Copepods in a brand new tank already? :)

[RobertP]

I set up a 40 gallon breeder 3 weeks ago as a quarantine tank. It is about as basic as you can get with a heater and Marineland Emperor filter/pump. It uses the biowheel so I put the biowheel in my reef tank for a couple weeks prior so hopefully it would get a little bio life on it. Maybe not enough time but who knows. No light since it is sitting on a shelf with a window behind it so plenty of natural light. Yeah algae will be an issue but I am ok with that.

Two weeks ago I added Dr Tims one and only and some ammonia so it is fully cycled.

Today I see a little algae on the bottom and some on the back but then something moved! I thought it was the little flow at first. However, the more I stared the more copepods I found. They almost covered the bottom and looked like they are feeding on the algae. Where did they come from? All the water came from the mixing station, not my main tank. The temperature probe was sitting in the tank for about a month so I guess they could have come from that. I didn't think the biowheel was in the sump long enough to get anything.

I was excited that I found a ton of copepods in my refugium and I haven't even added any. Guess my friend's small ball of chaeto had more than I thought.

This is a wonderful thing and I am constantly amazed at marine life!!!

 

[Matt Carden]

Definitely biowheel

 

[RobertP]

The pvc pipe was brand new as well.