation3580 absolutely. Thats a great thing to do

[@JakeStiff-hq8uc]

What a lovely colourful tank! Epic job well done 👏

[@RespectTheReef]

@@JakeStiff-hq8uc thank you

[@ShawnCallahn]

Giveaway zoas

[@RaulsAquaticsandReptiles]

👍🏽👍🏽

[@turs4292]

Man, I bought some live rock. It had copepods in it. I have thousands of them in my fish tank now and those nuisance starfish

[@RespectTheReef]

Get you a harlequin shrimp

[@turs4292]

Moray eels would eat them So I can’t necessarily do invertebrates it’s a predatory reef

[@RespectTheReef]

@@turs4292 I bet that’s an amazing tank

[@paulnolan9634]

Thank you. I have started copepods too ❤

[@RespectTheReef]

Glad to hear it!

[@Victoria.Henderson]

Giveaway zoas

[@dunmer26]

Great video, thanks!

[@RespectTheReef]

Thank you! I appreciate that

[@mattlabonville5704]

Wow man that's beautiful! Thanks for sharing. Do you mind me asking how often you feed? Have you noticed needing to feed less with all the pods?

[@RespectTheReef]

Are you referring to feeding the fish?

[@richishere82]

How long have you had the clowns . They seem to be unhappy with eachother.

[@RespectTheReef]

They do fine together. They were just thinking they were getting some food.

[@richishere82]

@@RespectTheReef makes sense. Wasn't having a go. Beautiful tank btw!

[@goatslayer5957]

This is a dream tank, great job!!

[@RespectTheReef]

Thank you

[@grant-eh5yp]

Nice video

[@RespectTheReef]

Thanks

[@HCBCHEMISTRY]

Cool lil set up

[@RespectTheReef]

Thank you!!