View Full Version : Pod cultures
reavesinc
12-13-2007, 3:53 PM
Hello everyone, I'm about to start a pod culture and was wondering what methods you guys have been using. What worked and what didn't work. Thanks for any feedback!
Star_Rider
12-13-2007, 4:16 PM
I picked up a pdo culture mix from slatwaterfish.com
dumped in into my refugium (had calupera now has cheato) and in a few weeks had pods craling all over the place.
I have since moved culpera to a small 10 g .now I have 2 pod cultures.
I go inot the fuge once in awhile and move some cheato and pods wind up in the main tank.
I bought chaeto from 3 different reefers I trusted and bought pods from 2 different LFS..had them get them for me right out of their own fuge.
reavesinc
12-13-2007, 6:05 PM
What about the tank set ups are you guys just using your fuge? I'm trying to do one not in the main system.
Almondsaz
12-13-2007, 8:08 PM
I have a separate 30 gallon fuge that is specifically for the growth of pods. I got 2000 from Piece of the Reef and they have been great. I made the mistake of having a puffer (valentino) in the tank and needless to say loved the open food source. Now the puffer is rehomed. I am looking for the fuge to now team with life.
reavesinc
12-13-2007, 9:46 PM
What did you add into the tank anything or did you just have water algae and sand
gomrjoe
12-14-2007, 11:51 AM
Nice thread, I have often thought about pods and starting some sort of a culture.
Other than algae, sand and water, do they need a light source at all?
I wanted to buy some pods once from my LFS but at the last minute decided not to because I wasn't sure if it was going to seed my tank or not since I have overflows.
Grins
12-14-2007, 12:00 PM
The pods don't need a light source but the macro will.
OgreMkV
12-14-2007, 12:04 PM
Don't copepods eat phytoplankton? Do most reef tanks have sufficient phtyos for the pods to eat?
My main reason for wanting a SW tank it the Mandarin gobies and they have to eat pods.
Grins
12-14-2007, 12:09 PM
They are detritivores so if you add them to a fuge there should be no need to add phyto
nycsicktank
12-14-2007, 12:11 PM
great thread. would they need cheato to survive? or just lr will be good enough?
Grins
12-14-2007, 12:14 PM
a protected area would be ideal. Some use a tower of live rock in the display. I like the use of chaeto for them in a fuge.
reavesinc
12-15-2007, 5:21 PM
I guess I have to seed them into my tank. I was hoping not to just bc I'd like to KNOW that I have enough for the wrasse.
Star_Rider
12-17-2007, 5:57 PM
they really are easy to keep. I have LR rubble and live sand in my fuge along with cheato.
they like the macro as it gives them cover..a fuge usually has a lot of water moving thru it..so the current is pretty strong.if you have a trusted source for macro algae(cheato or calupera-which requires contant light) you will get some pods in the macro.
all I do to get some to the main tank is move the algae around and they get sucked up by the pump when they fleee.
reavesinc
12-17-2007, 6:16 PM
This is what I have got going on right now. A pod tank, phyto, and brine.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a175/ReavesInc/podtank02.png
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a175/ReavesInc/podtank.png
a fuge usually has a lot of water moving thru it..so the current is pretty strong.
Mine, and I thought most, were done so that the fuge area gets low flow.
ooja3k
12-18-2007, 1:48 AM
typically "fuges" get minimal flow... a sump will have higher flow through it...
Star_Rider
12-18-2007, 3:07 PM
really??..my fuge is 30-40 gallons for my 110
the 110 has a 1.5 drain feeding into the fuge with a quiet1 6000 (rated at 1500 gph- I do realize that this is at the head and not at the return feed)as a return pump 1" return lines..if I re-did the fuge I would have an external pump.
as it is the pump can drain the return side of the fuge in a matter of seconds.
the fuge is baffled to deflect the main flow but large enough to provide plenty of water volume /movement.
mine has LR and a deep sand bed..the sand bed is protected by the baffles..but I would say that this is not minmal flow but the baffles do provide sanctuary from the main flow.
you can of course add a hang on fuge to a tank if you decide.
reavesinc
12-18-2007, 3:33 PM
Yeah I tried that, the water level is too low for the hob filter to hold its prime. I was going to do a sump, but not until later. For now I'll just keep trying to get them going in a separate tank.
really??..my fuge is 30-40 gallons for my 110
the 110 has a 1.5 drain feeding into the fuge with a quiet1 6000 (rated at 1500 gph- I do realize that this is at the head and not at the return feed)as a return pump 1" return lines..if I re-did the fuge I would have an external pump.
as it is the pump can drain the return side of the fuge in a matter of seconds.
the fuge is baffled to deflect the main flow but large enough to provide plenty of water volume /movement.
mine has LR and a deep sand bed..the sand bed is protected by the baffles..but I would say that this is not minmal flow but the baffles do provide sanctuary from the main flow.
you can of course add a hang on fuge to a tank if you decide.
Yep, the way mine is set-up the water into an input area, flows into the fuge and then over the top of it to the return area...so mostly just the top surface of the fuge gets that flow.
Star_Rider
12-20-2007, 4:20 PM
yup, input area(has the skimmer) very turbulant(1.5" feed) baffled into fuge area and baffled to return.
flow is mostly at the top
reavesinc
12-20-2007, 4:28 PM
all you guys are :OT:
Star_Rider
12-20-2007, 4:46 PM
but you mention going to a sump..why do that when you can go to a fuge?
you can use the set up you have or simply set up a seperate tank (marine) dump pods in it and let them go..they should still get some filtration so run a filter (use a prefilter to keep the pods out of the filter) but most of them are fairly strong swimmers(those that swim)
I find that the pods like to cling to rocks or macro algae.
reavesinc
12-20-2007, 4:50 PM
Well I have a 22g tank so a sump would add room for a fuge, room for a skimmer, and more water volume. Plus the fuges I see like on F&S are too big.
Star_Rider
12-21-2007, 12:00 PM
once you see how a fuge is designed..making your own is not really a big deal.
I use the fuge in place of a sump..no bio media to collect detritus on and the fuge acts to help reduce nitrates ..sumps if not maintained properly could wind up adding nitrates.
add macro algae and use it to cultivate pod cultures .
and it is also another ecosystme .
mine has a bunch of plume worms in it..it's really kind of interesting to watch it. stomata all over the sides, small sponges, plume worms.pods darting about
reavesinc
12-21-2007, 12:02 PM
I had a fuge in my tnak and I ended up taking it out because it just collected detritus.
once you see how a fuge is designed..making your own is not really a big deal.
I use the fuge in place of a sump..no bio media to collect detritus on and the fuge acts to help reduce nitrates ..sumps if not maintained properly could wind up adding nitrates.
add macro algae and use it to cultivate pod cultures .
and it is also another ecosystme .
mine has a bunch of plume worms in it..it's really kind of interesting to watch it. stomata all over the sides, small sponges, plume worms.pods darting about
Not all sumps have extra media. My sump/fuge hides equipment and the only bio media is in the fuge section in the form of rubble and macros.
Star_Rider
12-21-2007, 5:48 PM
reavesinc, in tank sump?
how did you handle water flow?
grins..so not a traditional sump? I can see how they can be easily modified
It is actually designed to be a refugium. But acts as both. But yes, perhaps not typical in that it has a bare bottom.