Copepods escaping into DT!

So I made a DIY HOB filter converted into refugium places some substrate and some funky old reef mud, a couples small pieces on LR and today i added some live copepods and it seems as thought most of them over time either ended up in the DT even though I have the flow turned so its lowest it can be on that filter or are they in the rocks somewhere and Im not seeing them? Good thing I only used half the bottle so I can just do a culture seperately, how long does it usually take for them to mulitiply or how can I check if they are still in there?

 

use a red flashlight at night. They bury into the mud and rock.

 

red flashlight, hmm, theres a small 10 watt light thats on there 24 hours, should i turn that off and wait for some time before I shine the red flashlight (or something similar) in there to check for them?

 

Yep, a half hour to an hour. If you're tracking crabs you want a red lense. For pods, just put a regular flashlight on the side of the refugium, leave it on for 15 minutes and then come back and look. After they have been in the dark for a while, they will be attracted to the light.

 

i would remove the light entirely. but yes, you got the right idea.

if you're adding some of that macro algae hairy stuff (which might be a good idea) you'll give the pods a better 'net' to catch before they flood over into the DT. Also giving them more surface area to breed in.

 

Good, cause I have no idea where I would get a red flashlight . Gonna try that tonight and hopefully they will be in there. Thanks yall

 

i put red (more like pink) saran wrap over a white flashlight to get a red light...

 

No copepods seen, so gonna get some of that hairy stuff and start a seperate culture of my own, cause these lil guys are expensive to buy

 

Yes very expensive... i have a big ball of chaeto in my fuge... used about half of a small bottle in there a few weeks ago... also have a small t5 fixture i run over the fuge (have some frags in there too)... and my pods are going crazy..

How will they make it to the main tank though... i have heard the return pump will push them up... but.. just want to make sure

 

the return should push up copepods no prob. Bigger amphipods get chopper and screwed.